The province of Alberta, Canada is free of the common rat.
Alberta Is the Only Rat-Free Place in North America
Alberta, Canada holds a distinction no other large populated region in North America can claim: it's completely free of rats. Not just low numbers—actually rat-free. No breeding populations exist within provincial borders, making it one of the few places on Earth to achieve this feat.
This wasn't luck. When Norway rats first appeared on Alberta's eastern border in 1950, the province declared war. Officials established a Rat Control Zone—a 600-kilometer-long, 29-kilometer-wide buffer along the Saskatchewan border. Any rat sighting triggers an immediate response from provincial pest control officers who investigate and eradicate before the rodents can establish a foothold.
How They Keep It Rat-Free
Alberta's strategy is simple but relentless: zero tolerance. Rats are declared an agricultural pest under provincial law, meaning property owners must report and eliminate any infestations immediately. The province receives hundreds of reports annually (616 in 2024), but most turn out to be other rodents. Only 31 were actual rats.
When Norway rats are confirmed, specially trained officers descend on the location with traps, poison, and whatever else it takes. The rats are isolated and eliminated before they can breed—Norway rats can produce up to 15,000 descendants in a single year if left unchecked.
Why Alberta Succeeded
Geography helped. The Rocky Mountains form a natural western barrier, while the cold climate and sparse population to the north limit rat movement. The only vulnerable point is the eastern border with Saskatchewan, where rats have been slowly spreading westward since entering Canada around 1919.
But the real secret is political will and public cooperation. William Lobay, the program's architect, convinced the government that prevention was cheaper than dealing with established rat populations. Citizens buy into the program, reporting suspected sightings to the provincial hotline rather than ignoring the problem.
The results speak for themselves. Between 2002 and 2007, Alberta recorded just two rat infestations. In 2002, they had their first year with zero confirmed infestations. The program has now maintained rat-free status for 75 years—a world record for a large, populated jurisdiction.
The Stakes
Rats aren't just a nuisance. They:
- Contaminate food supplies with feces and urine
- Spread diseases like leptospirosis and hantavirus
- Cause structural damage by gnawing through walls, insulation, and electrical wiring
- Destroy crops and stored grain
Other jurisdictions spend millions battling entrenched rat populations. Alberta spends a fraction of that maintaining its defensive perimeter. It's pest control as border security—and it works.
Climate change poses new challenges, as warming temperatures could make northern Alberta more hospitable to rats. But for now, the province remains a rare example of humans successfully excluding an invasive species through persistence, coordination, and strategic extermination. If you're moving to escape rats, you know where to go.