File photo of a migrating flock of snow geese in Canada. (Pchoui/iStock/Getty Images)

Eastern Canada books more avian flu cases

Backyard flock near Peterborough, wild birds in Quebec confirmed infected

Highly pathogenic avian influenza cases are turning up in new areas of Eastern Canada, with a backyard flock in central Ontario and a few wild birds in southern Quebec now confirmed infected. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Saturday confirmed high-path H5N1 avian flu in a backyard flock in the township of Selwyn, Ont., north […] Read more

File photo of chicks on a genetic map of a chicken. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Ontario backyard flock hit with avian flu

No commercial flocks in area, feather industry says

A fourth flock of domestic birds in southwestern Ontario has come down with highly pathogenic avian influenza, this time a backyard flock with no commercial farms nearby. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday it confirmed high-path H5N1 avian flu that day in the township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on the […] Read more


Turkeys. (Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Third Ontario poultry flock hit by avian flu

Backyard flock with 'increased mortality' also being tested; cases now also in four U.S. border states

A third poultry flock in southwestern Ontario has been confirmed with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza — with another backyard flock now being tested, and the disease also now present in four U.S. border states. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Wednesday announced it had confirmed the presence of high-path H5N1 in a poultry […] Read more

File photo of a U.S. veterinary medical officer examining tissue samples for avian influenza virus. (Suzanne Deblois photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

High-path avian flu drops into southwestern Ontario

H5N1 confirmed on poultry farm

Ontario’s feather sector is moving to a “heightened biosecurity advisory” after highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed this weekend in a poultry flock. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Sunday it had confirmed high-path H5N1 in a flock in southern Ontario, a day after the Ontario Feather Board Command Centre (FBCC) published a report of […] Read more


File photo of chicks on a genetic map of a chicken. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Second Nova Scotia poultry operation hit with avian flu

U.S. also books outbreaks in two states

A second farm in western Nova Scotia has been hit with highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial birds, further expanding containment measures in that province. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday it confirmed high-path H5N1 on Wednesday last week in birds at a mixed farm in the area, where operations include poultry and poultry […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

High-path H5N1 avian flu hits Nova Scotia turkey farm

Trade curbs in place; U.S. also has an outbreak in Indiana

Updated, Feb. 10 — Highly pathogenic avian flu has again landed in domestic birds in Atlantic Canada — but this time on a commercial turkey farm, leading other countries to halt imports from Canada’s feather sectors for now. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week filed a report with the World Organization for Animal Health […] Read more


File photo of Canada geese in a park in Nova Scotia. (Andyqwe/iStock/Getty Images)

No trade bans expected from Nova Scotia bird flu findings

High-path H5N1 a 'non-poultry detection'

A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard flock in central Nova Scotia isn’t expected to affect international trade in Canada’s feather sectors. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Tuesday confirmed a high-path H5N1 strain affecting birds on the property, describing it Thursday as a “non-poultry detection” among animals not produced […] Read more

File photo of a great black-backed gull standing on a fortress wall at the port city of Saint-Malo in northern France. (Sjo/iStock/Getty Images)

Second high-path avian flu case appears in Newfoundland

Case involves non-commercial 'small flock' farm in same area

A new appearance of highly pathogenic avian flu in birds at another farm on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula isn’t expected to affect Canada’s status as free of avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported Tuesday it had confirmed ‘high-path’ H5N1 avian influenza (AI) on Sunday in birds at an “additional” farm in the region. It […] Read more


Bob Speller, shown here in a 2011 campaign video, died Dec. 16, 2021. (Video screengrab via YouTube)

Former federal agriculture minister Bob Speller, 65

Ontario MP served in Paul Martin's cabinet

A memorial will be held next week for Bob Speller, the Ontario businessman who served as Canada’s agriculture minister in the thick of the country’s BSE crisis. Speller, the MP for the southwestern Ontario riding of what’s now Haldimand-Norfolk from 1988 to 2004, died Thursday at age 65. A cause of death wasn’t given in […] Read more

Chicks atop images from a genetic map of a chicken. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

EU’s bird flu outbreaks reach Poland

Country's outbreaks hit farms totalling 650,000 birds

Paris | Reuters — Poland has reported several outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at poultry farms with flocks totalling nearly 650,000 birds, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday. Poland is the European Union’s largest poultry producer. Five outbreaks, of which four were at fattening turkey farms and one at […] Read more