G/SPS/GEN/1524  
 
14 October 2016 
(16-5586) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
MODERNIZING CANADA' S FOOD SAFETY REGULA TORY FRAMEWORK  
COMMUNICATION FROM CANADA  
The follow ing communication, received on 13 October 2016, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Canada . 
 
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1.  Recent decades have seen significan t changes in the global food environment.  Advances in 
science and technology, the emergence of highly integrated food supply chains and changing 
consumer preferences, require Canada's federal food regulatory system to keep pace in order to 
protect the heal th of Canadians. As a result, since 2012 Canada has undertaken several initiatives 
to modernize its food safety framework. After several years of consultation, Canada plans to 
introduce the proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations  (SFCR) for domestic a nd international 
consideration. Canada's proposed regulations would establish consistent, prevention -focused 
requirements for food that is imported or prepared for export  or inter -provincial trade. 
The proposed Regulations would consolidate existing commod ity-based regulations into a single 
and more outcome -based food regulation under the Safe Food for Canadians Act  (SFCA). 
Some  requirements would be phased -in to reflect business size, and different levels of industry 
readiness. Plain language tools and gui dance would be provided to support small businesses that 
are involved in importing food, or preparing food for export or for interprovincial trade in meeting 
the requirements.  
2.  In developing the proposed Regulations, the Government of Canada has consulted b roadly with 
both domestic and international stakeholders. Canada has kept WTO Members informed of the 
proposed Regulations through an information session held on the margins of the July 2014 WTO 
SPS Committee meeting, and through the following notification s to the SPS Committee:  
 G/SPS/N/CAN/700 (8 July 2013) – A New Regulatory Framework for Federal Food 
Inspection: Discussion Document;  
 G/SPS/N/CAN/700/Rev.1 (5 June 2014) – A New Regulatory Framework for Federal Food 
Inspection: An Overview of Proposed Regul ations; and  
 G/SPS/N/CAN/938 (2 June 2015) – Options for Reducing Burden for Micro and Small 
Businesses.  
3.  Canada intends to notify the draft SFCR to the WTO in the coming months and will be providing 
Members with a 90 day comment period. Canada also intends to hold an information session for 
Members in Geneva in winter 2017 to provide additional information and answer questions from 
interested Members. Canada commits to keeping Members apprised on the SFCR throughout their 
implementation.  
Background Informati on 
4.  Supporting public health and instilling confidence in Canada's food system remains a key 
priority for the CFIA's Food Safety Program. This program is governed by the Food and Drugs Act , 
along with four other pieces of legislation: the Canada Agricultura l Products Act  (CAPA), the 
Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (CPLA), the Fish Inspection Act (FIA), and the Meat 
Inspection Act (MIA).  G/SPS/GEN/1524  
 
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  5.  The regulatory framework underpinning the CFIA's Food Sa fety Program is comprised of 
13 different regulations (plus tw o additional regulations: the Food and Drug Regulations  and 
Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations ). These include regulations made under the CAPA, 
FIA, and MIA which cover nine food commodities (i.e., dairy, fish and seafood, fresh fruit and 
vegetab les, honey, maple products, meat, processed eggs, processed (fruit and vegetable) 
products,  and shell eggs).  
6.  For each of these food commodities, the CFIA operates separate food safety, consumer 
protection, and inspection programs. There are additional requ irements for foods found in the 
Licensing and Arbitration Regulations (LAR), the Livestock and Poultry Carcass Grading 
Regulations, the Icewine Regulations, and the Organic Products Regulations, 2009.  
7.  When it comes fully into force, the SFCA will repeal an d consolidate the CAPA, FIA, MIA and the 
food related provisions of the CPLA. The proposed SFCR would establish consistent, prevention -
focused requirements for food that is imported or prepared for export or inter -provincial trade. 
The proposed SFCR would consolidate 13 food commodity -based regulations plus the food -related 
provisions of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations  (CPLR) into a single food 
regulation under the (SFCA).  
8.  The current requirements have not been regularly updated or streamli ned since the CFIA's 
creation in 1997. As a result, requirements for federally -regulated food vary by commodity, and 
some food safety requirements do not reflect advances in technology, science and food safety best 
practices.  
9.  These differing approaches amo ng food sectors pose a significant challenge to the CFIA's goal 
of managing risks consistently across different types of establishments and foods. Differing 
approaches also mean that businesses involved with multiple food commodities need to meet 
varying r equirements in different regulations which places an additional burden on these 
stakeholders.  
10.  The proposed Regulations would establish three key food safety elements: licensing, 
traceability, and safety requirements related to the preparation of food and p reventive control 
plans. These elements represent the most transformational changes to the food inspection 
framework and would apply to all food that is imported, or prepared for export or inter -provincial 
trade.  
 
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