This consolidation is unofficial and is for reference only.

For the official version of the regulations, consult the original documents on file with the Office of the Registrar of Regulations , or refer to the Royal Gazette

Part II .

Regulations are amended frequently.

Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with our office that are not yet included in this consolidation.

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this electronic version, the Office of the Registrar of Regulations assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting.

This electronic version is copyright ©

, Province of Nova Scotia , all rights reserved. It is for your personal use and may not be copied for the purposes of resale in this or any other form.

Game Farming Regulations

made under Sections 49 and 113 of the

Wildlife Act

R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 504

O.I.C. 96-672 (August 28, 1996), N.S. Reg. 147/1996

amended to O.I.C. 2026-23 (effective January 26, 2026), N.S. Reg. 16/2026

Table of Contents

Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.

Click here to go to the text of the regulations .

Citation

Interpretation

Licences

Issuance

Expiry and renewal

Suspension

Conditions of licence

Escape from captivity

Import and export

Quarantine

Reports re: diseased game animals

Enclosures

Care and handling of game animals

Game farm animal identification

Slaughter of game animals

Sale of game farm animals and products

Records

Inspection

Transportation

Liability

Offence

General

Effective date of new regulations

Citation

1 These regulations may be cited as “ Game Farming Regulations ”. These regulations cover

ratites, wild boar, bison and others added by the Minister from time to time.

Interpretation

2 In these regulations

(a) “abattoir” means a federally or Provincially licensed facility where game

animals are slaughtered for human consumption;

(b) “Act” means the Wildlife Act , Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989,

Chapter

504;

(c) “Administrator” means a person appointed as an administrator by the Minister

for the purposes of these regulations;

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;

(e) “carcass” means the intact edible portion of a game animal remaining after the

hide, head, feathers, feet and viscera of the animal have been removed;

(f) “Crown” means Her Majesty the Queen in right of the Province;

(g)“Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Marketing;

(h) “export” means to move the game animal or game animal product out of Nova

Scotia;

(i)“game animal” means a member of

(i)the species of wild boar having the scientific name Sus scrofa,

(ii)the species of bison having the scientific name Bison bison,

(iii) the species of emu belonging to the scientific order Casuariiformes,

(iv) the species of ostrich belonging to the scientific order Struthiformes,

(

v) the species of rhea belonging to the scientific order Rheiformes,

that is held in captivity for the purpose of sale, barter, exchange, preservation,

consumption, and propagation;

(j) “game farm” means a location where game animals are held in captivity for

commercial purposes;

(k) “game farmer” means a person who has been issued a game farming licence

and who owns or operates a game farm;

(l) “game meat processor” means a person who is the holder of a valid meat

processor licence and who is engaged in the business of slaughtering live game

farm animals or processing game farm animal carcasses into wholesale or retail

products for sale or trade to the public;

(m) “import” means bringing game animals into Nova Scotia from any source

outside of the boundaries of the Province of Nova Scotia;

(n) “I.D.” means visual identification which is a visible ear tag, wing band, leg

band or neck collar unique by number or colour that will distinguish each game

animal on a game farm;

(o)“inspection” means the visual examination of

(i)game animals or game animal products, or

(ii) records kept at any abattoir, game farm, game meat merchandising

facility or game meat processing facilities;

(p) “inspector” means a person designated by the Minister pursuant to the Act;

(q) “licence” means a valid and subsisting licence issued pursuant to

Section 49 of

the Wildlife Act ;

(r) “Minister” means Minister of the Department of Agriculture and Marketing;

(s) “named disease” means any disease designated by the Minister pursuant to the

Livestock Health Services Act ;

(t) “quarantine” means isolation of premises and the prohibition of the movement

of animals, animal products, hay, straw, fodder, or any other thing to or from

the premises;

(u) “representative of the Minister” means an employee or employees designated

by the Minister of the Department of Agriculture and Marketing to act on

behalf of the Minister;

(v) “veterinarian” means an official veterinarian of the country of origin of a game

farm animal imported into Canada or a veterinarian employed by Agriculture

Canada or an individual licensed to practice veterinary medicine in a province

of Canada.

Licences

(1) No person shall establish or operate a game farm unless that person is the holder of a

valid game-farming licence.

(2) A game-farming licence is not required for the purposes of

Section 49 of the Act

where a person is farming pheasants, quail or wild turkeys.

4 Every person wishing to obtain a game-farming licence shall

(a)be over the age of nineteen years;

(

b) submit an application to the Administrator on a form provided by or suitable to

the Administrator;

(c)pay an application fee of $100;

(

d) submit a development plan in a form required by the Administrator;

(

e) submit any additional information that the Administrator may consider

necessary.

Issuance

(1) Where the Administrator

(

a) receives an application pursuant to

Section 4; and

(

b) is satisfied that the applicant has complied with these regulations,

the Administrator may issue a licence to the applicant.

that the Administrator considers appropriate.

Expiry and renewal

(1) Unless renewed pursuant to subsection (2), a licence expires on March 31 every 5

years following the year of issue or renewal, as the case may be.

(2) Unless sooner suspended or cancelled, every licence may be renewed every 5 years

upon payment of a fee of $10.

Suspension

7 The Administrator may, for any period that is considered appropriate, suspend, cancel or

refuse to renew a licence, if the game farmer fails to comply with these regulations.

Conditions of licence

8 No game farmer shall

(a)operate a game farm on Crown land;

(

b) obtain game farm animals from within the Province other than from a game

farm operated by a game farmer;

(

c) obtain game farm animals from outside the Province in a manner contrary to

the Act or regulations made pursuant to the Act, or contrary to any legislation

in effect in the jurisdiction in which the game farm animals are obtained.

Escape from captivity

(1) No game farmer shall allow game animals to roam free, escape from captivity or be

released to the wild.

(2) Every game farmer whose game animals escape from captivity shall

(

a) notify the Administrator within 24 hours of the game farmer becoming aware

of the escape;

(

b) make all reasonable efforts to restore the escaped game animals to captivity;

and

(

c) subsequently, within 15 days, report the full details of the escape and recovery

to the Administrator.

(3) Any game animals not recovered within 15 days of the date of notification to the

Minister of the escape shall become the property of the Crown.

(4) Every game farmer is liable for the cost of recovering escaped game farm animals.

Import and export

(1) No person shall import or export live game animals without an import or export

permit issued pursuant to these regulations.

(2) The Administrator may issue an import licence to a game farmer upon receipt of

(

a) a statement from the applicant setting out the particulars of the animals to be

imported sufficient to satisfy the Administrator that the animals are within the

meaning of game animals as defined in these regulations; and

(

b) a copy of a veterinarian’s certificate certifying that the game animals to be

imported were tested and examined within 30 days prior to the date of the

importation and are free from all named diseases, sound, and appear in good

health.

(3) Imported game animals must go into quarantine upon arrival at the receiving

premises and if they cannot be adequately isolated from the rest of the animals, all

animals on that farm will be considered to be under quarantine.

(4) The Administrator may issue an export permit for export of game animals upon

application by a game farmer.

(5) Any person who has been issued an export permit shall submit to the Administrator,

within 10 days of the date of the export, a copy of the record of sale required by

clause 23(

f) and a copy of any veterinarian’s report required by the jurisdiction into

which the game animals are being exported.

Quarantine

11 The Administrator may authorize the release of game animals from quarantine upon

(

a) confirmation in writing that the game animals have been held in quarantine for

not less than fourteen days;

(

b) receipt of a written report from a veterinarian confirming that the game

animals held in quarantine pursuant to clause (

a) have been examined and

either exhibit no signs of disease or have been successfully treated for any

disease apparent while in quarantine;

(

c) confirmation in writing that each game animal imported has been positively

and uniquely identified in accordance with these regulations; and

(

d) receipt of a written report from a veterinarian confirming that the game

animals have been tested while in quarantine pursuant to clause (

a) and are free

from named diseases.

Reports re: diseased game animals

(1) The Minister may designate any disease of animals as a named disease.

(2) Where the Minister designates a disease pursuant to subsection (1), the designation

shall be published as soon as is reasonably possible in the Royal Gazette

Part II.

(3) No person shall, without the authorization of the Administrator, hold any game

animal that the person knows or suspects is infected with a named disease or allow

that game animal to be transferred to another person.

(4) In the case of game birds, the named diseases are Newcastle disease, Salmonella

pullorum, fowl typhoid and Salmonella enteriditis.

(5) In the case of bison, the named diseases are brucellosis and tuberculosis.

(6) In the case of wild boars, the only named disease, if purchasing within Canada, is

trichinosis.

(1) The owner of a game animal shall immediately report to the Administrator when the

farmer knows or suspects that the game animal is infected with a named disease or

knows or suspects that the game animal has been in contact with an animal infected

with a named disease.

(2) An infected animal shall not be disposed of, slaughtered or moved from the farm,

except after having been reported and only at the direction of a veterinarian.

(1) Every game farmer shall, if a game animal is found dead, immediately report the

death to the Administrator and shall not dispose of the game animal until directed to

do so by the Administrator.

(2) Where the Administrator suspects that a named disease may have caused the death

of the game animal, the Administrator may direct the owner of the game animal to

have the animal examined by a veterinarian and to report the veterinarian’s findings

to the Administrator.

15 Where a named disease is found to have infected a game animal on a game farm the

Administrator may

(

a) order the game farm quarantined until satisfied that the disease is under

control; or

(

b) order any game animal that is infected with a named disease to be destroyed.

Enclosures

(1) No game farmer shall hold game animals unless the game animals are retained in

enclosures prescribed by the Minister.

(2) No game farmer shall tether game animals in any manner.

17 The Administrator shall from time to time set out minimum requirements for

(

a) perimeter fencing;

(b)stocking density;

(c)shelters;

(d)capture and restraining facilities.

18 No game farmer shall hold game animals unless the enclosure is securely locked so as to

prevent public access to the enclosure or the escape of the game animals.

Care and handling of game animals

(1) Every game farmer shall ensure the game animals have adequate shelter, food and

water.

(2) The handling of any game animals shall be carried out in accordance with generally

accepted practices respecting management, husbandry or slaughter.

Game farm animal identification

20 Every game farmer shall ensure that

(

a) all game animals held have I.D.s;

(

b) all game animals born on the game farm are provided with I.D.s within 60 days

of birth;

(

c) all game animals imported are provided with I.D.s prior to importation.

Slaughter of game animals

(1) The slaughter of game animals for resale shall only be carried out in

(

a) a Provincially inspected abattoir designated by the Minister; or

(

b) an abattoir registered under the Meat Inspection Act (Canada) SC, 1985, c. 17.

(2) The slaughter of game animals shall be conducted in a humane manner.

Sale of game farm animals and products

(1) Every game farmer shall provide abattoirs used by the game farm with an invoice

indicating

(

a) the name and address of the game farmer and, if different, the name and

address of the game farm;

(

b) if the game animals are being sold, the name and address of the purchaser;

(

c) the species, sex and age of all game animals purchased; and

(

d) a list of all I.D.s and positive, unique and visual identification.

(2) No game farmer shall sell or trade live game animals to anyone other than a game

farmer or an abattoir as referred to in

Section 21.

(3) No game meat processor shall purchase or trade live game animals from anyone

other than a game farmer.

Records

23 Every game farmer shall

(

a) maintain a permanent written record accounting for all births, deaths,

purchases and transfer of game animals on or from that farm;

(

b) use the I.D. of each game animal as the key identification in maintaining the

record;

(

c) indicate in the record all I.D.s for each game animal, including age and sex;

(

d) record any change in identification for each game animal on the date the

change occurs;

(

e) upon receipt of a game animal, or within 60 days of the birth of a game animal

on a game farm, as the case may be, enter the I.D. of the game animal in the

record;

(

f) upon sale of a game animal, game meat or animal product of a game animal,

enter into the record

(

i) the I.D. that pertains to the game animal or animal product involved,

(ii)the name and address of the buyer,

(iii) the identification of the buyer where the sale was to an abattoir or a game

farmer, and

(iv) the name and address of the abattoir and the date of the slaughter where

the sale was to an abattoir.

Inspection

24 Every game farmer shall make their game farm and all game animals held on their farm

available for inspection at all reasonable times by the Administrator.

Transportation

25 Every game farmer shall transport, or cause to be transported, all game animals in a

covered vehicle.

Liability

26 Despite anything in the Act or regulations,

(

a) the Minister shall not be liable for injury or property damage caused by game

animals or by the escape from captivity of game animals; and

(

b) the Minister shall not be liable for the loss or death of any game animal

through escape from captivity or death from disease, notwithstanding that the

Administrator may have required a game animal to be destroyed due to escape

or disease.

Offence

27 Any person who fails to comply with these regulations or hinders or obstructs a

representative of the Minister in carrying out their functions pursuant to these regulations is

guilty of an offence and is liable on

summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $2000.

General

28 Any game farmer on the date these regulations come into effect shall

(

a) apply for a licence within thirty days;

(

b) comply with the requirements of these regulations relating to the operation of

game farms;

(

c) have game animals examined and tested for disease as the Minister may

determine.

Effective date of new regulations

29 These regulations shall come into force on, from and after September 1, 1996.

Legislative History

Reference Tables

Game Farming Regulations

N.S. Reg.

147/1996

Wildlife Act

Note: The

information in these tables does not form part of the regulations and is

compiled by the Office of the Registrar of Regulations for reference only.

Source Law

The current consolidation of the Game Farming Regulations made under the Wildlife Act includes all of the

following regulations:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

147/1996

Sep 1, 1996

date specified (in s. 29 of the regulations)

Sep 13, 1996

16/2026

Jan 26, 2026

date specified

Feb 6, 2026

The following regulations are not

yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

*See subsection 3(6) of the Regulations Act for

rules about in force dates of regulations.

Amendments by Provision

ad. = added

am. = amended

fc. = fee change

ra. = reassigned

rep. = repealed

rs . = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

6(1)-(2) .............................................

am. 16/2026

Note that changes to headings are not

included in the above table.

Editorial Notes and Corrections

Note

Effective

date

Original text

does not include any other subsections in

Section 4. Subsection 4(1) redesignated as

Section 4

for the purposes of this consolidation.

The references in

Section 2 to the Department of

Agriculture and Marketing should be read as references to the Department of

Agriculture and Fisheries in accordance with O.I.C. 2000-483 under the Public Service Act , R.S.N.S. 1989, c.

Oct 1, 2000

The references in

Section 2 to the Department of

Agriculture and Marketing should be read as references to the Department of

Agriculture in accordance with O.I.C. 2006-121 under the Public Service Act , R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 376.

Feb 24, 2006

Repealed and Superseded

N.S.

Regulation

Title

In force

date

Repealed

date

Note: Only

regulations that are specifically repealed and replaced appear in this

table. It may not reflect the entire

history of regulations on this subject matter.