The new consolidated regulations are the result of consultations with stakeholders and consumers since the Safe Food for Canadians Act was passed in 2012, and they will come into force on January 15, 2019.
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor have announced that final Safe Food for Canadians Regulations have been published in Canada Gazette, Part II (CGII).
“The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations will further enhance Canada’s international reputation as a global food safety leader, and help maintain and further expand market access for Canada’s food businesses,” said MacAulay. “Maintaining and enhancing the quality of our exports is vital to achieving the Government of Canada’s trade target of growing agriculture and food exports to $75 billion by 2025.”
The government says the regulations will provide clear and consistent rules for food commodities so consumers can be confident that food on grocery shelves is safer to eat, whether it is produced in Canada or abroad.
The new consolidated regulations are the result of consultations with stakeholders and consumers since the Safe Food for Canadians Act was passed in 2012, and they will come into force on January 15, 2019.
The new rules will also be consistent with international food safety standards. The United States has already adopted similar regulations.
Businesses that import food or prepare food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial borders will now need to have licences as well as preventive controls that address potential risks to food safety. Most food businesses will also have to maintain simple traceability records that allows them to trace their food back to their supplier and forward to whom they sold their products. Retailers will only be required to trace their food back to their supplier, not forward to consumers to whom they sold their products.
