Strathcona County bans wild boar farms

If you were planning on starting up a wild boar farm in Strathcona County, you won't be able to anytime soon.

A new Responsible Livestock Ownership Bylaw has replaced the Animal Control and Apiculture Bylaw. The change was approved by council on Tuesday (Oct. 4) and went into effect immediately. 

Wild boars are considered a provincial pest in Alberta.

Council's reason to ban these farms is to protect wildlife, the environment, and agriculture.

Some of the other changes to the bylaw include:

• Honeybee management – new and updated requirements to encourage honeybee health include:
  • Parameters on the number of hives in an area and proximity to other beekeepers
  • Updated apiculture permit application
• An updated over-limit permit application
• Expanded fees and charges schedule for infractions
• An appeal process for permits
• A new temporary livestock event permit application for short term instances such as parades, therapy and educational opportunities 

These changes were made to address minimizing disease risk, supporting animal welfare, and promoting environmental and land stewardship.

Additional tools and resources to educate livestock owners are planned over the next few months.