Share your thoughts: Engaging on strategy for modernizing food compositional standards

The Government of Canada is committed to having clear, agile and responsive regulations. The Agri-Food and Aquaculture Sector Regulatory Review Roadmap, Health Canada's Forward Regulatory Plan and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)'s Forward Regulatory Plan describe this commitment and the initiatives to pursue amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) to create such regulations.

For food compositional standards, Health Canada and CFIA are proposing to modernize the FDR framework by using incorporation by reference. This would allow CFIA to maintain and update the standards in a transparent, timely and efficient manner. It is expected that the proposed regulatory amendments would be pre-published in Canada Gazette, Part I, in fall 2023.

After these legislative amendments are complete, CFIA intends to review and modernize the food standards that are incorporated by reference into the FDR and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

To determine the demand for changes to food standards and to maximize the efficiency of the modernization, CFIA sought feedback to inform the principles and the process that would be followed to modernize these standards.

About the consultation

This consultation was conducted to understand the volume and complexity of future requests for modifications to food compositional standards from stakeholders, and to solicit comments regarding the proposals to modernize the food standards, including how CFIA would use the following approaches:

• screen modification requests for completeness based on clear criteria to expedite processing
• prioritize accepted requests that address industry issues
• clearly communicate CFIA's decisions regarding next steps for requestors
• consolidate requests based on commodity groups or sub-groups to maximize efficiency during proposal development and engagement

How to participate

1. Read the Discussion paper: A strategy for modernizing food compositional standards.
2. Complete the online questionnaire or send us your feedback through e-mail at cfia.StandardsGradesModernization-Normesclassment.acia@inspection.gc.ca.

Who was the focus of this consultation

CFIA sought comments from:

• academia
• consumers
• consumer associations
• federal, provincial and territorial government departments
• Indigenous Peoples
• industry
• industry associations
• international trading partners
• non-government organizations

Key questions for discussion

• Do you anticipate that you will submit requests for modifications to food compositional standards to CFIA?
• In your opinion, which food compositional standards should be repealed?
• Do you have comments or concerns about CFIA's proposals to modernize the food compositional standards?

Related information

• Agri-Food and Aquaculture Sector Regulatory Review Roadmap
• Health Canada's Forward Regulatory Plan
• CFIA's Forward Regulatory Plan
• CFIA's Incorporation by Reference Policy
• Food and Drug Regulations
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

Contact us

Your opinion counts!

CFIA welcomes comments from its stakeholders on the strategy to modernize food compositional standards.

Submit your ideas, questions, concerns or comments to CFIA's Compositional Standards and Grades Section.