Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program

OMAFRA has released its Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program Guidelines as part of the joint Federal-Provincial Growing Forward program.  The program provides for compensation for damage to livestock and poultry by "wildlife", which is defined as "undomesticated animals as designated by the Minister in Schedule "D" in this Program Guideline".  The list includes coyotes, wolves, bears, foxes, cougars, eagles, crows, turkey vultures, raccoons, etc.

The program has been introduced through changes to the Livestock, Poultry and Honey Bee Protection Act, which has now been renamed the Protection of Livestock and Poultry from Dogs Act.  Although the Act applies to damage caused to livestock and poultry by wildlife generally, its title refers to dogs specifically because the Act addresses damage caused by dogs in some detail, including certain rights to kill dogs who have caused or threaten to cause damage to livestock or poultry.  The Act also imposes an obligation on the owner of a dog who has killed or injured livestock or poultry to destroy the dog or cause it to be destroyed within 48 hours of acquiring knowledge of the killing or injury.

The changes to the Act were publicized by OMAFRA on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry and received some 244 comments representing a wide range of points of view, many of which can be viewed at: EBR Comments. 

Chicken Processors denied party status in Tribunal Appeal

The Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Tribunal in Ontario has denied a request by the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors (AOCP) to be a party in an upcoming appeal by Henry Bos.  Bos has appealed decisions by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) denying his request for the revocation of a policy and a regulation related to restrictions on extra-provincial marketing of poultry.  The appeal hearing is scheduled to begin this Monday.  AOCP has been granted intervenor status and can make submissions to the Tribunal.  However, it cannot file evidence and will not be permitted to cross-examine witnesses. 

AOCP's request was denied in large part because it was not made until the eve of the hearing.  AOCP is an organization that represents 11 chicken processors who reflect 95% of the Ontario chicken processing industry.

Read the decision at: Henry Bos v. Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) AOCP Request for Party Status.

Belwood Poultry Limited pleads guilty to spreading sewage sludge without MOE approval

Belwood Poultry Limited - Fined $20,000 for Illegal Sludge Waste Activities

WINDSOR – On November 17, 2010, Belwood Poultry Limited pleaded guilty to one violation under the Environmental Protection Act for depositing waste on land that was not an approved waste disposal site.

The Court heard that the company is located in Amherstburg. The company did not have ministry approval to operate equipment for the transportation or the disposal of sewage waste to any of their properties. On February 21, 2008 a Provincial Officer conducted an inspection of the company site and found that waste was being transported to a company property to be spread on fields without ministry approval. The Provincial Officer instructed the company to cease the activity.

The company was charged following an investigation by the ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch.  The company was fined $20,000 plus a victim fine surcharge ($5,000) and was given one year to pay the fine.