Through its Emergency Management Division, Animal Health Canada is working to improve the readiness of Canada to react to animal health emergencies. It is facilitating the co-creation of shared plans for federal, provincial, and territorial governments and industry that consider the flow of information between all stakeholders and their respective roles and responsibilities to support coordinated actions in a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Our objective is to enhance the emergency management capabilities of Canada’s livestock industry, for both a continually evolving disease landscape and adverse events, through increased industry awareness, capacity, and confidence.

Outcomes include:

• Coordinate the development and testing new industry protocols
• Coordinate the development of emergency management resources (frameworks, plans and handbooks)
• Promote industry awareness tools and workshops
• Facilitate online, practical training for private practitioners

Planning and preparedness for foreign animal diseases through collaboration

Animal Health Canada uses a collaborative model to bring together industry and federal, provincial, and territorial governments to plan and prepare for all foreign animal diseases. This approach strengthens connections and supports a more effective and responsive farmed animal health and welfare system in Canada.

Our current areas of foreign animal disease collaboration include:

• African Swine Fever
• Foot and Mouth Disease
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Our History: Enhancing Emergency Management in Canada's Livestock and Poultry Industry

From 2019 to 2023, the Animal Health Canada Emergency Management (AHEM) project developed industry relevant resources to minimize the impacts of serious livestock diseases now and into the future. The objective was to enhance the emergency management capabilities of Canada's livestock industry, for both a continually evolving disease landscape and adverse events, through increased industry awareness, capacity, and confidence. AHEM focused on the collaborative development and delivery of practical resources, policies, and training to support producers, industry associations, and animal health specialists.

Resources for industry developed by the AHEM project included provincial association staff plans and producer handbooks, workshops, webinars, and online training for veterinarians in partnership with international disease recognition organizations. Resources include protocols to address crucial industry gaps, and national frameworks.

Effective April 2023, the Animal Health Emergency Management project was integrated into Animal Health Canada's Emergency Management Division. To access emergency management materials developed under the project, click here.