A senior Canadian Food Inspection Agency official says agency employees faced escalating threats and harassment during preparations for the culling of hundreds of ostriches at a British Columbia farm, including incidents serious enough to force the relocation of a worker and their family.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, the official said opposition to the cull intensified both online and in person, culminating in what they described as extreme cases of direct threats involving physical violence and sexual assault. One CFIA employee and their partner were relocated along with their children after receiving in-person threats, the official said.

The interview marked some of the first public comments from a senior CFIA representative since the cull was carried out on Nov. 6. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, including fears their voice could be recognized if broadcast.

Federal figures released this week show the overall cost of the operation exceeded $6.8 million. That total includes approximately $1.6 million in CFIA operational costs, about $1.4 million in legal expenses, and more than $3.8 million associated with RCMP involvement.

While acknowledging the scale of the expense, the CFIA official said the agency viewed the operation as necessary to protect Canada’s poultry sector, as well as broader human and animal health. The case has also renewed discussion about the safety of public servants carrying out enforcement actions linked to animal health and biosecurity in Canada.