CALGARY—A coalition of animal advocacy and environmental organizations is calling on Health Canada and Alberta authorities to investigate the potentially ongoing unlawful use of sodium monofluoroacetate, commonly known as Compound 1080, in Alberta, the only province in Canada where its use is still permitted.
In a detailed submission to Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and enforcement branch—and a letter to the Government of Alberta—WeHowl, Animal Justice, and Wolf Awareness outline a pattern of suspected non-compliance with federal and provincial rules governing the use of the highly toxic poison. The groups are urging regulators to investigate and take appropriate enforcement action.
Compound 1080 is used to kill coyotes by placing poisoned bait on the landscape. Non-target animals can die from consuming poisoned baits. Compound 1080 is known to cause prolonged distress, with animals often taking hours to die. Because of a delayed onset of symptoms, poisoned animals can travel kilometres before dying, leaving carcasses scattered and unaccounted for. Poisoned carcasses can become toxic baits to other animals that scavenge them.
The coalition’s concerns centre on the nature of the toxin, and also what it describes as widespread failures in record-keeping and oversight. Data obtained through access to information requests show that between 2010 and 2021, more than 16,000 poison tablets were deployed in Alberta, while only 83 carcasses were recovered.
With each tablet capable of killing a coyote or one of many other species, the coalition argues that the scale of unaccounted-for poison points to a much larger and undocumented toll on wildlife.
The submission also outlines apparent violations of legal requirements, including:
- Distribution of poison in excess of permitted limits
- Use in areas inhabited by federally protected species at risk
- Apparent failure to adequately monitor bait sites or recover poisoned animals
- Missing or incomplete records on poison use and livestock predation
These issues are compounded by the very nature of Compound 1080 itself: non-selective, presenting delayed symptoms, and causing prolonged and extreme suffering. As such, poisoned animals often die far from bait sites, making it effectively impossible to track the full scope of harm.
The coalition also points to a 2024 Notice of Non-Compliance issued to the Government of Alberta by Health Canada, which resulted in a province-wide recall of Compound 1080 due to improper labelling and distribution. The groups say this enforcement history raises further concerns about whether current legal requirements are being followed.
“The scale of what’s unaccounted for here should raise serious concerns,” said Alexandra Pester, Calgary-based staff lawyer with Animal Justice. “Tens of thousands of poison tablets have been placed on the landscape, yet only a fraction of animals are ever recovered. That gap points to a much larger, untracked impact on wildlife and raises real questions about whether this product can be used in compliance with the law.”
“No animal—for whatever reason—should be subjected to the long, slow, and excruciating death caused by Compound 1080. It is troubling and bizarre that Health Canada and Alberta still permit the use of this non-selective poison on the landscape,” said Sadie Parr, founder of WeHowl.
While the coalition notes that recent regulatory changes have narrowed the permitted use of Compound 1080, including a decision by Alberta to stop using the poison on wolves, which are positive developments, the groups emphasize they do little to address the broader risks posed by continued use targeting coyotes, particularly given the poison’s non-selective nature and the ongoing gaps in monitoring and enforcement.
“While we commend both the province and Health Canada for tightening the rules for using Compound 1080, these changes aren’t able to adequately protect sensitive and at-risk species in Alberta. Compound 1080’s impact on all wildlife species is still virtually impossible to assess, and for that reason alone, the poison’s registration should be cancelled,” said Hannah Barron, conservation director at Wolf Awareness.
The submission asks Health Canada and Alberta to immediately and continuously investigate and ensure compliance with the Pest Control Products Act and provincial legislation, including taking enforcement action where warranted.
The groups also call for even tighter restrictions if use continues, including prohibiting Compound 1080 in contexts where individuals may receive financial “bounty” incentives for killing wildlife.
Contact:
Josh Lynn – Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Alexandra Pester (Calgary) – Senior Staff Lawyer
[email protected]
Sadie Parr – WeHowl
[email protected]
Hannah Barron – Wolf Awareness
[email protected]