Overview
Regulated pests and nuisances can damage crops, livestock, stored products, trees, buildings, infrastructure and the environment. Some can also affect market access, trade, animal health or Alberta’s ability to remain free of certain pests. Early detection, reporting and coordinated response help reduce damage and limit spread.
Steps you can take to prevent the spread of pests:
- Regularly inspect your property for pests and report sightings.
- Do not move, transport, release or attempt to relocate regulated pests or nuisance animals. Follow directions from your municipality, inspector or provincial program staff.
- Clean soil and plant material from footwear, vehicles, equipment and tools before moving between fields or properties.
Early reporting, identification and response helps prevent pests from spreading and causing damage.
If you suspect a pest, and it is safe to do so, take a photo, record the location and report by calling 310-FARM (3276), emailing [email protected] (insects), [email protected] or [email protected].
Legislation
Alberta’s Agricultural Pests Act and Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation set out requirements for preventing, controlling and destroying regulated agricultural pests and nuisances.
The differences between pests and nuisances
Pests and nuisances are animals, birds, insects, plants or diseases that can destroy or harm land, livestock or property.
- Pests are subject to legal requirements and must be prevented, controlled or destroyed as directed under the legislation.
- Nuisances may be controlled where they are causing damage or risk. The legal requirements for nuisances are different from those for pests.
Legal responsibilities
Everyone plays a part in protecting Alberta from pests and nuisances. Landowners and occupants, such as renters, tenants or people responsible for a property, may have duties under the Agricultural Pests Act.
Landowners and occupants
- monitor land, buildings, crops and stored products for pests
- take appropriate action to prevent the establishment of pests, and control or destroy pests
- cooperate with inspectors and local authorities
Municipalities and local authorities
- appoint pest inspectors
- receive concerns or complaints
- issue pest notices where required
- support education and enforcement
Government of Alberta
- provide legislation, policy, technical expertise and provincial program support
- coordinate provincial prevention and response programs where applicable
- appoints provincial pest inspectors
Resources
- Agricultural vertebrate nuisances (mice, northern pocket gophers, ground squirrels, bushy-tailed wood rat)
- Crop diseases (bacterial ring rot, blackleg, clubroot, and more)
- Crop insect resources
- Major crop insect pests (bertha armyworm, cabbage seedpod weevil, cutworm, diamondback moth, grasshoppers, pea leaf weevil, wheat midge, wheat stem sawfly, wireworm)
- Dutch elm disease
- Nuisance birds (magpies, house sparrows and starlings)
- Rat control program (keeping Alberta rat-free)
- Wild boar in Alberta
- Protecting flocks from predation
The Alberta Plant Health Lab provides identification and surveillance services.
See the Alberta Invasive Species Council to learn about threats in North America.