Government of Canada announces funding to improve animal health and welfare

From: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

News release

October 8, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Today, at the 2024 Animal Health Canada Forum, Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced up to $13,343,409 over 5 years to Animal Health Canada (AHC) for three projects through the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

This investment aims to enhance animal health and welfare, while safeguarding Canadians, through improvements to disease surveillance, emergency management, and animal care standards.

AHC will receive up to $3,534,174 to expand its animal health surveillance networks and shift the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System to a One Health approach. AHC aims to minimize the economic, health, and welfare impacts of potential disease outbreaks in Canadian livestock by improving disease surveillance and information sharing.

AHC will also receive up to $5,000,000 for a second project aimed at improving emergency management practices. Project activities include developing comprehensive emergency plans, training industry staff and producers across Canada, conducting educational workshops, and testing industry preparedness.

Finally, AHC will receive up to $4,809,235 to update, amend, and review several Codes of Practice. These Codes are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of animals, which help guarantee high standards of animal welfare. AHC will also ensure awareness of the changes to the Codes throughout the sector.

Animal health and disease management are a priority for the Government of Canada. These efforts aim to strengthen sector resilience, confirm Canada’s high standards of animal care, and ensure the health and safety of Canadians.

Quotes

“Healthy animals mean healthy communities. This investment in disease monitoring, emergency planning, and quality animal care shows our commitment to animal welfare and management, and to the well-being of Canadians. With Animal Health Canada's help, we’re ensuring our farms are resilient and our food remains safe and trusted here in Canada, and around the world.”   

- The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“This investment will improve our emergency management capabilities and uphold our already high standards for animal welfare. This is good news for our agricultural communities across Canada and the health of our livestock. By investing in these areas, we are creating a more resilient sector for the future.”  

-  Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“This funding strengthens our ability to work with our members and partners to enhance foreign animal disease planning and preparedness, promote sustainable approaches for animal welfare, and improve our disease surveillance capabilities. Through collaboration and innovation, we are building a more resilient and responsive industry that can meet both current and future challenges.”

- Colleen McElwain, Executive Director, Animal Health Canada

Quick facts

  • A One Health system is an approach to disease management and prevention that recognizes the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. It promotes collaboration across multiple sectors and disciplines to ensure the well-being of all.

  • The Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System is a distinct division of AHC that is dedicated to promoting a coordinated, national surveillance system through partner engagement and information sharing.

  • Updates to the Codes of Practice will be made through the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), a distinct division of AHC.

  • Enhanced emergency management practices aim to build sector resilience and protect Canada’s agricultural resources through comprehensive planning and training.

  • AHC previously received over $6 million in funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

  • Animal Health Canada (AHC) is a national organization that brings together industry, federal, provincial, and territorial partners to provide guidance on a cohesive, functional, and responsive farmed animal health and welfare system in Canada.

  • The AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, provides funding for national-level projects to help industry develop, verify, and integrate assurance systems to address market and regulatory requirements and to enable industry to make credible, meaningful, and verifiable claims about the health, safety, and quality of Canadian agriculture products. 

  • The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food, and agri‐based products sector.

Associated links

Contacts

For media:

Annie Cullinan
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
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