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 preventing rats from establishing a permanent population and dealing with any new infestations, the province said in a news release.

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This work is carried out by the Rat Control Program with the help of Albertans who report rat signs and sightings.

An investment of $110,000 through the Partnership for Sustainable Canadian Agriculture in Alberta Invasive Species Council will fund billboards and awareness materials for Albertans, the province announced Tuesday.

“Managing invasive species and pests, such as rats, is an important part of ensuring the safety and productivity of our food chain,” said federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay in a press 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 enter the province by hitchhiking on vehicles, goods 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 territory in the world.

“Rats cause approximately 25 percent of all reported fires of unknown origin, as they chew on electrical wires, causing electrical fires and power outages and can cause significant damage to property and food.” , wrote the Alberta Invasive Species Council on its website.

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

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 includes a 600 km long and 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 shortgrass prairie protect other regions of Alberta, but the eastern border remains vulnerable,” according to the council.

In the 1960s, the rat control program began making Albertans aware of the species, as most residents would never have seen one in person.

“Although Alberta has maintained rat-free status for decades, increased global trade, human movement and climate change increase the risk of rat introduction and infestation,” according to the council.

“The economic impact of a rat infestation can be devastating for farmers, businesses and municipalities.”

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

THE Canadian Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture This is an investment of $3.5 billion over five years by the federal government in the country’s agriculture, agri-food and agro-industrial products sector.

In 2023, Albertans reported 450 rat sightings and 23 were confirmed to be rats. Muskrats accounted for almost half of the sightings, at 158.

Reports of rat sightings or signs can be made by telephone at 310-FARM (3276) or by email at [email protected].