$7 Million Ostrich Cull Sparks Outrage Over Costs and CFIA Policy
A controversial avian flu cull at an ostrich farm in British Columbia cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $7 million, according to newly released federal data, igniting a debate over the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) “stamping-out” policy and the scale of the response.
The culling of approximately 300 ostriches at Universal Ostrich farm in Edgewood, B.C., took place last December after a highly pathogenic avian flu outbreak was detected. Despite protests from animal welfare advocates – including prominent figures like U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – and legal challenges from the farm itself, the CFIA proceeded with the operation.
A request for information filed by Scott Anderson, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee, revealed the staggering financial burden of the cull. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alone spent over $3.8 million policing the operation, according to documents posted to the House of Commons website this week.
The CFIA, responsible for ordering and executing the cull, incurred costs of nearly $1.6 million. This included over $166,000 for the disposal of the birds and more than $150,000 dedicated to cybersecurity and office security. “Cybersecurity and office security costs were incurred as a result of threats to Canadian Food Inspection Agency personnel across the country, at a number of [CFIA] offices, via IT accounts and direct threats to [CFIA] employees,” a statement from the agency explained.
Personnel costs accounted for over $2 million of the RCMP’s expenditures. Anderson sharply criticized the overall cost, stating in a social media post that the CFIA has offered only “bland claims” to justify its actions. “At a cost of over $20,000 per bird… the CFIA disrupted the lives of the farmers, the entire town of Edgewood, and ultimately galvanized thousands of Canadians,” he wrote.
The CFIA maintains its “stamping-out” policy – which mandates the culling of entire flocks when avian flu is detected – is essential to prevent the spread of the virus and mitigate the risk of potentially dangerous mutations that could threaten Canada’s food security.
However, Anderson questioned the extensive RCMP deployment, which resulted in two arrests, suggesting it involved “hundreds of officers.” He argued that such resources could have been better allocated to addressing more conventional criminal activity. “So while protesters sang around a campfire, the peace was guarded by millions of dollars worth of our national police force, which should have been out catching real crooks,” he stated.
The legal battle surrounding the cull also proved costly, with the Justice Department reporting total legal expenses of approximately $1.38 million. These costs covered litigation and support services provided by salaried public servants. Universal Ostrich pursued multiple court challenges in 2025 following the initial avian flu detection in December 2024, but the Supreme Court of Canada ultimately declined to hear the farm’s case, upholding previous rulings that the CFIA’s decision was procedurally fair.
Earlier this month, the Agricultural Review Tribunal upheld a $10,000 fine levied against the farm for failing to promptly report avian flu symptoms.
The CFIA confirmed the completion of the cull in a statement released in December.
The financial and logistical scale of the ostrich cull has reignited the debate over the balance between biosecurity measures and the economic and social impact on rural communities. The incident underscores the complex challenges facing agricultural policy in the face of emerging animal health threats.
