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Saskatchewan to end chronic wasting disease testing program

Saskatchewan to end chronic wasting disease tests
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Saskatchewan's government is ending a program that tests for chronic wasting disease in deer and other cervids.

A bulletin on the province's website says the program is to be eliminated at the end of this month.

It says uptake from hunters on the program has been low and that ending it provides an opportunity to find efficiencies.

Chronic wasting disease affects the brains and nervous systems of cervids, such as deer, elk and moose. 

Saskatchewan's program requires hunters to submit animal heads for voluntary or mandatory testing, depending on where the animals were hunted.

Health Canada says there's been no reported cases of the disease in humans, but it recommends people don't eat meat from animals known to be infected.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.

By Jeremy Simes | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.