Holidays, avian flu cause egg shortages at some B.C. stores, but industry says supply stabilizing

If you noticed a shortage of eggs at your local grocery store over the holidays, you're not alone. The B.C. Egg Marketing Board says typical seasonal demand coupled with the effects of avian influenza on provincial flocks has led to reduced supplies at some stores.

"Typically, there will be eggs available," said Amanda Brittain, director of communications and marketing for BC Egg, in an interview with CTV News Thursday.

"It may not be your preferred brand."

At least three grocery stores CTV News has visited in the Lower Mainland in the last two weeks were completely out of eggs, but Brittain said that's not the norm and is expected to become even less common over the coming weeks.

"Christmas is behind us," she said. "Demand does typically dip in early January and we are able to bring eggs in from other parts of Canada thanks to supply management. We feel that these shortages are going to slowly disappear over the next couple weeks."

Asked whether a recent surge in bird flu cases in the United States has increased concerns in B.C., Brittain noted that local flocks have been dealing with the latest outbreak since 2022.

"Farmers are always concerned about avian influenza," she said. "B.C. typically gets hit more in the fall, early winter, like the period we're in right now, and then it eases."

As of Thursday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported 66 active infected poultry premises in B.C. No other province had more than six. 

The most recent additions to the list of infected premises were in Abbotsford. The CFIA reports one facility in the city was added on New Year's Eve and another on New Year's Day. 

More than 8.5 million birds on B.C. farms are estimated to be "impacted" by avian influenza outbreaks, according to the CFIA.

While the prevalence of bird flu is a concern, officials say there is no evidence to suggest that eating cooked eggs or poultry could transmit the virus to humans.

Despite the recent additions to the list of infected facilities, Brittain said the rate of detection of cases of avian influenza among B.C. poultry flocks has been decreasing.

"I don't have a crystal ball," she said. "I can't predict what's going to happen, but we're hoping that the cases—they have slowed down, we're hoping they peter out and we're not going to have any supply issues at all." 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Spencer Harwood