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 consequences of non-compliance with SFCR?

Non-compliance with the SFCR can result in serious consequences for food businesses in Canada. Penalties can include fines, suspension or revocation of licenses, and even criminal charges in severe cases. In addition to legal consequences, non-compliance can also damage a business’s reputation and lead to the loss of customers. It’s important for food businesses to take SFCR compliance seriously and prioritize ongoing adherence to the regulations.

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 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.

How We Help You Obtain 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

SFCR Licensing

Who Needs SFCR License

How We Help You Obtain SFCR License

Frequently Asked Questions

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