After the culling of hundreds of ostriches at a farm near Edgewood, the total cost of the operation has been disclosed more than two months later. Federal documents reveal that the operation incurred a total cost of approximately $6.8 million, divided among three federal agencies – the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Department of Justice, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The bulk of the expenses, over $3.8 million, were shouldered by the RCMP, with the Justice Department accounting for $1.38 million and the CFIA for more than $1.5 million.
Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee MP Scott Anderson, a Conservative, requested the financial breakdown on December 9, receiving a response on January 26.
The CFIA detailed its expenditures, which included $339,497 on salary costs, over $13,000 on animal feed, $44,248 on legal services, and $100,067 on travel expenses. Additionally, the breakdown revealed that laundry cost $772, straw and delivery expenses totaled $220,923, and private veterinarian services amounted to $2,967.
The RCMP also provided a breakdown of its costs, with personnel expenses amounting to $2,016,566.
The Justice Department clarified that its costs were related to litigation services and support, stating that no legal fees were incurred for the services of its public servants.
The saga surrounding Universal Ostrich Farm began in late 2024 when the owners reported a significant loss of birds due to an avian flu outbreak. Subsequently, the CFIA instructed them to cull their remaining flock by February 1 of the following year.
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The situation escalated into a protracted legal battle that attracted global attention as farmers pleaded publicly and legally to spare the birds. The CFIA defended the cull in court, citing its “stamping out” policy aimed at reducing the risks of the virus to humans. In early November, following the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a final appeal from the farm owners, more than 300 birds were euthanized.