Why gophers are the root of a turf war between Ottawa and the Prairies
OTTAWA — A gnawing dispute spilled into public view this month when the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan publicly demanded an exemption to a federal ban on a deadly nerve toxin used to neutralize agricultural pests.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a joint letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney shared to social media that Health Canada’s 2020 ban on agricultural poison strychnine has led to farmland across the Prairies being overrun by Richardson’s Ground Squirrel — commonly referred to locally (albeit incorrectly) as gophers.
“Since (Health Canada’s) 2020 decision to deregister strychnine, the Richardson’s Ground Squirrel (gopher) population has increased to the level where they have become a serious pest threat to agriculture, damaging a wide range of crops … as well as infrastructure by chewing fiber optic cables and puncturing small water and gas lines,” wrote the two premiers.
Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Association (PMRA) rejected on Feb. 6 a joint emergency use request for strychnine put forward by Alberta and Saskatchewan, writing in an explanation of the decision that the threat of “significant economic damages” alone wasn’t sufficient to justify a carve-out from the ban.
The decision means that, barring a last-minute reversal, Alberta and Saskatchewan growers will not have access to strychnine for the spring 2026 growing season, a hindrance the Alberta government says could pose a more than $800-million risk to hay and native pastures.
Smith and Moe are now calling for an immediate three-year exemption from the federal strychnine ban in hopes of salvaging the upcoming growing season.
Smith framed the matter as a potential constitutional issue on her radio show last weekend.
“Agriculture … is supposed to be an area of joint (federal-provincial) jurisdiction. Our fields are being decimated because our farmers aren’t allowed to use strychnine,” said Smith. “Ottawa continues to interfere in our jurisdiction and sometimes when they’re passing laws they do it badly.”
One of the questions being put to Albertans in October’s referendum is whether they want the provincial government to push for a constitutional amendment giving provincial laws primacy over federal laws in areas of shared jurisdiction like agriculture.
Here’s what you need to know about the banned pesticide at the centre of Alberta and Saskatchewan’s latest turf war with Ottawa.
What is strychnine?
Strychnine is a highly potent plant-based neurotoxin , often coming in the form of a colourless and odourless crystalline powder. It causes rapid death in rodents and other vermin by triggering intense muscle convulsions. First registered for use in Canada in 1928, it was used for decades to deliberately kill pests and predators like wolves, bears, skunks and pigeons.
Its extreme toxicity and odourlessness has made it ideal for bait, as just a few grains inserted in offerings like canola, meat or fish can be deadly to the target animal. It’s potency also makes it less likely targets will develop a tolerance for the poison or recognize its taste from previous encounters.
Strychnine isn’t just deadly to animals: it’s been the murder weapon in at least a handful of homicides. A Saskatchewan man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2023 after killing his wife three years earlier by slipping the poison into her Gatorade.
Why was it banned?
Strychnine was restricted, and eventually banned all together, after a lengthy campaign from environmental and animal-rights groups highlighting its risks to non-target animals, including several endangered species. Health Canada ruled in 2020 that it could no longer be used against Richardson’s ground squirrels and prohibited all uses in 2024.
Why aren’t other pest control methods working?
Alternatives like zinc phosphide carry recognizable odours and can trigger a phenomenon called “bait shyness” when consumed in non-lethal doses — target animals basically learn to recognize and avoid the harmful substance.
Rick Strankman, a canola grower based in east central Alberta, says the strychnine ban has left him resorting to less effective blunt-force methods, such as spraying ammonia directly down gopher holes.
He added that he and other growers were well aware of the dangers posed by strychnine and treated it with extreme care.
“It’s like carrying a loaded gun, if you will. You’d never carry an extra shell in the chamber,” said Strankman.
Strankman said that, from his experience, the risk of strychnine to non-target animals is negligible as most gophers died underground where their carcasses were unlikely to be consumed by predators.
“Only a few of the poisoned gophers would surface above ground and we were always quick to dispose of them,” said Strankman.
What happens if the request for a three-year exemption is denied?
Alberta and Saskatchewan have the option of going to court to try to overturn the strychnine ban, as agriculture is a current federal-provincial responsibility under Section 95 of Canada’s Constitution.
Guillaume Bertrand, a spokesman for federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel, says the minister is taking the situation seriously and hopes to reach a workable compromise with the two provinces.
“We understand the seriousness of the situation for Alberta and Saskatchewan farmers,” wrote Bertrand in an email. “We are working collaboratively on a path forward to protect their livelihoods while upholding strong environmental and public health standards.”
Growers across the Prairies have already been hit hard in recent months by agricultural tariffs.
Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow said the issue boils down to a lack of accountability in the federal bureaucracy.
“We have asked, as well as the Liberals, that the PMRA make decisions with a lens on economic impact and food security. On strychnine, they said in their decision that they did not use an economic lens in their decision making,” said Barlow.
Barlow said it was up to Minister Michel to ensure the PMRA carry out its mandate in a way that aligns with the outlined political direction.
National Post
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