The Alberta government wants to strengthen penalties for the illegal slaughter of livestock or the sale of uninspected meat.
The move comes after four people were charged with offences related to the illegal slaughter of livestock in southern Alberta and some halal food establishments in Calgary were ordered to close by AHS for allegedly buying and selling uninspected meat.
If changes to the Meat Inspection Act are approved, fines for illegal slaughter or food-safety non-compliance could be increased from a maximum of $10,000 to $100,000 for each offence, the Province said on Oct. 30.
The increased fines would be a significant deterrent, and the changes would support food safety without increasing costs to industry or consumers, the Province said.
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation RJ Sigurdson said the move will help maintain confidence in the food system, and he encouraged people to shop at licensed businesses.
“I strongly encourage all Albertans to buy their meat from licensed operators and retailers, and while buying meat, ask your retailer where the meat comes from and if it’s inspected,” Sigurdson said.
Other proposed amendments would increase the amount of time allowed to investigate and lay charges for the illegal slaughter and sale of uninspected meat. Currently, inspectors have one year after the offence to investigate allegations.
If passed, the legislation would allow investigations two years from the date the offence came to the attention of an inspector.
Four people were charged this spring for the illegal slaughtering of livestock in southern Alberta following an RCMP investigation that launched last fall.
A possible link to uninspected meat was examined during an investigation into a daycare E.coli outbreak that sickened hundreds of kids at daycares in the Calgary area, but the meat was found to be from an inspected source. One daycare in Okotoks was included in the outbreak.
