Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta is proudly celebrating a remarkable milestone in pest control history: 75 years of being rat-free. In a statement released today, RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, praised the province’s internationally recognized Rat Control Program, calling it a model of vigilance and effectiveness.
“Rats are a worldwide menace that destroy property and spread disease,” Minister Sigurdson stated. “For three quarters of a century, Alberta has proudly been one of the few jurisdictions on Earth to live without the pest.”
First launched in 1950, Alberta’s Rat Control Program was designed to establish a zero-tolerance policy for rat infestations. Positioned along the eastern border of the province, a 600-kilometre-long “Rat Control Zone” remains heavily monitored and aggressively managed to prevent rats from entering.
“If we spot an infestation, we quickly eradicate it,” Sigurdson said. “As a result, we’ve prevented millions of dollars in damages to farms and homes and ensured deadly diseases stay out of our province.”
The minister credited the program’s success to decades of collaborative effort from agricultural fieldmen, pest control officers, municipal authorities, and provincial staff. Their dedication has allowed Alberta to maintain its unique status as one of the only rat-free regions in the world.
To ensure continued success, Albertans are encouraged to report any rat sightings through the 310-FARM hotline or by emailing rats@gov.ab.ca.
“Albertans have kept our province rat-free through several decades of vigilance,” said Sigurdson. “We are so proud to celebrate this success as we mark 75 years rat-free!”
Alberta’s achievement not only protects local agriculture and public health but also continues to serve as a global benchmark in pest control management.
