The federal government is increasing the maximum compensation amounts for cattle destroyed due to reportable disease outbreaks, aligning with current market prices to better support Canadian producers.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald announced amendments to the Compensation for Destroyed Animals and Things Regulations (CDATR). The updated policy raises the maximum compensation for registered (purebred) cattle to $16,500, up from $10,000, and for non-registered cattle to $10,000, more than doubling the previous limit of $4,500 — amounts that were set a decade ago.
“We’re increasing the maximum amount of compensation for cattle to better reflect the latest market value and help ensure that our producers have access to appropriate compensation when disease response efforts impact their businesses,” MacDonald said.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) may order the destruction of animals or property in cases where a reportable disease is confirmed, in order to protect public health, animal welfare, and trade markets. When such action is taken, producers are eligible to receive financial compensation under federal regulations.
The move follows a recent CFIA market analysis, which showed significant increases in cattle values since 2015, prompting the need to update the compensation framework. The new limits are intended to encourage early disease reporting and support cooperative eradication efforts.
Compensation is calculated based on the current market value at the time of destruction, but the maximum amounts represent the ceiling the federal agriculture minister can authorize per animal.
The federal government says this regulatory change reflects its ongoing commitment to safeguarding Canada’s food systems while recognizing the economic realities faced by farmers.
The amended compensation levels come into effect immediately.