Avian Influenza

Bird flu response working, but risks to public and animal health remain

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Tabling date:: May 4, 2026
Audited entities:: Canadian Food Inspection Agency; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Public Health Agency of Canada
Topics:: Health; Environment; Safety and Security
Report type: Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development reports

Avian Influenza
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News Release

Opening statement

At a glance

Overall, the federal government had measures in place to protect wildlife, domestic animals, and people from avian influenza. However, there remain challenges in assessing the impact of avian influenza on species at risk, consistently documenting activities performed to eliminate the virus from infected premises, and effectively managing the inventory of human vaccines.

Avian influenza, often referred to as bird flu, is caused by a highly contagious virus that mainly infects wild birds but can spread to domestic animals—such as chickens, dairy cattle, and pets—and then to humans. An outbreak of avian influenza began in Canada in December 2021, and there are concerns that the virus could mutate, leading to human-to-human transmission and potentially a pandemic. Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Public Health Agency of Canada each play a role in preventing and managing outbreaks.

Since the outbreak, Environment and Climate Change Canada has strengthened its surveillance of migratory birds by redirecting existing funding. However, without dedicated funding, future efforts may be difficult to sustain. Also, despite recognizing the need to understand the impact of avian influenza on species that are or could become threatened, endangered, or extinct, the department did not conduct routine and targeted surveillance for species at risk.

To contain the spread of avian influenza in domestic animals, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducted all the required procedures and eliminated the virus from all 47 premises included in the audit sample. However, documentation could be improved, such as the consistency and completeness of information recorded by inspectors.

By March 2025, the Public Health Agency of Canada secured a total of 870,000 doses of an avian influenza vaccine for people at risk of exposure, such as farmers and veterinarians. Over 95% of doses went unused by the time the vaccines expired in February 2026. While the agency obtained the financial approval to purchase more doses, it had not yet decided whether updating the vaccine inventory was needed.

Key facts and findings

Since December 2021, the avian influenza virus has been detected in every province and territory, including 43 bird species that are at risk at the federal or provincial level.
Since December 2021, Environment and Climate Change Canada expanded its avian influenza surveillance program for migratory birds by increasing the numbers of samples tested and by including antibody testing in blood samples from wild birds and wild bird eggs.
Between December 2021 and March 2026, approximately 17.3 million commercial birds either died or were culled due to the virus, costing about $360 million in compensation paid by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The Public Health Agency of Canada distributed 39,200 doses of the avian influenza vaccine to the provinces and territories and donated 2,300 doses to the research community.

Why we did this audit

Federal government departments and agencies must take action on avian influenza to protect public health, prevent a potential human pandemic, safeguard the economy and food security, and conserve wildlife and biodiversity.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a major conservation threat for wild bird populations due to the current outbreak’s unprecedented, large-scale mortality and broad distribution among migratory bird populations.
The World Health Organization and the Public Health Agency of Canada warn that further mutations of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus could lead to sustained human-to-human transmission.

Highlights of our recommendations

Environment and Climate Change Canada should improve its surveillance methods for detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza in species at risk to understand which species at risk are most vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of the virus, and to inform the management and conservation of these species.
Given that the Public Health Agency of Canada obtained the financial approval to purchase more avian influenza vaccine doses if needed, the agency should support further procurement decisions based on updated risk assessments, a cost-benefit analysis, and an assessment of demand forecasting for the number of doses that may be needed.

Please see the full report to read our complete findings, analysis, recommendations and the audited organizations’ responses.

In September 2015, Canada adopted the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Avian influenza has links to these goals, including:

Goal 3—Good Health and Well‑Being. Avian influenza is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can transmit from animals to humans. In the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s 2024–25 Departmental Plan, the agency links its ongoing work to protect Canadians from diseases that may be transmitted from animals to humans to this goal. The agency, in its 2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report, also links its One Health approach for dealing with highly pathogenic avian influenza to Goal 3.
Goal 15—Life on Land. The avian influenza virus causes high mortality rates in wild bird populations and has spread to mammals, threatening biodiversity. Environment and Climate Change Canada notes in its 2024–25 Departmental Plan that it will leverage the One Health model to support wildlife health by, for example, supporting decision making through the monitoring of emerging pathogens and the impacts on wildlife health.

Visit our Sustainable Development page to learn more about sustainable development and the OAG.

Exhibit Highlights

Exhibit 1—In response to the avian influenza outbreak, Environment and Climate Change Canada expanded its surveillance methods to detect the virus in migratory birds

Source: Based on information from Environment and Climate Change Canada

Exhibit 2—Highly pathogenic avian influenza threatens already endangered species

In November 2025, 2 Whooping Crane samples tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Both samples were from dead birds. There are estimated to be only around 550 Whooping Cranes in the main population. These endangered birds migrate from Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta and the Northwest Territories to Aransas, Texas. Detecting the virus in such species at risk is important in informing what additional surveillance activities may be needed to better understand virus exposure risks and for updating species management plans.

Source: Based on information from Environment and Climate Change Canada and various other sources

Exhibit 3—The Public Health Agency of Canada purchased avian influenza vaccines before determining the exact number of doses it needed

Source: Based on information from the Public Health Agency of Canada

Exhibit 4—Over 95% of the avian influenza vaccines were not used before they expired in February 2026

Source: Based on information from the Public Health Agency of Canada

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Avian Influenza

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