The Alberta government is set to enhance animal welfare by increasing fines and penalties through the proposed Animal Protection Amendment Act, also known as Bill 22. Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, RJ Sigurdson, stated that the bill aims to provide clearer definitions of distress and abandonment, empowering peace officers to intervene in harmful situations involving animals.
Criteria for identifying distress now includes elements such as access to proper shelter and sanitation. The amendments will broaden the scope of locations subject to inspection to include boarding and grooming facilities. If approved, the bill will enforce harsher punishments, raising maximum fines from $20,000 to $250,000 and introducing jail sentences of up to 12 months for severe violations.
Additionally, the legislation targets individuals who have committed animal offenses in other provinces and relocated to Alberta without facing consequences. Leanna Niblock, executive director of the Alberta SPCA, highlighted that Alberta would be the first province in Canada to enforce prohibition orders from other provinces, enabling officers to act against repeat offenders nationwide.
Niblock emphasized that the proposed increase in fines and potential jail time for offenders will enhance accountability, act as a deterrent, and underscore the significance of animals in the eyes of the law. Recent incidents of animal distress involved two women charged in November 2025 following an investigation into alleged animal cruelty in northwestern Alberta. Over 300 animals were surrendered from In The Woods animal rescue locations in Marie Reine, Alta., and the Municipal District of Smoky River.