'Rat on rats': Alberta launches campaign to keep province rat-free

A file image of a rat and the "Rat on Rats!" campaign logo. (Alberta Invasive Species Council)

The provincial and federal governments are reminding Albertans to "Rat on Rats!" with a new information campaign.

For more than 70 years, Alberta has been designated rat-free by keeping rats from establishing a permanent population and dealing with any new infestations, the province said in a release.

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That work is done by the Rat Control Program with the help of Albertans who report signs of rats and sightings.

A $110,000 investment through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership to the Alberta Invasive Species Council will fund billboards and outreach materials for Albertans, the province announced on Tuesday.

"Managing invasive species and pests, like rats, is an important part of keeping our food chain safe and productive," said federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay in a news release.

"This campaign will help keep Alberta proudly rat-free, so our farmers can focus on what they do best – feeding Canadians and the world."

Rats often get into the province by hitchhiking on vehicles, cargo and equipment, according to the province.

Rats are one of the most destructive invasive species in North America, according to the Alberta Invasive Species Council. Alberta is the largest rat-free jurisdiction in the world.

"Rats cause approximately 25 per cent of all reported fires of unknown origin as they gnaw on electrical wires, provoking electrical fires and power outages and can significantly damage property and food," the Alberta Invasive Species Council wrote on its website.

"Rats are notorious carriers of diseases that can spread to humans and animals, posing serious public health risks."

Rats are not native to Canada and are believed to have been introduced in 1775 by settlers on the east coast, according to the council.

The province has a 600-km long, 29-km wide area along the Saskatchewan border between Cold Lake and Montana known as the Rat Control Zone.

"Natural barriers like the Rocky Mountains, boreal forest, and short-grass prairie protect other parts of Alberta, but the eastern border remains vulnerable," according to the council.

In the 1960s, the Rat Control Program began educating Albertans about the species, as most residents would have never seen one in person.

"While Alberta has maintained a rat-free status for decades, increased global trade, human movement, and climate change heighten the risk of rat introduction and infestation," according to the council.

"The economic impact of a rat infestation can be devastating to farmers, businesses, and municipalities."

As part of the campaign, the Alberta Invasive Species Council held an online forum at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by the federal government in the country's agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.

In 2023, Albertans reported 450 rat sightings and 23 were confirmed to be rats. Muskrats made up nearly half of the sightings, at 158.

Reports of rat sightings or signs can be made by phone to 310-FARM (3276) or by emailing [e-mail].