December 1, 2025 the ASBPC and ASBs with Wild Boar Farms met virtually with ADM John Conrad and staff to discuss the changes to regulations impacting Wild Boar Farms in Alberta.
Resolution 5-24 requests that “the Government of Alberta amend the Alberta Agricultural Pests Act to require Minimum Containment Standards for Alberta Wild Boar Farms, with penalties to enforce noncompliance,” and “Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation invoke a moratorium on expansions of Wild Boar Farming in Alberta, until the province makes a decision on the future of Wild Boar Farming in Alberta.”
The Committee was pleased to hear that farmers are being offered the option for a one time compensation to exit the industry or to grandfather the operation under tighter regulations.
Changes to the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation
As of December 1, 2025, the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation (PNCR) is amended so that:
- Wild boar are declared a pest under the Agricultural Pests Act (APA) in all circumstances, not only when at large (PNCR, schedule 1).
o Therefore, it is illegal to keep, import, purchase or otherwise obtain, export, sell or otherwise dispose of or transport live wild boar or wild boar hybrids without a permit (PNCR, 11.1(2)).
o Wild boar means Sus scrofa, excluding Sus scrofa domesticus, and including wild boar hybrids.
- No person may hunt or trap wild boar in Alberta without a permit (PNCR, section 14.1(4)), with the following exception:
o Owners or occupants of land who are hunting or trapping wild boar on land they own or occupy to prevent the establishment or, or control or destroy, wild boar, and anyone assisting them, do not require a permit.
o Those assisting owners or occupants of land to hunt or trap wild boar on a commercial basiswill need a permit.
o Pest Inspectors who are hunting or trapping wild boar on another person’s land will require a permit.
o Minister may issue permits to hunt or trap wild boar on public land to mitigate any impacts to treaty rights, harvesting, or traditional use activities.
- Any person who kills a wild boar must report as soon as practicable the date, location and number of wild boar destroyed to the Minister.
o This can be done online at alberta.ca/report-wild-boar-kill, by emailing wildboar@gov.ab.ca, or calling 310-FARM(3276) (PNCR, section 14.3(1)).
o Mandatory reporting will help us better understand the extent of wild boar in Alberta and respond in case of a disease outbreak.
Information for wild boar owners
There are currently 12 known wild boar farms in Alberta, and there may be more. Wild boar farmers will need time and support to adjust to these changes, so we are providing options. Wild boar farmers can decide to:
- voluntarily exit the industry with compensation through the Wild Boar On-Farm Exit Program, or
- apply to have their farm grandfathered and remain in the industry under new, more stringent regulations.
Information for secondary wild boar industry stakeholders
These changes may also indirectly impact auction markets, provincially licenced slaughter operations, and livestock transporters. We have created a factsheet that can be shared with these stakeholders explaining the changes, available on Open Government, Add link to factsheet.
You can find out more about these changes by visiting alberta.ca/wildboar.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email wildboar@gov.ab.ca or call Hannah Mckenzie, Wild Boar Specialist, 780-996-3373.
Thank you for your support on this important work.
John D. Conrad (he/him)
Assistant Deputy Minister
Primary Agriculture Division
Related Links
- Wild Boar in Alberta
- December 1, 2025 Changes
- Wild Boar Exit Program
- Report a Wild Boar kill
- Squeel on Pigs
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