Question Period Note: BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

Q1 – What is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency doing to respond to the bovine tuberculosis situation? Q2 – Can bovine tuberculosis be spread to humans? Q3 – How is bovine tuberculosis controlled in Canada? Q4 – Are owners of ordered to be disposed cattle compensated by the federal government?

R.1 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has launched an investigation and is working on identifying and testing herds that have been in contact with the 1 original infected herd.

This disease investigation is extensive and will take at least 18 to 24 months to complete with 23 premises currently impacted. The system used to trace beef cattle requires manual tracing of individual animal movements along the beef supply chain, which takes time.

Engagement with various stakeholders, including provincial Chief Veterinary Officers from Saskatchewan and Alberta, and several cattle associations is frequent and ongoing. R.2 - Human cases of bovine tuberculosis are very rare.
Bovine tuberculosis does not pose a threat to public health in Canada because of the extremely low prevalence of the disease, as well as the Canada’s abattoir surveillance and testing programs, and practices.
Bovine tuberculosis is a reportable disease in Canada and has been subject to a mandatory national eradication program since 1923.
Exposure can occur through the passage of fluids from an infected animal to an open skin sore, extended close contact with an animal with active respiratory tuberculosis or consuming raw or unpasteurized animal products (such as unpasteurized milk) from an infected animal.
Anyone who may have been exposed to an infected animal should seek medical advice. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency imposes a quarantine on infected premises to prevent the spread of the disease and to help protect members of the public. R.3 - Bovine tuberculosis has been the subject of a mandatory national eradication program in Canada since 1923. The goal of the program is the early detection and complete eradication of bovine tuberculosis from livestock in Canada

Ongoing surveillance in livestock is used to look for infections and maintains Canada’s international status as free of bovine tuberculosis.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s abattoir surveillance system looks for tuberculosis-like lesions in the lymph nodes and lungs of slaughtered animals. Abattoir surveillance is supplemented with live-animal testing, which is required for export to some countries.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also targets testing a number of cattle around Wood Buffalo National Park, which has the only wildlife population known to be infected with bovine tuberculosis in Canada. This latter supports that the disease has not spread from the Park into livestock and supports market access.
If bovine tuberculosis is confirmed on a premises, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency alerts the provincial health department and implements strict disease eradication measures to eliminate the infection and prevent further spread to livestock, humans, and wildlife.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also notifies any trading partners if exports of live animals have occurred from the positive premises within the past four years. This notification is an obligation under World Organization of Animal Health. R.4 - Under the Health of Animals Act, the Minister has authority to order compensation to be paid to an owner whose animal has been ordered disposed. This compensation, which is paid from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, is not meant to provide full economic relief, rather it is meant to encourage disease reporting and owner cooperation in destruction efforts.

Producers are eligible to receive compensation for the market value of the animals ordered disposed and the disposal costs. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also finalizing a review of the market value of cattle for compensation that can be provided to producers whose animals are depopulated.

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic contagious bacterial disease of livestock, and occasionally other species of mammals, resulting from infection with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis).

In countries with eradication programs such as Canada, advanced disease is rare as most cases are detected at an early stage when infection typically consists of few or small lesions in the respiratory system.
Few infections in Canada progress to the point of presenting clinical signs. However, when progressive disease does occur, the general signs are weakness, loss of appetite, weight-loss and fluctuating fever. When the lungs are extensively diseased, there can be an intermittent, hacking cough.

If bovine tuberculosis is confirmed on a premises, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implements strict disease eradication measures to eliminate the infection and prevent further spread.
These measures include:
• Implementing a quarantine and restricting the movement of animals and equipment
• Humane destruction of all infected and susceptible exposed animals
• Cleaning and disinfection of infected premises and equipment
• Investigation and testing of all at-risk livestock herds which are epidemiologically associated with the infected premises (tracing)
• Testing livestock and wildlife within a surveillance zone surrounding the infected premises
• Testing any livestock herds that are re-stocked onto a premises where bovine tuberculosis was previously confirmed

Bovine Tuberculosis Investigation
On November 29, 2024, an animal of Canadian origin, which had been slaughtered on October 31, 2024, tested positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). The birth herd of this animal was traced to a large breeding herd in Saskatchewan composed of approximately 2,100 animals.

Bovine TB is a listed reportable disease in the Reportable Disease Regulations under the Health of Animals Act (HAA) and is a listed notifiable disease with the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA). Under WHOA standards, the CFIA must notify any trading partners if exports of live animals have occurred from the positive premises in a timely fashion.
The CFIA initiated an investigation and is working closely with affected producers, industry associations, and provincial and federal agricultural and health authorities throughout the investigation.

The disease investigation is ongoing and will take at least 18 to 24 months to complete. More farms may be affected as testing results are received. Work is underway to determine the resources that are required to carry out the disease investigation.

As of April 25, 2025, more than 4,000 animals have been tested, at over 23 farms. The CFIA ordered the herd with the infected animals to be destroyed, as well as individual animals from the other sites, for a total of over 2,100 animals that have been ordered to be destroyed.

Compensation and Financial Assistance for other costs or business losses
Compensation claims are based on the market value of the animal, but they are capped by the maximum amount set out in the Compensation for Destroyed Animals and Things Regulations.

The CFIA and Agriculture and Agri Food Canada work together to understand the scope and scale of this outbreak and to engage the CCA and provinces on their roles and any industry wide implications.

• In November 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency launched an investigation after an animal tested positive for bovine tuberculosis on a farm in Saskatchewan.

• The Government is committed to maintaining market access and working with trading partners to address any concerns.

• The Government of Canada is committed to compensating affected producers for culling infected animals and ensuring the sustainability of our agricultural sector.

• The Government of Canada is working with provincial governments to support producers affected by bovine tuberculosis.