SFCR, or the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, is a set of regulations that were put in place to improve food safety and protect consumers. These regulations apply to all food businesses in Canada, including importers, exporters, and domestic producers. SFCR covers a wide range of topics, including food labeling, traceability, and preventive controls. As a food business owner, it's important to understand SFCR and ensure that your operations are compliant with these regulations.

Who needs to comply with SFCR?

All food businesses in Canada, including importers, exporters, and domestic producers, need to comply with the SFCR. This includes businesses that manufacture, process, treat, preserve, grade, package, or label food for interprovincial trade or export. Even if your business is small or operates on a part-time basis, you still need to comply with the SFCR. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines, product recalls, and even legal action.

What are the key requirements of SFCR?

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) require food businesses to have preventive controls in place to identify and manage potential food safety risks. This includes having a written preventive control plan, maintaining records, and conducting traceability exercises. Businesses must also have a license and meet certain requirements for labeling, packaging, and advertising their products. It’s important to familiarize yourself with all the requirements of the SFCR to ensure your business is in compliance and avoid any potential penalties.

How can you ensure compliance with SFCR?

To ensure compliance with the SFCR, food businesses should first familiarize themselves with all the requirements of the regulations. This includes understanding the preventive control plan requirements, record-keeping requirements, and traceability exercises. Businesses should also ensure they have a valid license and meet all requirements for labeling, packaging, and advertising their products. It’s important to regularly review and update your compliance measures to ensure ongoing adherence to the SFCR and avoid any potential penalties.

What are the Safe Food Regulations?

Food safety is a critical issue that affects everyone. Unsafe food can cause illnesses, disease outbreaks, and even death. The need for safe food regulations in Canada is evident because of the growing concern over foodborne diseases. In recent years, several high-profile cases of food contamination have led to illness and even death. Safe food regulations are necessary to protect public health and prevent foodborne illnesses. These regulations ensure that all food products sold in Canada meet certain safety standards. They also help to maintain the integrity of the food industry by holding businesses accountable for the quality and safety of their products.

What is the history of Safe Food Regulations in Canada?

The history of food regulation in Canada dates back to the early 20th century. The first federal legislation related to food safety was the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1920. This act was later replaced by the Food and Drugs Act of 1953, which is still used today. In 1997, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was established to consolidate several government agencies involved in food safety responsibilities. The CFIA is responsible for enforcing food safety regulations and ensuring that all food products sold in Canada meet certain safety standards.

What are the current Safe Food Regulations in Canada?

Canada's current safe food regulations are outlined in the Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations. These regulations apply to all food products sold in Canada, including imported products. The regulations cover a wide range of food safety issues, including the use of food additives, the labeling of food products, and the inspection of food processing facilities. They also outline the requirements for food safety training and the handling of food products during transportation.

Which government agencies are involved in Safe Food Regulations?

Several government agencies are involved in enforcing safe food regulations in Canada. These agencies include Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Health Canada is responsible for developing and enforcing regulations related to food products' safety and nutritional quality. The CFIA enforces food safety regulations, while the PHAC is accountable for investigating and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks.

What are the SFCR requirements for food businesses?

To ensure SFCR compliance, you must understand the regulatory requirements set by the government. The SFCR sets out several requirements that food businesses must adhere to, including: - Licensing: All food businesses must obtain a license from the CFIA to produce, import, or export food products. - Preventive controls: Food businesses must implement preventive controls to identify and manage potential hazards in their food products. - Traceability: Food businesses must maintain records that allow the tracking of their products from the source of the ingredients to the final destination. - Labelling: Food products must be labelled correctly, including the listing of all ingredients, allergens, and nutritional information. - Importing and exporting: Food products that are imported or exported must meet the regulatory requirements set by the government. Failure to comply with any of these requirements can result in penalties, fines, and legal action. It is essential to understand these requirements and ensure that your food business is fully compliant with them.

Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

SFCR Licensing

SFCR Licensing applies to food for human consumption that is imported, exported, or inter-provincially traded for commercial purposes. According to Part 3, Division 1 of the SFCR, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issues a license to businesses that are engaged in conducting food-related activities that include:

Importing and exporting food
Slaughter of food animals
Exporting food commodities
Storage and handling for CFIA inspection
Storage of food for shipping to another province or out of Canada
Various activities to handle such as manufacturing, treating, processing, grading, preserving, packaging or labelling

Who needs a SFCR License?

Those individuals that import food in Canada need a licence to import under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). They are solely responsible for meeting other requirements of SFCR. The importer could be located in Canada.

The license application is an online portal with a fee associated with the respective activity. Licenses are valid for a particular time period and will be subject to renewal. As well, any changes to the food license (eg. activities, site location, etc.) will require an amendment to the SFCR License.

What are the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR)?

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) is a set of regulations introduced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to ensure that all food products produced, imported, or sold in Canada meet the safety and quality standards set by the government. The SFCR applies to all food businesses, including those that produce, process, manufacture, package, label, import, export, or transport food products.

The SFCR was introduced to replace several existing regulations, including the Meat Inspection Act, the Fish Inspection Act, and the Canada Agricultural Products Act, among others. The SFCR aims to provide a streamlined regulatory framework that can ensure the safety of food products and protect the health of Canadians.

What is needed to get an SFCR license?

Determine Eligibility: Check if your business falls under the scope of the SFCR. The regulations apply to businesses involved in activities such as manufacturing, processing, importing, exporting, packaging, labeling, and storing food products for interprovincial trade or export.
Register with My CFIA: Create an account on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) online portal, My CFIA. This portal is used for various activities related to SFCR compliance, including license applications.
Identify Licensing Requirements: Determine the specific requirements for your type of food business. The requirements vary based on the size of your business, the type of activities you conduct, and the products you handle.
Develop a Preventive Control Plan (PCP): Most businesses need to develop a Preventive Control Plan (PCP) that outlines how they will manage food safety hazards. The PCP should cover areas such as hazard identification, preventive controls, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification.
Meet Labelling Requirements: Ensure your food labels comply with the SFCR’s labeling requirements. This includes providing accurate and clear information about the product’s identity, ingredients, allergens, nutritional information, and contact information.
Implement Traceability Systems: Establish traceability systems that allow you to quickly identify and trace the movement of your products throughout the supply chain. This is essential for product recalls and investigations.
Submit Licensing Application: Complete and submit your license application through the My CFIA portal. Provide accurate information about your business activities, products, and facilities. You may need to pay a fee, depending on your business size and activities.
Inspection and Compliance Verification: CFIA may conduct inspections to verify your compliance with SFCR requirements. This can involve reviewing your PCP, records, and facilities. Address any issues identified during inspections promptly.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with Safe Food Regulations?

Non-compliance with safe food regulations can have serious consequences for businesses. In addition to the potential for harm to consumers, enterprises that fail to comply with regulations can face fines, legal action, and damage to their reputation. The CFIA has the authority to issue recalls of food products that do not meet safety standards. Businesses that fail to comply with these recalls can face fines and legal action.

Why would Health Canada deny a companies SFCR License?

Incomplete Application: Failure to provide all the required information and documentation in your application can lead to denial. Make sure to fill out all sections accurately and provide supporting documents as requested.
Non-Compliance with Preventive Control Plan (PCP): If your Preventive Control Plan (PCP) is incomplete, inadequate, or does not effectively address food safety hazards, your application could be denied. Ensure your PCP is comprehensive and aligns with SFCR requirements.
Lack of Proper Documentation: Insufficient or inaccurate records can lead to application denial. You need to maintain accurate records related to your PCP, traceability, and other relevant activities.
Non-Compliance with Labelling Requirements: If your food product labels do not meet the SFCR’s labeling requirements, your application could be denied. Make sure your labels accurately and clearly display all required information.
Failure to Implement Traceability Systems: If you are unable to demonstrate effective traceability systems that allow for quick identification and recall of products, your application might be denied.
Incorrect Classification: Misclassifying your business or product type in the application can lead to denial. It’s important to accurately classify your business activities and products to ensure proper evaluation.
Non-Compliance with Physical Facility Requirements: If your food processing or handling facilities do not meet the required standards for hygiene, sanitation, and safety, your application may be denied.
Insufficient Compliance with Regulatory Requirements: Any major violations of food safety regulations, past recalls, or history of non-compliance with food safety laws can negatively impact your application.
Failure to Address Previous Issues: If you have been previously issued corrective actions or non-compliance notifications by the CFIA and have not adequately addressed them, your application could be denied.
Misrepresentation or Fraud: Providing false information or intentionally misleading the CFIA in your application can result in denial and legal consequences.
Failure to Pay Applicable Fees: If you are required to pay licensing fees and fail to do so, your application may not be processed.
Inadequate Food Safety Training: If your employees lack the necessary food safety training or certifications, it could impact your application’s approval.

Why is SFCR compliance important for food entrepreneurs?

SFCR compliance is crucial for food entrepreneurs to ensure that their products are safe for consumption and meet the regulatory requirements set by the government. Non-compliance with SFCR can result in penalties, fines, and legal action. In addition, non-compliance can damage your brand reputation and result in a loss of consumer trust. By ensuring SFCR compliance, you can demonstrate your commitment to producing safe and high-quality food products, which can help you gain a competitive advantage in the market. SFCR compliance can also allow you access to new markets, both domestically and internationally, by meeting the regulatory requirements set by those markets.

How we will help you obtain a SFCR License

We review your business activities, determine the licensing scope, ascertain food category (identifying your products into the right food category), ensure how many licenses you need to apply in case of multiple activities, check documentation requirements based on Preventative Control Plan, Customer Protection Plan and Traceability. Moreover, we categorize activities as manufacturing, import and export. Based on critical activities, we develop the right set of preventative control plans that are suitable for business needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SFCR Licensing apply to?

Importing and exporting food
Slaughter of food animals
Exporting food commodities
Storage and handling for CFIA inspection
Storage of food for shipping to another province or out of Canada
Various activities to handle such as manufacturing, treating, processing, grading, preserving, packaging or labelling

Who needs an SFCR License?

Businesses or individuals that import food in Canada need a licence to import under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). They are solely responsible for meeting other requirements of SFCR. The importer must be located in Canada.

The license application is through an online portal with a fee associated with the respective activity. Licenses are valid for a particular time period and will be subject to renewal. As well, any changes to the food license (eg. activities, site location, etc.) will require an amendment to the SFCR License.

How can you obtain an SFCR License?

We review your business activities, determine the licensing scope, ascertain food category (identifying your products into the right food category), ensure how many licenses you need to apply in case of multiple activities, and check documentation requirements based on Preventative Control Plan, Customer Protection Plan and Traceability. Moreover, we categorize activities as manufacturing, import, and export. Based on critical activities, we develop the right set of preventative control plans that are suitable for business needs.

How do I renew my CFIA License?

This can be accomplished by clicking the renew or amend buttons when its status is active in your CFIA account. If you need assistance with renewing your CFIA License, Quality Smart Solutions can help.

Where can I find my SFCR license number?

Your SFCR license number will be present on your license once it has been issued.

Safe Food For Canadians Regulations (SFCR) License