Alberta poultry farmers brace for spring migration after last year's surge in avian flu cases
CBC
Spring is heralded by the return of geese, but to many in Alberta's poultry industry, migration means something different.
With last year's avian flu season considered the worst in years, producers like Wetaskiwin-area turkey farmer Scott Olson are being mindful.
"I'm very conscious of not going out in the sloughs or doing anything where migratory birds are hanging out, and then going to our facility," Olson said.
"With this nice weather we're seeing, the geese will be here shortly."
Olson's no stranger to the damage done by avian flu: he's experienced three outbreaks since 2022. The most recent was last fall, and all three cases led to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) culling his birds.
"It happens in one barn, and it will jump to another one a day or two later," Olson said.
"When you contact CFIA, they want to stamp out all the birds on the premises, just to to stop the spread of the avian influenza."
More than 2.5 million birds in Alberta — and 17 million across Canada — have died as a result of avian flu outbreaks since December 2021.
Avian influenza is naturally carried by wild birds. It's spread through saliva and excrement, which can contaminate water and soil when birds fly overhead or make direct contact on the ground.
For farmers like Olson, precautions to avoid avian flu include biosecurity measures like establishing controlled access zones around and within barns, strictly controlling who and what enters each barn, and thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting wherever necessary.
Olson's strict rules also include dedicated boot rooms for changing into barn-specific coveralls, boots, and gloves before entering facilities.
During peak migration seasons, he will also limit farm access to essential vehicles and restrict visitors to mitigate disease transmission risk.
"Hopefully I'm not contaminating anything going in, and I'm not bringing anything back out," Olson said.
In Alberta, there were 26 cases of avian influenza confirmed in flocks last year.
A Toronto non-profit says it's launched the province's first harm reduction program for adults with intellectual disabilities.
In Havana on Friday, Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío Domínguez argued that Canada should maintain the commercial relationship with Cuba that has made it the country's largest foreign investor after Spain.
About 100 people gathered outside the Colonial Building in St. John’s on Saturday for an anti-war rally. They were met with some counter-protesters, highlighting different views on the Iran war.
The two candidates hoping to become Quebec's next premier in less than a month took part in a first official sparring match Saturday, with Christine Fréchette accusing her opponent of having a big ego and bringing the debate over shale gas back to the forefront.
Amanda Lathlin, the first First Nations woman to be elected to the legislative assembly in Manitoba's history, has died, the provincial NDP said on Saturday.
Colten Poitras describes Indian relay as an extreme sport.
After more than 48 hours of heavy rainfall, conditions began to ease Saturday morning, but the City of Fernie, B.C., says untreated wastewater is still being released into the Elk River.
An Alberta town reeling from the loss of its rinks has advanced to the final stage of a national competition, with $250,000 on the line.
Members of the new Arctic Canada Tourism Network want to make sure their industry has a voice in conversations about the future of the Arctic.
People continue to flock to Banff National Park.
Two Toronto councillors have brought forward a motion to ban raising foreign flags at Toronto City Hall and civic centres.
Thousands of Maritime Electric customers in multiple communities across Queens County are without power Saturday morning.
Three weeks into the conflict in the Middle East, the joint U.S.-Israel onslaught has killed much of Iran's leadership, knocked out much of its ballistic missile capability, sunk nearly all of its navy and, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, has "militarily WON" the war already.