B.C. ostrich cull cost almost $7 million

The months-long operation to destroy a flock of ostriches on a B.C. farm last year cost Canadian taxpayers almost $7 million.

House of Commons questions from MP for Vernon-Lake Country- Monashee, Scott Anderson, revealed the cost in a breakdown from the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Safety.

The breakdowns revealed a total of $6,810,846.

Under the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, salaries for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) employees totaled $339,497, animal feed cost $13,780, facilities cost $148,249 and a total of $380,397 was spent of materials and supplies, which included water, specialized equipment and straw and delivery costs.

Professional services, including destruction, disposal and cybersecurity, cost $482,734 total.

In total, the sum of all expenses related to the CFIA was $1,596,517.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food stated that cybersecurity and office security costs were necessary due to threats to CFIA personnel across Canada, at some CFIA offices, via IT accounts, and direct threats to CFIA employees.

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The Department of Justice stated that legal costs associated with actions taken related to the ostrich farm amount to approximately $1.38 million.

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The services include litigation services and litigation support services.

Costs incurred by the RCMP amount to $3,834,329, according to an itemized breakdown.

This includes personnel, transportation, telecommunications and professional and special services.

However, the Minister of Public Safety states that the “expenditures reported are only those that have been reflected in the financial system as farm-related expenditures as of Dec. 9, 2025.

“Salaries and other pending expenditures, such as overtime claims, that have not yet been posted in the financial system related to the farm are not reflected in the data. Total expenditures related to the farm will not be complete until the end of the fiscal year.”

The ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, B.C., were culled in November 2025, following an unsuccessful legal challenge from the farm to prevent the cull.

3:44 B.C. ostrich cull: Canada ‘waged war’ by gunning down birds in middle of night, family says

Spokesperson for the Universal Ostrich Farm, Katie Pasitney, told Global News that the final cost is not shocking.

“This could have been put to rest by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency months ago by just simple live virus testing,” she said.

Pasitney said there is a cost to fighting for justice and they would do it all over again.

“You can love us or hate us, but one day, you’ll realize that this fight was for justice, not just for us, but our agricultural independence, preserving our independence, protecting our farmers, our future,” she said.

Pasitney added that they don’t know if they will run an ostrich farm again.

“That is still, it’s a very fragile situation for my mom and I,”