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Selling food in Canada requires a licensed Canadian food import agent under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). QSS, through Quality Import Solutions (QIS), acts as that agent and guides non-Canadian brands through every step of their SFCR compliance pathway. Let's get your products moving.
The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations govern how food is imported, manufactured, packaged, and sold in Canada. Non-Canadian brands cannot simply ship product across the border. A licensed Canadian import agent must be in place, and that agent carries legal accountability to the CFIA for the safety and compliance of every imported lot.
Importation under the SFCR also requires a hazard analysis for each product before shipment begins. This is not a one-time formality. It is the foundation of your Canadian food safety programme, and CFIA can request evidence of it at any point.
The SFCR also holds import agents responsible for supplier food safety plans. If your manufacturer does not have a food safety plan in place, or has a history of non-compliance in other jurisdictions, your Canadian import programme carries real exposure. Choosing the right import agent means choosing a partner who assesses that risk before it becomes your problem.
QIS acts as your licensed Canadian food import agent under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations for a 12-month period. This covers the importation of your listed food products, with QIS named as the import agent on file with the CFIA. The service period begins once review of your manufacturer’s food safety plan is complete and the import programme is confirmed. Annual renewal is required to maintain continuous import coverage.
Before any food product can be imported under the SFCR, a Food Import and Overseas Risk (FIOR) hazard analysis must be conducted. QIS completes this assessment for each of your products, evaluating the hazards associated with your specific food items and confirming they meet CFIA requirements. This analysis is a regulatory prerequisite and must be on file before your first shipment.
The SFCR requires that your foreign manufacturer have a documented food safety plan in place. QIS reviews that plan as part of the import programme setup to confirm it meets the regulatory threshold required to proceed. If gaps are identified, we advise on what needs to be addressed before importation can commence.
Each unique lot imported into Canada under the programme is tracked and managed through QIS. Your annual programme covers a set number of unique lot shipments. Additional lots beyond that allotment can be accommodated. This ongoing oversight ensures that your import activity stays in good standing with CFIA throughout the year.
SFCR requirements and CFIA enforcement priorities evolve. QIS monitors regulatory updates relevant to your product categories and advises you when changes affect your import programme, food safety documentation, or lot release process. Renewals and amendments are managed proactively so your programme stays current.
A food import agent is a Canadian-licensed entity that takes on regulatory accountability to the CFIA for food imported into Canada. They must be named in connection with the imported products and are responsible for ensuring those products meet SFCR requirements. Non-Canadian brands cannot import commercially without one.
A Food Import and Overseas Risk (FIOR) hazard analysis identifies the food safety hazards associated with a specific imported product and evaluates whether CFIA controls are sufficient to manage them. It is a mandatory step before your first shipment and must be on file for each product you import. QIS conducts this assessment as part of the import programme setup.
Yes. The SFCR requires that foreign manufacturers supplying food to Canada have a documented food safety plan. QIS reviews your manufacturer’s plan before the import programme begins. If the plan is not in place or does not meet the required standard, importation cannot commence until it is addressed.
The annual programme covers a defined number of products and unique lot shipments. Additional SKUs and additional lot shipments beyond the included allotment can be accommodated at a per-unit rate. Unused SKU slots from the allotment cannot be carried forward.
A manufacturer’s compliance history in other markets is relevant to SFCR food import risk. If a supplier has a documented history of non-compliance, stop sales, or recalls in other jurisdictions, QIS reserves the right to decline or discontinue acting as import agent for those products. This protects the integrity of your import programme and your standing with CFIA.
Additional products can be added to the programme. Each new SKU requires its own FIOR hazard analysis before importation of that product can begin.
A customs broker handles the administrative and financial process of clearing goods through Canadian customs. A food import agent under the SFCR holds a distinct regulatory designation with the CFIA and is accountable for the food safety compliance of imported products. You may need both, but they are not interchangeable.