CFIA inspectors touch the lives of Canadians in many positive ways. Each day, they work to verify that industry is operating in compliance with Canadian standards and regulations.
On this page
- Inspections based on science and risk
- What our inspectors do
- Actions against non-compliance
- Where to direct restaurant complaints
- Report an issue
- Explore jobs and meet our experts
Inspections based on science and risk
Canada's economy includes a robust market of food, animal and plant products.
Canada has rigorous standards and regulations and industry must comply with them. Consumers can be confident in the federal food inspection system.
It is not physically or financially feasible for CFIA inspectors to inspect every food, animal and plant product regulated in Canada. We use a risk informed approach and modeling to target those establishments or products most likely not to meet Canadian standards and regulations.
This approach is used all along the supply chain in Canada, and involves numerous stakeholders and jurisdictions. Further actions taken to protect consumers and industry by the CFIA are part of our inspection capacity.
What our inspectors do
CFIA inspectors not only verify and prevent non-compliance but also assist businesses in meeting regulatory requirements before issues arise.
For food inspectors, their primary duties occur on-site and involve:
- Helping facility management and employees understand their food safety obligations
- Reviewing the operator's written preventive control program to ensure all food safety hazards are controlled
- Performing audits, and product inspections as needed, to verify compliance with regulations
- Conducting microbiological and chemical sampling
- Undertaking inspections related to food recalls and food safety investigations when necessary
They follow and apply a consistent set of operational guidance for inspections. These procedures are publicly available and complement industry guidance.
Actions against non-compliance
In cases of non-compliance, the consequences are clearly identified, predictable and consistently applied based on the CFIA's enforcement approach.
Inspectors take immediate control and/or enforcement action if requirements are not being met. These actions can range from verbal and/or written notifications to warnings, monetary penalties, detention of products, product recalls and/or prosecution.
Where to direct restaurant complaints
Restaurant and food service inspection across Canada is generally carried out by these organizations:
- provincial governments
- municipalities
- regional health authorities
Find out how to contact the authorities where you live.
Report an issue
You can contact the CFIA to report: