SASKATOON—Animal Justice is urging the University of Saskatchewan’s Board of Governors to remove so-called “enriched” cage systems from its planned research barn, warning the design risks locking the University into an approach that leads to poor welfare for hens and is already being phased out worldwide.
A letter, sent ahead of the Board’s first meeting since the announcement of the plan (which requires Board approval), outlines significant concerns that investing in new cage infrastructure is out of step with market trends and current animal welfare science.
Battery cages (small, wire enclosures) have long been identified as one of the most restrictive systems in modern farming, and the Canadian egg industry pledged in 2017 to phase them out.
However, some producers have shifted to enriched cages instead. While these systems are often framed as a welfare improvement for hens, they are only slightly larger than conventional cages and are outlawed among Canada’s peer countries and trade partners, including members of the European Union, the United Kingdom, and 11 US states.
Hens confined in enriched cages remain in crowded spaces without the ability to move freely or carry out basic behaviours such as foraging, dustbathing, or forming stable social groups.
More than 2,600 companies worldwide—including over 130 in Canada—have committed to sourcing only cage-free eggs, reflecting a broad consensus that cage systems do not meet baseline animal welfare expectations. In Canada, major grocers report that eggs from enriched cages make up a small share of sales despite higher supply, while demand for cage-free eggs continues to grow.
“Cage confinement is among the most widely criticized practices in animal agriculture worldwide,” said PJ Nyman, corporate engagement manager at Animal Justice. “There is no long-term future in cages; the University has a chance here to invest in research that aligns with where food systems are going rather than practices that are already outdated.”
Based on industry-reported statistics, in 2025, the United Kingdom reached 79% cage-free status, European Union egg production had risen to 62% cage-free, and the US reached 45% cage-free. In 2025, Canadian egg production was 20% cage-free, and continues to grow annually.
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