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2h ago

Supreme Court Clears CFIA to Proceed With B.C. Ostrich Cull After Final Appeal Rejected

The regulator plans complete depopulation under its avian flu stamping‑out policy following court rulings that upheld its authority.

Image
Signs protesting the cull line the fences that surround the farm.
Ostriches are seen at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., on May 17.
Police vehicles are pictured at the Universal Ostrich Farms property in Edgewood, B.C., this morning.

Overview

  • Canada’s Supreme Court declined to hear Universal Ostrich Farms’ appeal, ending a yearlong legal fight over the cull.
  • The CFIA said it will move forward with “complete depopulation” of roughly 300–330 birds at the Edgewood, B.C., farm, without giving a timeline.
  • Lower courts found the notice to dispose, the exemption denial and the stamping‑out policy reasonable under the Health of Animals Act.
  • CFIA has controlled the site since September with RCMP support, warned against obstructing officials, and noted a Transport Canada airspace restriction.
  • The cull follows a Dec. 31, 2024 H5N1 detection after 69 ostriches died, despite protests, calls for testing, and a 2016 CFIA manual fueling concern over euthanasia methods.