Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has resurfaced across Canada this month, spreading quickly through several provinces after a quiet summer. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reports that the country, which had gone nearly four months without a single case, has now recorded 15 new outbreaks in October alone.
Following five confirmed cases in September, coinciding with the return of migratory birds, the pace of infections has accelerated. Thirteen of the 15 outbreaks this month have occurred since October 6, underscoring how quickly the virus is circulating among wild and domestic bird populations.
British Columbia, Canada’s most severely affected province since the H5N1 strain first appeared in North America in early 2022, reinstated an order last month requiring poultry to remain indoors as much as possible. The province confirmed its first new case of 2025 on October 14 at a commercial farm in Abbotsford — the first detection since early January. B.C. previously lost 16 commercial flocks in December 2024 alone.
Ontario has also been impacted, reporting its first HPAI detection since March in a commercial flock in Wellington County.
Other provinces affected since early October include:
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Alberta: One commercial flock in Warner County and two backyard flocks in Parkland and Rocky View counties.
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Manitoba: Three commercial flocks in Bifrost-Riverton, Ste. Rose, and Hanover.
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Saskatchewan: One commercial and one backyard flock in Bayne and Invergordon, respectively.
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Quebec: Two commercial flocks in Charlevoix-Est and Matawinie, along with one backyard flock in D’Autray County.
Since mid-September, six provinces have reported confirmed H5N1 outbreaks, affecting 16 commercial operations and four backyard flocks. Alberta currently accounts for nearly half of the country’s autumn cases, with eight of the 20 outbreaks reported nationwide.
