Saskatchewan-Alberta motion to use strychnine for pest control denied by Ottawa

Health Canada rejects emergency use of strychnine in Saskatchewan for the 2026 growing season.

The federal government has denied an application by Saskatchewan and Alberta to reintroduce strychnine on an emergency pest control basis this year.

The two provinces made the request to help with population control of the Richardson ground squirrel – which are often referred to as gophers in Saskatchewan.

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The province said Health Canada’s pest management regulatory agency denied the request and are asking for reconsideration as producers deal with a high population.

Strychnine was outlawed by the province in 2023 after a two-year phase-out, followed by a federal ban the following year.