Send a Letter: Oppose the Creation of the Proposed “Harvest Preserves”

February 19, 2025

The Government of Alberta is considering legalizing harvest preserves – private “hunting” enclosures where farmed elk and deer would be released for paid “hunts.” This proposal would require changes to the existing Livestock Industry Diversification Act, basically allowing commercialized hunting in fenced areas across the province. However, the government is ignoring the risks associated with Chronic Wasting Disease — a hihgly contagious and fatal disease affecting deer species (cervids). The spread of the CWD could be catastrophic for Alberta’s wild deer, elk, and caribou populations. It spreads through bodily fluids and can persist in the environment for years, contaminating soil, water, and plants. Once introduced to a new area, it is nearly impossible to remove.

Send you letter to oppose this proposed fenced-in hunting of farmed deer, which is linked to the spread of CWD into the wild.

Send a Letter: Oppose the Creation of "Harvest Preserves" in Alberta

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Subject(Required)

Message(Required)

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed legalization of Cervid Harvest Preserves (CHP) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

I urge the Government of Alberta to reject any changes to the Livestock Industry Diversification Act 18.01(1) or any legislation amendment that would legalize CHP in any form. The establishment of these facilities poses a serious risk to Alberta's wild cervid populations and ecosystems, mainly due to the continued spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

CWD is a fatal disease affecting cervid species such as deer, elk and moose. The first case of CWD in Alberta was detected in a farmed elk in 2002. Despite immediate eradication efforts, more cases continue to appear every year. By 2005, CWD had spread to wild cervids, showing that the disease continues to expand even with a surveillance program in place. Since then, thousands of animals have been culled in an attempt to contain and track the disease. We know that the spread of CWD began with farmed game animals, and we now have an opportunity to prevent further transmission from farmed cervids to wild populations.

According to the latest data reported on the Alberta.ca website, during the 2023-2024 period, an alarming 18.9% of tested wild cervids were found to be positive for CWD. This clearly indicates that the disease is not under control.

Additionally, while no cases have been confirmed yet, we know that caribou are susceptible to CWD. Given the precarious state of Alberta's caribou populations, introducing additional threats could have devastating consequences for this already threatened species.

Given that no program has stopped the spread of CWD, what other measures will the government implement to contain this disease? How much will it costs Albertans to

expand surveillance throughout the province, and does the government have the resources to address potential further outbreaks? Will culling of wild cervids in an attempt to contain the disease continue, and if so, who will bear the costs?

The financial benefits of CHP mainly favour a small group of private operators and suppliers, while the broader ecological and economic risks fall on the Alberta public. Turning wildlife into a commercial commodity may generate economic returns, but it comes at the cost of diminishing the ecological, cultural, and aesthetic values that free-ranging wildlife represents for many Albertans. The loss of true wilderness and the domestication of wild species threaten people's deep connections with nature, including its spiritual and intrinsic worth.

This proposal also raises significant ethical concerns. CHP resemble "canned hunting" operations, where animals are kept in enclosed spaces and "hunted" for profit. This undermines the principle of fair chase, which is central to ethical hunting. Furthermore, Indigenous communities that rely on wild cervids for sustenance and cultural practices would face increased threats to their food security if CWD spreads further into wild populations.

The risks posed by CWD, the ethical and ecological concerns, and the potential harm to Indigenous and other stakeholders make this proposal unacceptable. I strongly urge the Government of Alberta to reject the legalization of Cervid Harvest Preserves and prioritize the protection of Alberta's wildlife, ecosystems, and communities over short-term economic incentives for a select few.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

CAPTCHA

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.