On December 4, 2024, amendments to the Compensation for Destroyed Animals Regulations were published in Canada Gazette, Part II. Due to the newly added provisions, the title of the regulations has been updated to Compensation for Destroyed Animals and Things Regulations (CDATR).
The CDATR are the regulations that set the parameters and eligibility for compensation that may be provided to owners (such as a producer or farmer) who have been ordered to destroy their animals or things. The objective of the CDATR is to encourage the early reporting of animal disease, and the cooperation of owners in eradication efforts.
The latest outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada has been unprecedented in scale and scope. The outbreak highlighted an opportunity to amend the regulations to address challenges and improve consistency in the compensation regime. The new amendments will expand an owner's eligibility to receive compensation if their animals or things are ordered destroyed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Specifically, owners may now be eligible to receive compensation for:
- owners' personal labour used in the destruction and/or disposal of their animals or things ordered destroyed
- costs associated with the disposal of the following list of things ordered destroyed:
- animal food (such as feed)
- non-commercial freezers and refrigerators
- cages, crates, and nesting boxes
- feed troughs
In addition, the amendments also update the maximum amounts for bison to reflect current market value. These amendments were previously pre-published in Canada Gazette, Part I in July 2021. Bison ordered destroyed may now be compensated up to a higher maximum amount, specifically:
- up to $10,000 for bison bull, 1 year and older
- up to $6000 for all other bison
Under the Health of Animals Act, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food may order the destruction of an animal or thing if it poses a disease risk, and the Minister may order compensation to be paid to the owner according to the parameters established in the regulations (the CDATR). An order for the destruction of an animal or thing affected by a disease, while unfortunate and difficult for all concerned, is often necessary to keep humans and other animals safe, and to keep export markets open.
For more information on compensation for animals and things ordered destroyed, visit: Animal health compensation – what to expect when an animal is ordered destroyed