Bill 22 is heading to the Legislature! What does it mean for farmers? What does it mean for animals? What does “better” livestock animal welfare look like?

Alberta has tabled a long-overdue overhaul of its Animal Protection Act — the first significant update in roughly two decades. With a massive jump in fines for infractions — up to $250,000 up from the previous $20,000 — do the proposed changes move Alberta to the front of the line in terms of animal welfare nationally? Let’s take a look.

Where We Are

For many years, the legal floor for animal welfare in Canada, specifically around livestock, has been . . . . low. Sub-level, even. Bill 22‘s proposed changes do several important things:

• Expand what counts as “animal distress.” The current definition of distress is focused on food, water, shelter and veterinary care but the proposed legislation would add things like opportunities for exercise and the expression of natural behaviours.
• Increase penalties dramatically.
• Extend inspection authority (including to animal boarding and care facilities)
• Enable enforcement across provincial lines for repeat offenders. Alberta would be the first province to enforce animal welfare bans originating outside the province.

Legal vs. Ethical

Taken together, this is not just a tightening of rules. When I’m feeling optimistic, these updates can look like the beginning of a redefinition of what is considered acceptable livestock care. But then I remember, “legal” doesn’t live on the same street as “ethical” — though it’s possible the addresses are getting closer.

Alas, in agriculture there is a persistent misunderstanding that legal standards define acceptability.

If it’s legal, it must be acceptable.

Law is a lagging indicator — it reflects the minimum standard society is willing to enforce. It changes when the public demands it change — The Law a come-from-behind acknowledgment that society has moved on. And in welfare terms, minimums have little to do with the actual acceptable standard of care a farm visitor would expect to see.

In terms of welfare absolutes, Canada does have a few levers. The federal Criminal Code of Canada sets out some animal welfare prohibitions and these are enforceable across Canada, regardless of jurisdiction.

Also federally, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is a national organization that mandates the humane transport of animals as well as conditions at federal government-inspected slaughter plants. The CFIA is primarily focused on food safety standards and is not mandated to inspect animal welfare conditions outside those situations.

The Codes of Practice are a nation-wide hybrid system that outlines minimum standards as well as best practices — the sheep code is currently under review. While only the minimum standard is enforceable, the “recommended practices” do provide shepherds and the public with some idea of where the standard is heading.

Animal welfare legislation is usually left to provincial and territorial governments leading to a patchwork of legislation across the country. Municipally, the Edmonton Police outlines Animal Cruelty under a range of horrors but also include “animal hoarding” as a criminal offence. With all three levels of government sticking some oar-or-other in the water — whether legislation, standards and best-practices, inspection or enforcement — what we have is a quasi-functional mish-mash.

And up until recently, none of non-federal entities were talking to each other or keeping track of offenders. It’s only with the advent of Bill 22, that infractions in another jurisdiction will follow the convicted to their new address. Previously, a ban on owning horses in Saskatchewan didn’t mean a similar ban in Alberta. No more.

Enforcement of the new legislation — if passed — will fall to the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), a non-governmental organization that relies on private donations for 80 per cent of its operating budget. As of this moment, there is no indication of any increase in funding set to accompany the expanded enforcement responsibilities for SPCA officers. While the organization says it anticipates more calls relating to the new rules, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, RJ Sigurdson has not (yet) indicated any additional hiring or financial support.

So what do we have? By the looks of things, an expanded definition of distress — excellent! — a wider range of reportable/actionable animal welfare infractions — good! — higher fines — go git it! — and more ways for officers to get animals out of bad situations. All good. But. . . that’s it.

The law, as it currently sits, has a lot of scary-looking teeth — bite big, bite hard! — but at the time of writing, no more eyeballs, no more hands, no more money.

Well, sure. That sounds like it’ll work.

For Farmers – Good Animal Welfare Builds Operational Resilience

Certified Animal Welfare Approved

I don’t talk about it a ton — it’s still an intensely painful subject — but Providence Lane’s Animal Welfare Approved certification from A Greener World came about because on one winter hillside, I saw something I’ve never been able to forget. To this day, it remains one of the most gutting days of my life. The call I made to the Alberta SPCA from the frozen road was filled with impotent fury — on both ends of the line. I raged about what I’d seen and the poor officer taking my call raged about her inability to do anything much about it. She promised there would be an in-person visit. She promised to follow-up with me. She acknowledged that, given current resources, not much more would happen.

In that moment, I determined things were going to be as different as I could make them here at the homestead. Plunging into the world of research, I found the most exacting, the most particular, the most thorough — frankly, the hardest — certification program I could find. It took eight months, 50 pages of paperwork, three interviews and an on-site audit but we did it. Every year, Charlie the Inspector revisits the flock and all our processes and infrastructure. It’s a big day, Inspection Day is. We look forward to it.

Taking on the work of getting certified through a transparent, accountable third party is a fantastic way of future-proofing your farm, of making sure you’re well on the right side of both the legal and the ethical/moral framework livestock farming should insist on. Changes to animal welfare legislation, increased inspection, greater reportability, broadened mandates, increased scope, skyrocketing fines — moving goal posts don’t scare me. I’m so far off that field I can’t even see it in my rearview mirror. Take a look and see for yourself:

Legal Framework	AWA Standard
Reactive (enforced after harm)	Proactive (designed to prevent harm)
Minimum acceptable care	Best-practice welfare
Compliance-driven	Outcome-driven
One-size baseline	Context-specific, land-based systems

The Alberta legislation is trying to raise the floor but our AWA starts from the ceiling and works downward. The Codes of Practice draw a line between what MUST be done and what SHOULD be done — the AWA doesn’t make that distinction.

The Gap No One Talks About

And there’s one more thing. . . Livestock production has always had a structural problem, a way to play the game that results in an unfair skewing — an off-kilter version of “success.” Often, those who cut corners can out-compete fellow farmers on price, scale or convenience. They look like they’re doing pretty well — as long as no one looks too close.

Raising the legal floor removes some of that false advantage. No, not entirely. . . but meaningfully. Lifting the legal floor to something closer to “ethical” from “barely legal” creates space for operations built on care and not shortcuts. It gives them a platform to talk about their work, their care — their farm. And changes like the ones in front of us — while still not enough — do give customers an opportunity to ask questions and make their own judgement calls.

From the Fenceline

There’s a temptation, in moments like this, to argue about regulation. Alberta loves to debate where the line should be drawn. But that’s boring — anyone can do that. The more interesting question is this:

Where have you already drawn your own line?

If your standards are externally defined, they will always be unstable, subject to change as the goal posts move. But, if your lines are held inside your heart and mind and not just on your balance sheet, if they’re rooted in observation, responsibility, stewardship and a clear-eyed understanding of what animals need to thrive, legislation like this doesn’t throw you off. It doesn’t send you for a loop and your blood pressure won’t spike.

Bill 22 — and any future changes that may come — doesn’t disrupt your system.

It simply confirms it.

This is a Living post, a post to share my thought processes, my experience and the philosophy that underpins our activities here at the homestead. It is not a how-to, “expert advice” or meant to reflect a wider experience than just my own, on my farm, here with my sheep.