General hunting and trapping of invasive wild pigs is prohibited in Alberta, along with other new restrictions on possession, as authorities fight to restrict the spread in the Canada province. As of Dec. 1, 2025, feral pigs were declared “a pest in all circumstances.” It is illegal, unless permitted in special situations, to transport, obtain, sell or buy feral pigs in Alberta.
Hunting and trapping will be permitted by private landowners or occupants on the land. Any feral pig must be reported to province authorities along with location, date and number of animals. Officials cite possible spread of disease, including African swine fever, to domestic crops, along with agricultural damage caused by feral pigs. African swine fever has never been detected in Canada. It is found in Europe and Asia. It was discovered in 2021 in the Dominican Republic. The disease is not known to affect humans but poses a threat to domestic pork and livestock industries.
The CBC reported that government officials are working at least 12 wild pig farms in Alberta. Farm owners have been presented two options: keep the farm with more oversight and restriction, or to quit and be paid $590 per boar and also for fences. Officials say the 2026 cost would be about $2.6 to $3 million for feral pig management efforts.
The 2024 Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Report shows established sounders and known “field activity” in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario and Quèbec. Officials define wild pig as, “… any animal of the species Sus scrofa that is not contained or under the physical control of any person or is otherwise roaming freely. This includes a pig of any type (domesticated pigs, Eurasian wild boar and hybrids) that has escaped, been released from containment, or is no longer on the owner’s property and is free roaming. It also includes any pigs that were born in the wild.”
