June 14, 2022
Effective November 1, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) previously announced approach to the prioritization of compliance activities of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) requirements for the manufactured food sector (MFS) will end. Businesses that have not yet applied for a licence under the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to ensure they will comply with SFCR requirements.
As of this date, the CFIA will conduct compliance activities in the MFS consistent with its long-standing Compliance and enforcement policy to respond to non-compliance with fairness, impartiality and transparency. CFIA's early enforcement efforts, where possible, will focus on promoting the understanding of and compliance with these new requirements.
Industry is responsible for ensuring the safety of their food products at all times. The CFIA supports compliance by providing regulated parties with the tools, resources, guidance, and services they need to become familiar with and follow regulatory requirements. This includes the SFCR provisions relating to licensing, preventive controls and traceability.
More information
Refer to the Toolkit for food businesses for information on the SFCR's key requirements. Additional resources can be found on the manufactured foods page.