The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is dedicated to safeguarding the health and safety of Canada's food, plants and animals which supports a healthy and competitive agriculture and agri-food sector.
Compliance is monitored along the supply chain, involving many industry members and jurisdictions.
Learn about the approach guiding our actions and the range of enforcement tools at our disposal to protect the public and promote industry compliance with the rules. Further information about the full framework of actions the CFIA uses to protect Canadians is also available.
On this page
Scope and roles
CFIA compliance and enforcement activities can occur:
- within the countries of Canada's trading partners
- at or near the Canadian border
- domestically in food, animal and plant product processing facilities
- at points of distribution and retail sale
- at food service locations
Regulated parties are responsible for complying with all acts and regulations that apply to them, including those administered and enforced by the CFIA.
The CFIA clearly identifies likely consequences for the regulated parties, and applies predictable, consistent enforcement. Regulated parties can expect that the CFIA will take any non-compliance seriously and will deal with it in a professional manner.
Policy and framework
Explore the CFIA's comprehensive approach to compliance with, and enforcement of, its legislation.
Compliance and enforcement policy
The Compliance and enforcement policy aims to:
- Enhance awareness of the Agency's compliance and enforcement continuum
- Ensure consistent application of regulatory measures and procedure
- Promote increased compliance with legislation among regulated parties
Compliance and enforcement continuum
The policy is based on the concept of a Compliance and enforcement continuum, which includes:
- Compliance promotion
- Monitoring and assessment (compliance verification)
- Response to risk and non-compliance (regulatory response)
- Feedback mechanisms and offering recourse
Food enforcement framework
The CFIA's approach to enforcement of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations balances the need to protect Canada's food safety system while supporting food businesses in complying with the regulations.
Transport of animals
The CFIA enforces Canada's Health of Animals legislation, including the changes made to the Part XII of the Health of Animals Regulations related to the transport of animals.
Actions and tools
CFIA has the discretion to select the one or more of the appropriate enforcement actions to protect consumers based on risk and the nature of the non-compliance.
Applying control measures
CFIA may take control action when a regulated commodity, process or thing poses or may pose a risk to human, plant or animal health, the environment or trade. Actions available to CFIA include seizure and detention, ordering product removal, destruction or relabelling, or refusal to let shipments into Canada if they do not have the documentation needed to track them and do not meet regulatory requirements.
Traceability requirements are in place so that unsafe foods can quickly be removed from the market through recalls, protecting the health of consumers.
Taking enforcement action
In response to non-compliance, we take a range of enforcement actions and make this information publicly available:
- issuing a Letter of Non-Compliance or meeting with the regulated party to reinforce regulatory requirements
- issuing an administrative monetary penalty (notices may contain a warning or a financial penalty)
- suspending or cancelling licences, registrations or permits
- suspending or cancelling organic certifications issued under the Canada Organic Regime
- recommending to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada that violators be prosecuted, depending on the severity of the violation or the escalation of enforcement actions
These actions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are based on factors including the harm caused by the non-compliance, the compliance history of the regulated party, and whether there is negligence or intent to violate federal requirements.