Avian flu resurges in Fraser Valley with nine new poultry outbreaks this month

Health officials have confirmed a new wave of avian influenza outbreaks across British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, marking the province’s first cases in nearly a year. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says nine commercial poultry flocks in Abbotsford and Chilliwack have tested positive for the virus since mid-October.

The latest surge began on October 14, when the first outbreak of the season was detected in Abbotsford. Eight additional cases were reported in the following days, six of them in Chilliwack-area farms. The return of infections coincides with the annual fall migration period, which often heightens the risk of virus transmission between wild and domestic birds.

B.C.’s poultry industry has endured repeated losses since avian flu strains began circulating widely in 2022. According to CFIA data, more than 8.8 million birds in the province have died or been euthanized due to infection control measures.

One earlier outbreak at an ostrich farm in southeastern B.C., first confirmed on December 31, 2024, remains active pending a legal battle. The farm’s owners are appealing a CFIA order to cull their birds, and the Supreme Court of Canada is considering whether to hear the case.

Officials continue to remind poultry producers to strengthen biosecurity practices as migratory birds travel through the region this fall.