AGRI Committee Report

16 February – First farm quarantined

British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries detects AI in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and quarantines the farm.

19 February – First case of AI
confirmed

The CFIA receives test results confirming the presence of AI on the farm.  The entire flock, consisting of approximately 16,000 birds, is depopulated.

20 February – Surveillance
program established

The CFIA launches a surveillance program of all poultry farms within a 5-km radius of the farm.  The AI virus is identified as the low pathogenic form.

9 March – Second farm quarantined

Further tests reveal that both low and high pathogenic forms of the AI virus were present on the first farm.  The CFIA announces the quarantine of a second farm where low levels of illness have been detected.  The birds are depopulated three days later after the presence of AI is confirmed.

11 March – Control Area established

In an attempt to control the spread of AI,
Bob Speller, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, designates the Fraser Valley south of the Fraser River as a Control Area.  The Control Area consists of a High-Risk Region (approximately 5 km around the first two infected farms) and a Surveillance Region (approximately 10 km surrounding the infected farms).  Controls are put on the movement of birds in captivity, products or by-products of birds, and anything that has been exposed to a bird, into or out of the Control Area.

24 March – Flocks in High-Risk
Region to be culled and outbreak declared an emergency

Five commercial farms and two backyard flocks have been confirmed to have AI.  The CFIA announces that it will depopulate all the flocks in the High-Risk Region of the Fraser Valley
(275,000 birds) in an effort to control the spread of infection.  The outbreak is declared an emergency.

29 March – Farm outside High-Risk Region quarantined

AI has been detected on six farms in the High-Risk Region.  A farm outside the High-Risk Region is put under quarantine as a precautionary measure.

31 March

A total of 20 commercial farms and 6 backyard flocks have tested positive for AI within the Control Area.

5 April – All flocks in Control
Area to be depopulated

On the recommendation of the CFIA, the Province of British Columbia and the poultry industry, Minister Speller announces the depopulation of all commercial poultry flocks and other backyard birds in the Control Area (approximately 19 million birds).  Birds from non-infected farms will be processed under full inspection and be made available for sale.  Access to farms is further controlled.

8 April – Movement restrictions
changed to allow sale of non-infected birds

Movement restrictions within the Fraser Valley Control Area are changed to allow products from the Control Area to be shipped across Canada.  Poultry that tests negative for AI will be sent to market.

29 April

By this time, AI has been detected on 40 commercial farms and 10 smaller premises.  Depopulation of poultry continues on a priority basis.

25 May

AI has been detected on 42 farms and in 11 backyard flocks, all of which have been depopulated.

28 May – Depopulation suspended

The CFIA suspends depopulation after slaughtering approximately 17 million birds in the Fraser Valley (90% of the estimated population).

8 June – CFIA introduces a compensation package for birds that were depopulated

Most of the birds that were slaughtered were able to go through normal commercial markets and receive market value.  The CFIA introduces a compensation package for individuals who were unable to recover market value for their slaughtered birds.

11 June – Containment phase concluded

The initial containment response is concluded, and the response is now entering the recovery phase.  Movement controls on birds and bird products are still in effect.

21 June – Cleaning and disinfection
of premises in the High-Risk Region completed, restocking outside of
High-Risk Region is allowed

All premises in the High-Risk Region have been cleaned and disinfected.  Owners must wait 21 days before restocking their farms.  Farms outside the High-Risk Region may be restocked.

9 July – All premises in the High-Risk
Region are allowed to restock their farms

26 July – The CFIA compensates
owners of destroyed birds

As of 14 December, the Agency had received more than 1,130 compensation requests and paid out approximately $63.5 million.

18 August – Control Area eliminated

The Control Area established to contain the outbreak of AI in the Fraser Valley has been eliminated and all domestic movement restrictions placed on birds and bird products have been lifted.  Export restrictions remain in effect until further notice from importing countries.