The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's 2026 to 2027 Departmental Plan

On this page

• At a glance
• From the Minister
• Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
  • Core responsibility 1: Safe food and healthy plants and animals
  • Internal services
• Department-wide considerations
  • Related government priorities
  • Key risks
• Planned spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
  • Human resources
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Corporate information
• Definitions

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Aussi disponible en français sous le titre :

Plan ministériel de l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments 2026 à 2027

To obtain additional information, please contact:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
1400 Merivale Road
Ottawa, ON K1A 0Y9
Tel.: 1-613-773-2342
Toll free: 1-800-442-2342
TTY: 1-800-465-7735
Internet: Contact the CFIA online

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Health, 2026

Use without permission is prohibited

Catalogue Number: A101-10E-PDF

ISSN 2371-7386

From the Minister

As the Minister responsible for the CFIA, I am pleased to present the CFIA's Departmental Plan for 2026 to 2027.

The CFIA has an important mandate to safeguard Canada's food supply, and its plant and animal resources. Across the country, dedicated employees, including veterinarians and scientists, work hard to help protect Canada's plants and animals from devastating diseases and pests. Meanwhile, the CFIA's frontline inspectors work tirelessly, around the clock, to verify that industry operates in compliance with Canada's rigorous food safety standards and regulations. Their professionalism and dedication are essential to protecting Canadians and directly contribute to Canada's well-earned reputation as having one of the strongest food safety systems in the world.

The agency's work supports the agricultural sector, a key driver of Canada's economy. In 2024, the sector employed 2.3 million people, provided one in nine jobs in Canada, and generated $149.2 billion, or approximately 7%, of Canada's gross domestic product.

The CFIA will do its part to support the government's Mandate Letter to build a strong economy that works for everyone. The agency will focus on priorities to help the government meet the unprecedented challenges that lie ahead in a world of rapidly evolving relations with trading partners. Trade diversification will be a key driver in shifting the Canadian economy from reliance to resilience. The CFIA is committed to maintaining, expanding, and diversifying global market access for Canadian businesses, leading to more international market opportunities for Canada's high-quality agriculture, agri-food, fish and seafood, and forestry products.

This departmental plan outlines the agency's commitment to contributing to government-wide priorities while delivering its mandate through a strong science-based regulatory framework.

The agency will identify and address potential risks across the food system, strengthen inspection processes, and collaborate with industry to continue fostering a culture of compliance. It will work to prevent and prepare for emergencies that could threaten Canada's agricultural sector and food supply. In addition, the CFIA will advance scientific collaboration with researchers and experts around the world to address complex global challenges, including emerging animal diseases and plant pests.

The CFIA is committed to investing in its people and upholding a culture grounded in values and ethics. It will also invest in infrastructure and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance its operations, support digital trade internationally, and modernize its information technology systems.

Furthermore, the agency will pursue regulatory and policy initiatives to reduce red tape, accelerate innovation, and diversify trade. The agency's work builds public trust, keeps Canada's food supply safe, and helps Canadian exporters succeed and reach new markets. By ensuring that Canadian products meet the standards of trading partners, the CFIA helps remove trade barriers and makes it easier for businesses to export their agricultural and agri-food goods. These efforts support Canada's economy and help ensure the continued competitiveness of our agriculture, forestry, aquatic animals, and food sectors.

I encourage all Canadians to review the CFIA's Departmental Plan to learn more about the agency's important work to safeguard Canada's food, plants, and animals, while supporting the well-being of Canadians and the prosperity of Canada's economy.

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services

• Core responsibility 1: Safe food and healthy plants and animals
• Internal services

Core responsibility 1: Safe food and healthy plants and animals

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory
• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

Description

Protecting Canadians by safeguarding Canada's food system and the plant and animal resources on which we depend and supporting the Canadian economy through the trade of Canadian goods.

Quality of life impacts

The Quality of Life Framework for Canada guides the CFIA's strategic approach by focusing on what matters most to Canadians, enabling evidence-based decision-making, and fostering inclusive and sustainable growth. Within this framework, the CFIA's core mandate advances outcomes such as:

• confidence in institutions
  • transparency and accountability
• self-rated health
  • Canada's global reputation for safety and quality
  • public health protection
• sustainable resource management
  • environment

Furthermore, the agency's efforts to bolster the Canadian economy, by facilitating trade, market access, and the competitiveness of Canadian products, directly support:

• business expansion and innovation
  • economic prosperity
• gross domestic product per capita growth
• resilience against economic disruptions
• job creation and workforce stability

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department's indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for safe food and healthy plants and animals. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1: Food sold in Canada is safe and accurately represented to Canadians

Table 2: Plant and animal resources are protected from diseases and pests and are safe for Canadians and the environment

Table 3: Canadian food, plants and animals and their associated products can be traded internationally

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the CFIA's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for safe food and healthy plants and animals in 2026 to 2027, organized by theme.

1. Keeping Canadians' food safe and protecting animal and plant resources

Canadians and the economy depend on the CFIA to maintain a science-based regulatory framework that can adapt quickly to change while staying committed to focusing on oversight and enforcement. Each day, CFIA inspectors are hard at work verifying that industry is operating in compliance with Canadian standards and regulations. Responsible for enforcing regulations, the agency is pursuing its vision to optimize regulations that are internationally recognized and founded in science and innovation. These forward-thinking regulations protect the safety of Canada's food supply, and animal and plant health systems, ensure rigorous regulatory oversight, support industry innovation, maintain food safety standards, and enable competitive growth and market access.

As a modern regulator, the agency is strengthening its use of enforcement actions, expanding digital tools, and improving consistency across inspection activities, and support frontline staff in upholding Canada's high regulatory standards. Businesses will be informed of their responsibilities, including non-compliance consequences and recourse, through public education, stakeholder engagement, and informative tools focused on key priorities.

The CFIA is also enhancing its ability to safeguard Canada's food supply and protect plant and animal resources, with an emphasis on emergency preparedness. To achieve this, the agency will strengthen its emergency management toolkit by leveraging scientific excellence and evidence-based decision-making. Through collaboration with academia, Indigenous partners, government departments, and international organizations, the CFIA is advancing regulatory science in key areas such as diagnostics, surveillance, biosecurity, and risk assessment to build resilient, adaptable, and science-based systems.

1.1 Modernizing the CFIA's regulatory framework for food, plant and animal health

The CFIA operates within a complex regulatory framework and is responsible for administering and enforcing 10 different acts and over 20 regulations. The framework is currently being updated and modernized to optimize regulations that are international recognized, grounded in science and innovation. These changes reflect current scientific and technological advancements, while enhancing agility and responsiveness for the future.

The importance of modernizing regulations

The CFIA's science- and innovation-based regulations are recognized internationally. Regulations are important as they create a strong system of inspections and approvals that builds confidence in Canadian products and open opportunities in both domestic and international markets. Modernizing regulations improves consistency, supports industry innovation, and strengthens the competitiveness of Canadian businesses. Regulations will remain agile and responsive to the needs of Canadians and Canadian businesses.

Regulatory modernization initiatives expected to advance in 2026 to 2027:

• amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations and other regulations where required to align Canada's enhanced feed ban with the United States's requirements to increase the competitiveness of the Canadian beef industry
• amendments to the Plant Breeders' Rights Regulations to align with international standards by strengthening protection for plant breeders, helping farmers access newer, more resilient plant varieties by encouraging domestic and international breeders to innovate and address challenges like pests, drought, and climate change
  • plant breeders' rights support multiple sectors, including the seed industry, with an estimated $6 billion annual economic impact (direct and indirect), over 63,000 jobs, and $2.26 billion in wages, as well as the horticulture and agriculture sectors, which together add 114,000 jobs and contribute more than $24 billion to Canada's economy
• amendments to the Seeds Regulations to modernize rules for seed import, sales, and labelling to improve flexibility and responsiveness to industry changes and the latest science, reduce complexity
  • these changes will support the seed industry to adapt to changing market conditions and demands, take advantage of technological advances, and provide farmers and consumers with the varieties they want and need
• amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations(SFCR) to include targeted exemptions to address unmet slaughter capacity and reduce barriers to internal trade in the meat sector

1.2 Enhancing emergency management and preparedness

Proactive and timely action is key to protecting Canada's food, plant, and animal resources. Building on its long history of emergency preparedness and response, the CFIA will remain emergency-ready and respond quickly and effectively with partners to protect Canadians and the economy. The agency uses advanced tools like surveillance systems, predictive modeling, and AI to spot and manage risks before they become large-scale problems. This science-based approach helps the CFIA assess risks accurately, focus resources where they are needed most, and respond quickly when threats appear. By improving early detection and response, the CFIA helps keep Canada's food system safe and strong.

Measures to protect Canadian livestock from foot and mouth disease (FMD)

Given the growing risks associated with climate change, globalization, and the movement of people and goods, the CFIA is enhancing tools used to support emergency response. The agency invests in measures to prevent and prepare for contagious diseases like FMD. The CFIA enforces strict import controls to keep FMD out of Canada, since an outbreak could cause major economic losses estimated between $22.6 and $75.8 billion. In addition, through Budget 2023, the Government of Canada committed $57.5 million over five years, plus $5.6 million ongoing, to create a national FMD vaccine bank and update response plans. These plans will help Canada act quickly and effectively if FMD is ever found. In addition to securing vaccines and enforcing import rules, the CFIA promotes biosecurity on farms and leads strong surveillance efforts. The CFIA's expertise and commitment to protecting animal health and the economy helps ensure Canadian products remain trusted around the world.

Building the emergency response toolkit for animal health

CFIA animal health inspectors verify industry compliance with standards and regulations through various activities, such as inspecting slaughterhouses, analysing samples in a laboratory, or capturing live animals in the field to test for diseases. The agency is building on its strong foundation and strengthening Canada's current federal inspection approaches and tools. Responding swiftly to emergencies with partners keeps Canadians and the economy safe, and having the right tools in place makes that possible. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will mitigate risks and enhance its animal emergency response by:

• strengthening surveillance and response efforts for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), including ongoing surveillance testing and enhanced import screening in dairy cattle to limit the introduction and spread of disease
  • facilitating timely access to veterinary biologics using vaccines and testing kits for emergency use
• conducting thorough investigations and implement control measures for animal diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and Newcastle disease to contain and manage outbreaks effectively
• maintaining active monitoring and management of aquatic animal diseases like MSX and Dermo in oysters, applying movement restrictions where appropriate, and collaborating closely with producers and provincial authorities
• collaborating with Animal Health Canada and the Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers to advance initiatives related to emergency preparedness
• continuing work on prevention and response plans for diseases such as African swine fever (ASF) and FMD, including:
  • updating the agency's FMD Hazard Specific Plan
  • working with provinces, territories, and industry to strengthen response plans to control and eradicate FMD should it enter Canada
  • continuing to develop the Canadian Animal Disease Spread Simulation Model (CanDIS), which will allow for the simulation of various FMD outbreak scenarios, and the assessment of the impact related to different response strategies to identify ways to minimize potential outbreak consequences
  • implementing the Pan-Canadian ASF Action Plan with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, a collaborative national effort, to coordinate and prioritize ASF-related prevention and preparedness work across the country
  • collaborating in national surveillance programs, such as CanSpotASF

Using digital tools to respond to animal health emergencies

Digital tools strengthen Canada's ability to respond quickly and effectively to animal disease emergencies. These tools reduce response costs by minimizing data entry and increasing access to accurate, real-time information. The CFIA is advancing digital initiatives that will help the agency investigate and respond to animal disease emergencies, including:

• completing development of the Animal Health Risk Intelligence Framework, which will improve early warning capabilities for emerging animal diseases and support proactive decision-making
• strengthening detection of emerging animal and zoonotic threats through the Community for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases' coordinated scanning activities and timely intelligence sharing
• incorporating new datasets in the Traceability National Information Portal to integrate up to 14 existing livestock information systems and provide one-stop access to accurate, up-to-date data, strengthening animal disease investigations, surveillance, and response
• advancing work on the Canadian Animal Disease Integrated Application, a tool that improves data capture, storage, and consolidation, allowing emergency response teams and stakeholders to exchange data and share information more efficiently

Building the emergency response toolkit for plant health

Plant pests threaten Canada's environment and natural resources. They can severely impact food production, horticulture, and forestry. Invasive insects spread to new areas through cargo transport, human activities like moving firewood, and weather events that carry them long distances. Each year, plant pests and diseases cause up to 40% of global crop losses. To reduce the risk of pests entering Canada and to control their spread, the CFIA will focus on giving its staff and stakeholders the tools they need to respond to plant health threats, including invasive species, pests, and diseases. Whether inspecting ships that carry grain for export for the presence of insects, examining farmers' crops, or accrediting nurseries and greenhouses for export of plant products, CFIA plant health inspectors help protect Canada's plants, environment, and people. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will:

• implement a fast and powerful way to read genetic code through the use of high-throughput sequencing at the Centre for Plant Health in 2026 to enhance early detection of plant pests and strengthen risk assessment and pest surveillance
• develop a standard incident response plan to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of plant pest response by creating a nationally consistent process to prepare, respond, recover, and collaborate when plant health emergencies occur
• manage potato wart response efforts by:
  • implementing a new national potato wart response plan that will replace the existing Potato Wart Domestic Long Term Management Plan
  • conducting enhanced surveillance activities, such as sampling, testing and leveraging data collected to strengthen response plans and support market access maintenance for Canadian producers

Detecting and taking action on emerging food safety risks

The CFIA is prepared to respond quickly to new and emerging risks that affect food safety and animal health. Emergency management requires a collaborative approach to effectively control disease spread and limit the impacts of an outbreak. Through Budget 2025, the CFIA will receive $1.2 million to support the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Football (FIFA) World Cup 2026. This investment will ensure that food, plant, and animal products entering Canada during the world cup meet Canadian safety standards. This includes increased inspection capacity for imported goods linked to the event and enhanced monitoring of high-risk commodities to prevent pests, diseases, or contamination.

Proactive risk management and collaborative partnerships are important in the efforts to manage emerging food safety risks. Food inspectors at the CFIA work at federally and provincially registered slaughterhouses, plants, or inspection laboratories. They inspect and certify products, focusing on key areas of higher risk and key areas of specialization, including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy, grain, meat, and fish and seafood. The CFIA will collaborate with government, academia, Indigenous partners, and industry to proactively identify, assess, and triage emerging threats, with emphasis on imported food hazards, and the spread of harmful contaminants. To help detect and reduce threats to food safety, and animal and plant health, the CFIA will:

• respond rapidly to foodborne illness outbreaks by tracing food sources, assessing risks, and applying appropriate control measures to prevent further illness
• enhance surveillance and testing of high-risk imported foods and strengthen partnerships through engagement and regulatory cooperation with foreign authorities to prevent unsafe products from entering Canadian markets
• increase laboratory testing and use of advanced diagnostics, including modelling, to detect microbial and chemical, hazards in food products
• update its Genomics and Bioinformatics Enterprise Action Plan and create a roadmap to improve collaboration, centralize key functions, and strengthen how genomics and bioinformatics are used in labs across Canada

1.3 Strengthening compliance and enforcement, risk-informed oversight, and digital-friendly services

The CFIA, as a federal regulator, establishes and enforces rules that protect Canada's food supply, safeguard plant and animal health, and support market access for international trade. The agency promotes compliance by providing guidance on regulatory obligations and administering appropriate enforcement actions when non-compliance occurs, ensuring that regulated parties understand their responsibilities as well as the consequences and recourses associated with non-compliance.

To protect public health and uphold the integrity of Canada's agri-food system, the CFIA prioritizes robust enforcement of regulations related to food safety, animal health, and plant protection. In 2026 to 2027, the agency will enhance its inspection and compliance activities through targeted risk-based approaches, leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics to identify and mitigate emerging threats more effectively. This includes moving forward with the plant-based manufactured foods action plan, comprised of a multi-pronged approach that focuses on strengthening inspection oversight, licensing controls, risk modelling, and enforcement. These measures will enable the CFIA to improve risk management decisions, prevent unsafe foods from reaching the marketplace, and ensure that businesses are held accountable for meeting their responsibilities under the SFCR.

The CFIA will also advance the development of digital-friendly services that are designed to work seamlessly with modern data systems and digital tools, making it easier for regulated parties to comply and enabling the agency to monitor and enforce requirements more effectively. Strengthening collaboration with domestic and international partners will also be a priority to ensure consistent enforcement and rapid response when non-compliance occurs, thereby supporting a safe and competitive Canadian agri-food sector.

How the CFIA increases awareness of its regulations and activities

The CFIA provides a range of tools and services to help people understand the rules and follow them correctly. These include digital tools, stakeholder consultations, public opinion research, social media and marketing campaigns, and targeted communication. At the same time, the CFIA raises public awareness about how Canadians can help protect plant and animal resources.

As part of its food fraud and misrepresentation initiative, the agency conducts advertising and social media campaigns to inform consumers about fraudulent or misrepresented food products. In addition to these awareness efforts, this initiative includes activities focused on oversight and enforcement like targeted surveillance of higher-risk products, and the implementation of control measures and enforcement actions when non-compliance occurs.

Measuring and promoting compliance with regulations

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will undertake efforts to improve its understanding of food businesses' awareness of and compliance with the SFCR. This could include conducting a reputation survey with consumers and industry across the food, plant, and animal sectors. This will include public opinion research with consumers to measure how many Canadians agree that food in Canada is safe. These research activities will help identify the perspectives, needs, and expectations of both consumers and regulated parties. The CFIA will use this information to support evidence-based program and policy development. It will also publicly share enforcement actions, including licence suspensions, administrative monetary penalties (AMPs), and prosecution outcomes. Sharing this information in a timely way, including through social media, will help encourage industry compliance and strengthen public trust in Canada's food safety, animal health, and plant protection systems.

Delivering effective and modern services

Simplifying, modernizing, and harmonizing service fee, export, and import processes is a key priority that will better support the agricultural sector in mitigating global trade challenges, increasing resilience amid economic disruptions and safeguarding the integrity of domestic resources. Digital or electronic certifications are critical for the CFIA to verify and accept imports and exports, supporting safe and secure trade.

As announced in Budget 2025, a funding investment of $107.3 million in trade digitalization, $76 million over five years along with $31.3 million in remaining amortization, will support the modernization of digital trade tools, including electronic certification and AI-enabled capabilities, to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support the Government of Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy by enabling Canadian exporters to compete in a broader range of international markets.

In alignment with the Government of Canada's Digital Ambition to provide Canadians with reliable, accessible, and secure digital services, the CFIA will enhance electronic service delivery by modernizing its digital tools and systems to better deliver on its mandate, align with industry needs, and improve internal processes. Transitioning from paper-based to digital certifications reduces delays and the risk of fraud, while facilitating negotiations and acceptance of terms with trading partners.

How the CFIA is improving its services

The CFIA is committed to expanding Canada's digital services beyond its current markets to support diversification into new and emerging trading partners. To address these evolving needs, the agency will accelerate the modernization and digitalization of its programs and service fees, enhancing tools and systems to better align with the industry requirements and optimize internal operations.

These investments are supported by the trade digitalization funding, which encompasses end-to-end modernization of CFIA trade-related services, including permissions registry, certifications, service fee frameworks, and enabling digital systems. This broader investment strengthens the CFIA's digital capacity to support safe, secure, and continuous trade of agricultural and agri-food products, reduce administrative burden, and improve service reliability for Canadian importers and exporters operating in a diversified global marketplace. 

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will:

• examine options to modernize and streamline its cost recovery regime by identifying opportunities for improved service delivery that support greater consistency in the application of fees
• expand online services by further digitalizing CFIA permissions and certifications, including export certificates
  • issue over 400,000 certificates annually to stay competitive, reduce risks to Canadians, and complete the digitalization of the remaining 40% of industry-facing plant permissions
• advance export certificate digitalization and lay the groundwork for future modernization of import certificate for high-impact markets with ready and willing trading partners
• enhance e-certification to:
  • reduce delays and fraud risks linked to paper certificates
  • support trade negotiations
  • promote acceptance of standardized digital certificates
  • transition to secure, streamlined electronic certification processes to maximize information flow and enhance trade efficiency
• launch the development of a "one stop shop" to streamline the 39 plant systems-based programs that previously relied on various paper-based processes and email correspondences
• streamline processes and implement digital tools to increase the efficiency of the pre-market review process for feed ingredients and feed products
• communicate proactively with affected stakeholders to provide updates and emphasize the importance of advancing digital transformation to support improved service delivery and industry competitiveness

The importance of service modernization

The CFIA is committed to enhancing its digital tools and guidance to deliver more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly services for Canadians. Through these initiatives, stakeholders will have improved access to a comprehensive suite of online services designed to streamline interactions and reduce costs and administrative burden. These advancements will help stakeholders dedicate more time to their core business activities and less time managing complex regulatory processes. Strengthening the CFIA's digital capacity is essential to supporting the safe, secure, and continuous trade of agricultural and agri-food goods across domestic and international markets, ensuring service reliability and predictability for businesses.

2. Enabling businesses to contribute, grow and support Canada's economy

In today's increasingly integrated and dynamic global food and agricultural landscape, Canada faces a complex array of pressures, from evolving trade dynamics that affect food affordability and economic resilience, to emerging threats in the form of food-related hazards, animal diseases, and plant pests. In this environment, the CFIA must be more agile, responsive, and proactive than ever before. As an export-oriented country, with half of the value of its agricultural products exported to approximately 190 countries, Canada relies on predictable and stable trade. In 2026 to 2027, the agency will contribute to securing, maintaining, and expanding access for Canada's agriculture, agri-food products in established markets, while also diversifying export opportunities in new and emerging markets. The agency will continue to collaborate with key federal partners and industry and increase engagement with domestic and international partners to safeguard market access for Canadian businesses. The CFIA will focus on innovating service delivery and adopting digital tools to support market access and economic growth, emphasizing Canada's reputation as a trusted and reliable trading partner and leader in science.

2.1 Removing regulatory barriers while maintaining safety

The CFIA facilitates international market access and contributes to global food security by regulating Canadian products to ensure high-quality food, plant, and animal products are exported to consumers around the world. In 2026 to 2027, the agency will advance its vision of being a global leader in keeping food safe, protecting Canada's plants and animals, and managing risk, while supporting the economy and market expansion. As global trade faces growing challenges and unpredictability, expanding Canada's presence in new and emerging markets, such as the Indo-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America, is essential to reducing the impact of economic disruptions and strengthening trade resilience. The CFIA works closely with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Affairs Canada, Natural Resources Canada, international partners, and industry stakeholders to support trade for Canadian agriculture, agri-food, forestry, and fish and seafood products exported to 190 countries. In 2024, Canada was the world's fifth largest exporter of agriculture and seafood products, generating $100.3 billion in exports. The CFIA supported the export of Canadian wood products valued at $15.6 billion to over 130 destinations around the world. By opening new markets, maintaining standards, and building strong partnerships, the CFIA supports economic growth, resilient supply chains, and the livelihoods of Canadian farmers and exporters.

Facilitating market access and supporting trade diversification

The agency's strategic vision is to be a global leader in keeping food safe, protecting Canada's plants and animals, and managing risk while supporting the economy, Canadian exporters, and market expansion now and in the future. This vision aligns with the Budget 2025 goal to position Canada as a leading economy within the G7 and enable Canadians to achieve greater economic success and opportunities. As part of this commitment, the CFIA is modernizing digital trade tools and integrating AI into internal processes. This work advances the digitalization of import and export services, making trade processes more efficient, transparent, and accessible for businesses while reducing administrative burden and costs. These investments will make CFIA services faster and more reliable, supporting a high volume of agri-food trade and positioning the agency as a facilitator for Canadian exporters competing in global markets.

The CFIA will also receive $32.8 million over four years and $9.6 million ongoing to secure, expand, and restore market access for Canadian agriculture, agri-food, fish, and seafood sectors. Complementary investments further strengthen the CFIA's capacity to support trade negotiations, advance Canada's interests in multilateral and international standard-setting bodies, and maintain a strong regulatory presence abroad to secure and expand market access. This advances the Government of Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy by expanding international trade and economic relationships and enabling access to new and emerging markets through modern digital systems and strengthened regulatory and international engagement. These measures aim to protect Canada's competitive advantage, diversify trade beyond the United States, and ensure Canadian products meet international requirements, reducing trade disruptions.

The CFIA plays a critical role in facilitating safe trade of food, plants, and animals. To make this happen, the CFIA works closely with federal, provincial, and territorial governments, Indigenous partners and Rights holders, foreign regulators, business groups and associations, and industry. This collaboration is essential for enabling trade, driving innovation, and supporting growth. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will:

• work to resolve market access issues to gain, regain, enhance, and maintain access for key commodities, allowing Canadian businesses to trade in global markets in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Affairs Canada, and other federal departments
• support Canada's trade diversification goals to expand access to new and emerging markets in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America to create opportunities for Canadian exporters, build and deepen Canada's relationships with foreign competent authorities and position Canada as a reliable supplier
• promote the implementation of duty to consult obligations with Indigenous Peoples as they relate to the CFIA's market access activities
• maintain organic equivalency arrangements around the world, including with Mexico, Costa Rica, and the European Union as part of the Government of Canada's ongoing commitment to remove trade barriers and increase consumer access to a variety of organic foods

Supporting interprovincial trade to boost business growth and advance reconciliation

Canada's food regulatory landscape includes different rules at the federal, provincial, and territorial levels. This complexity can be especially challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Clearing up misconceptions and making rules easier to understand helps businesses get a Safe Food for Canadians licence, enabling them to sell their products across provinces and internationally. As the enabler for internal trade, the CFIA will work to increase awareness of and compliance with the SFCR while identifying and addressing barriers to the expansion of markets outside of provincial and territorial boundaries. This will include supporting the expansion of domestic trade of Inuit traditional and country foods within Inuit Nunangat.

The CFIA works with industry, provincial and territorial governments, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to identify ways to enable food businesses that wish to trade across Canada, give consumers access to more Canadian products on the market, and verify that the food Canadians buy and consume remains safe. Starting in 2025 to 2026, the CFIA allocated $4.3 million over three years to help SMEs understand how to comply with federal regulations to trade across Canada and identify where provincial and territorial food regulations meet federal standards. To support business growth and improve market access while maintaining Canada's exceptional food safety system, the agency is:

• providing tailored advice and guidance to help businesses, especially SMEs, get a Safe Food for Canadians licence so they can grow, trade across Canada, and access export markets
• advancing a pilot project with Ontario and Quebec to increase slaughter capacity under provincial oversight in an under-served region, while exploring a more permanent exemption under the SFCR

Safeguarding market access for trade continuity

Serious outbreaks of animal or plant diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or emerald ash borer can disrupt trade, restrict movement, and close markets. For Canada's key exports like lumber and pork, access to international markets is essential for industry success. To maintain confidence in Canada's food and plant and animal health systems and ensure trade continuity, the CFIA will advance surveillance, strengthen disease control, optimize regulatory approaches, and work with international partners.

The importance of WOAH compliance for trade purposes

The CFIA demonstrates compliance with WOAH requirements through rigorous science-based standards, strong import controls, inspections, and ongoing national surveillance. These efforts have helped Canada maintain its WOAH negligible risk status for BSE. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA's BSE surveillance program will continue to detect this zoonotic disease in a timely way. The agency will build on more than 30 years of BSE surveillance in Canada to maintain Canada's WOAH-recognized BSE negligible risk status. The program aims to reveal any re-emergence of classical BSE in cattle. Although the program does not aim to monitor atypical BSE, it can still identify such cases if they occur. This work is essential to protecting animal and human health and supporting trade in bovine products.

Efforts to safeguard market access in the event of disease introduction

As diseases emerge and spread around the world, they pose a significant risk to the health of Canadian resources, industry, and economy. Continued access to international markets is critical, and disease outbreaks can severely impact trade. As the world's fourth-largest pork exporter, Canada's pork industry contributes an estimated $24 billion to the economy and supports more than 103,000 direct and indirect jobs. While Canada is currently recognized by WOAH as being disease-free from ASF, an outbreak could have devastating impacts. ASF does not pose a risk to human health, but it is a contagious and deadly animal disease that threatens the pork industry in Canada and globally.

To respond effectively to an ASF outbreak and maintain access to priority markets, the CFIA will negotiate ASF zoning arrangements in 2026 to 2027 with Japan, South Korea, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, and the Bahamas. The CFIA will work with foreign competent authorities to negotiate certificates that include ASF zoning provisions for Canadian pork exports. These efforts will help minimize trade disruptions, reinforce confidence in Canada's science-based disease control measures, and support business continuity for the pork industry if ASF is detected in Canada.

2.2 Facilitating trade through science-based regulation and international cooperation

The CFIA leads Canada's engagement with key international standard-setting bodies for food safety and consumer protection and for plant and animal health. In collaboration with other federal, provincial, and territorial government partners, as well as industry and foreign regulatory counterparts, the CFIA works to support Canada's trade goals and advance trade policy interests.

Promoting science-based approaches and international standards

The CFIA collaborates with other countries through a variety of bilateral, multilateral, and international fora to promote science-based initiatives, defend predictable and transparent rules-based trade, and improve regulatory harmonization. The agency lead's Canada's engagement in international standard-setting organizations to promote development of science-based standards for food safety, consumer protection, and plant and animal health. These efforts support harmonization and predictability in global trade and enhance Canada's domestic approach and regulatory system. To further this work, in 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will:

• co-lead, with Global Affairs Canada, negotiations of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in Canada's free trade agreements, which aim to protect human, animal, and plant health while facilitating trade and preventing unjustified trade barriers
  • the CFIA will continue to support negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and initial consultations on a possible agreement with the Philippines
  • the agency will also continue working with the United States and Mexico to review SPS requirements under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)
• lead Canada's participation in the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the North American Plant Protection Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to promote science-based standards that protect against threats to plant and animal health, while facilitating trade
• lead Canada's participation in the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) to develop strong and effective intellectual property rules and standards, supporting investment and innovation in plant breeding
• co-lead, with Health Canada, Canada's participation in the Codex Alimentarius Commission to help shape the science-based international standards and rules for food safety, consumer protection, and fair practices in food trade
• lead Canada's participation at the World Trade Organization's Committee on SPS Measures to safeguard Canada's trade interests and advocate for the adoption of rules-based international trade related to food safety and plant and animal health
• continue to collaborate with various committees on SPS measures, including the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement Committee on SPS Measures, Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement SPS Joint Management Committee, the Joint Committee on Food Safety with the United States, and Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement SPS Joint Management Committee

How international audits support market access

Competent authorities from other countries regularly audit Canada's food, animal, and plant health inspection systems to verify compliance with their own regulations. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will host audits of food, plant, and animal control systems by foreign authorities. These audits help Canada gain, regain, enhance, and maintain market access for Canadian products. They build trust with trading partners, support Canadian industries, and strengthen Canada's reputation as a producer of safe, high-quality goods. These efforts make it easier for Canadian food products to be sold globally, keep markets open, and support Canadian farmers and food businesses.

As part of its risk-based, pre-border import controls, the CFIA audits foreign food safety systems and establishments to verify that imported products meet Canadian regulatory requirements. This includes organic equivalency arrangements. These audits help ensure that food entering Canada is safe, meets Canadian requirements, protects consumers, and supports the integrity of Canada's food safety system. Outgoing audits may be required to recognize foreign systems for specific commodities, such as meat products and shellfish. These audits confirm ongoing compliance or assess whether foreign food control systems achieve outcomes comparable to Canadian standards. By conducting audits, the CFIA strengthens bilateral collaboration, prevents recurring food safety issues, and promotes a clearer understanding of Canada's SPS framework among trading partners.

2.3 Driving innovation and strengthening partnerships

As one of Canada's leading science-based regulatory agencies, the CFIA plays a critical role in protecting food safety, and plant and animal health through rigorous, evidence-based decision-making. Internationally recognized for its scientific excellence, the CFIA collaborates with academia, community scientists, other federal departments, and domestic and international organizations. Strengthening these relationships help keep Canada's systems science-driven, adaptable, and resilient, and supports businesses to foster innovation for growth and sustainability in the economy. They also empower CFIA employees to protect and support Canadians and Canadian interests in all aspects of their work.

The agency is advancing scientific collaboration in areas such as laboratory diagnostics, surveillance, biosecurity, and risk assessment by supporting public health, safe trade, and trust in the food system.

Advancing scientific cooperation and collaboration

Collaboration with academia, community scientists, Indigenous partners, science-based organizations, other government departments, and international counterparts supports the CFIA's work to advance scientific research and harmonize methods that protect Canada's food, plant, and animal resources. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA's key areas of scientific collaboration will include strengthening regulatory science in laboratory diagnostics, surveillance, emergency management, and risk assessment by:

• strengthening collaboration and knowledge sharing between decision-makers and scientists from international organizations responsible for high-containment laboratories, by co-chairing the Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network with the United States Department of Agriculture
• supporting the development of disease-focused leadership teams to advance planning, preparation, and emergency response of such diseases as FMD, ASF, and HPAI with Animal Health Canada
• leveraging the expertise of provincial and territorial partners to advance emergency preparedness, emerging animal health risks, emergency operations, stakeholder engagement, information exchange, and communications, through co-chairing the Canadian Council of Veterinarian Officers
• working with partners from federal and provincial governments, industry, academia, and other stakeholders, on plant health surveillance, biosecurity, and emergency management through collaborations with the Canadian Plant Health Council and the Canadian Plant Health Information System
• leading scientific projects that reduce trade barriers, support the export and import of Canadian horticultural products, and improve early identification of emerging pests for plant protection organizations by working with Euphresco
• refining a work plan and reinforcing a commitment to advance foodborne disease surveillance and food contamination monitoring, in alignment with the 2022 to 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Strategy for Food Safety

How a One Health approach helps build collaboration

The One Health approach recognizes that the health of humans, plants, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Addressing serious global health issues benefits from strong coordination and collaboration between professionals in these fields. The CFIA is working with partners in Canada and abroad to apply a One Health lens to many issues encompassed by its mandate. Collaborations with federal partners, other levels of government, international organizations, academia, industry, and other Canadian stakeholders allow the CFIA to use resources effectively, share ideas, and advance science to improve plant and animal health, food safety, and public health in Canada and beyond its borders.

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will continue to work closely with One Health partners in Canada and internationally to address complex and evolving issues that affect animal, plant, human, and environmental health. This includes ongoing partnerships with federal, provincial, and territorial laboratories, including the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Systems. These partnerships are essential to delivering the CFIA's regulatory work, including surveillance, diagnostics, and outbreak response.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The CFIA remains committed to advancing equity and diversity considerations in all areas of work as part of the core responsibility to safeguard Canada's food, animals, and plants. This includes Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to verify that its policies, strategies, and planning protect vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, immunocompromised and older adults. In alignment with the Quality of Life indicators, the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, and the Gender Results Framework, the agency integrates GBA Plus across its policies, programs, and services to ensure that outcomes are inclusive and equitable for everyone in Canada.

Building on progress achieved through the multi-year GBA Plus Data Collection Strategy, the agency will enter the final phase of this strategy in 2026 to 2027. This phase will focus on strengthening the agency's capacity to collect, analyze, and apply disaggregated demographic data, thereby improving the evidence base for informed decision-making, enhanced performance measurement, and transparent monitoring and reporting on program impacts, to fulfill reporting obligations.

To support this work, the CFIA will:

• expand access to targeted GBA Plus training and host interactive workshops and seminars to build organizational capacity across the agency
• provide updated guidance materials and analytical tools to ensure consistency and rigour in applying GBA Plus across all program areas
• integrate qualitative and quantitative indicators that measure how the agency's programs contribute to equity, inclusion, and accessibility outcomes under the Gender Results Framework
• align performance tracking with Quality of Life domains (health, environment, good governance) and Sustainable Development Goals

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 4: Planned resources to achieve results for safe food and healthy plants and animals

Complete financial and human resources information for the CFIA's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Safe food and healthy plants and animals is supported by the following programs:

• Setting Rules for Food Safety and Consumer Protection
• Food Safety and Consumer Protection Compliance Promotion
• Monitoring and Enforcement for Food Safety and Consumer Protection
• Permissions for Food Products
• Setting Rules for Plant Health
• Plant Health Compliance Promotion
• Monitoring and Enforcement for Plant Health
• Permissions for Plant Products
• Setting Rules for Animal Health
• Animal Health Compliance Promotion
• Monitoring and Enforcement for Animal Health
• Permissions for Animal Products
• International Standards Setting
• International Regulatory Cooperation and Science Collaboration
• Market Access Support

Additional information related to the program inventory for safe food and healthy plants and animals is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

The following changes were made to the CFIA's Departmental Results Indicators:

The following changes were made to the CFIA's Program Inventory:

Internal services

In this section

• Description
• Plans to achieve results
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• acquisition management services
• communications services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Plans to achieve results

1. Valuing and investing in people

The CFIA is committed to supporting the Government of Canada's goal of building a more inclusive workforce through recruitment and retention strategies that emphasize diversity and prioritize mental health and well-being. The CFIA invests in its people to ensure the agency is equipped to deliver on its mandate and strategic vision.

1.1 Fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive workplace

The CFIA provides safe, inclusive, and accessible workplaces that reflect the diversity of Canadians and foster a respectful environment. This enables employees to grow, adapt to change, and deliver excellent service to Canadians every day.

Improving accessibility in the agency

The CFIA is advancing initiatives in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will begin implementing its renewed 2026 to 2028 Accessibility Plan. Key initiatives will include addressing new and ongoing barriers in staffing and career progression for persons with disabilities, improving accessible hiring processes, enhancing outreach to disability-serving organizations. The CFIA will continue to deploy, support, and assess of the implementation of the Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport. This tool helps streamline accommodation processes and empowers employees to access the support they need.

1.2 Prioritizing employee training, digital skills, and recognition

By investing in training, coaching, digital knowledge and technology, and career development, the agency reinforces its commitment to equity, inclusion, and professional growth. These efforts help employees thrive, contribute fully, and deliver excellent service to Canadians. The CFIA respects, supports, and recognizes its employees for their expertise, contributions, and dedication to the agency and its mandate and vision.

Providing inclusive workplaces that reflect the diversity of Canadians

The CFIA is addressing the systemic barriers that affect employees who identify as BIPOC, in accordance with the Clerk's Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service. Key plans for 2026 to 2027 include advancing a dedicated program for BIPOC employees to obtain a project management certification, a pilot project to promote career advancement opportunities for Black employees and continuing the BIPOC official languages training program.

The agency is committed to ensuring the workplace remains welcoming, equitable, and better equipped to partner with Indigenous communities in safeguarding Canada's food, plant, and animal resources. In 2026 to 2027, the agency will deploy, support, and assess the Indigenous Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness Roadmap, which is designed to offer comprehensive guidance and training for public servants to deepen understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures and histories, fostering inclusive practices, and promoting ongoing education. This initiative exemplifies the CFIA's continuous efforts and commitment toward the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action 57 and is an opportunity for employees to grow in meaningful careers, contribute to an inclusive workplace, and deliver excellence in service.

Training and development programs that allow CFIA employees to remain leaders in their fields

Training employees to use new digital tools, such as cloud-based platforms, is essential to maintaining operations and strengthening the CFIA's ability to protect public health and food safety. In 2026 to 2027 the CFIA will develop and deliver training to support its digital strategy, including modernization of the Issues Management System and the Digital Service Delivery Platform.

The CFIA will also partner with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and Animal Health Canada to deliver training to its veterinary community. This training will focus on recognizing, preparing for, and responding to transboundary animal diseases. These international collaborations support a One Health approach and help protect Canada's livestock.

1.3 Empowering staff to grow, lead, and innovate

The CFIA's strength lies in the dedication and talent of its employees and in ensuring they have the tools and support to succeed. In response to the Clerk's Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion, the agency provides mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development opportunities to all employees, as well as programs tailored to Black, Indigenous, and racialized employees. CFIA employees played an active role in shaping these programs by participating in discussions, sharing experiences, and helping build safe, inclusive spaces across the agency for everyone.

How the CFIA is investing in its workforce through sponsorship, mentorship and professional development

The CFIA empowers its workforce through sponsorship. Executives actively advocate for the advancement of employees, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, or with other racialized groups. This approach reflects the Clerk's directive to move beyond passive measures and to take concrete, proactive steps to dismantle systemic barriers that limit equity and representation in leadership roles. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will continue the Sponsor Me! pilot initiative, which matches 10 to 12 pairs of employees for a 15-month timeframe. The CFIA will support and evaluate these pairs to identify resource needs, cultural competency supports, and potential barriers to success.

Rooted in the Deputy Minister Commitments on Diversity and Inclusion and aligned with the Clerk's Call to Action, the CFIA will implement the Lifting as You Lead Mentorship Circle in 2026 to 2027. This program supports leadership development with an emphasis on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service. It offers employees an innovative space to actively promote workplace inclusivity. Structured as a 10-week initiative, the program includes five masterclass sessions, five circle discussions, leadership-building sessions, a networking platform connecting employees and leaders across the public service, Ask Me Anything sessions, and an employee book club.

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will also launch a leadership development program for Black employees at the junior executive level. This program will offer leadership training and skills development to support career advancement. The agency will work to remove barriers and build diverse cohorts of learners in the Managers Development Program by taking an inclusive approach to nominations that provides opportunities to Black managers and other equity-deserving groups. The CFIA will also develop and implement a career roadmap specifically designed for Black and racialized employees and launch character-based leadership awareness and development initiatives across the agency, starting with senior leaders. By fostering trust, inclusion, and resilience, character-based leadership creates a culture where employees feel safe to learn, contribute, and innovate, which strengthens engagement and capacity for change.

Breaking down barriers to strengthen inclusion

The agency is collaborating with 15 federal departments and agencies in the Indigenous Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (I-STEM) Cluster. This partnership helps bridge Indigenous knowledge systems, build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous partners, and educate public servants in the federal STEM space. By embedding inclusive practices into its work, the CFIA strengthens science across government and fosters a culture where people thrive, grow in meaningful careers, and set a standard of excellence in federal science and public service.

The CFIA is taking concrete steps to ensure all voices are heard and barriers to advancement are addressed. The agency will support a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan by updating human resource polices and guidelines to support employment equity, promoting inclusive hiring for underrepresented groups, providing more resources to external applicants on the CFIA's staffing processes, and continued development of a pay equity plan, expected to be published by March 2026.

2. Managing services and assets

The CFIA relies on a wide network of people, equipment, buildings, and laboratories across Canada to deliver its mandate. Safeguarding food, plant and animal health, and the vitality of Canada's economy requires sustainable investment in the right tools and resources to equip the agency's workforce and provide efficient and effective programs and services.

Modernizing the agency's laboratory infrastructure for the future

In 2026 to 2027, construction will continue on a new laboratory facility at the current CFIA Fallowfield site in Ottawa. Part of the Laboratories Canada strategy, the new Regulatory and Security Sciences (RSS) Main Hub will replace an aging laboratory. It will ensure continuity in diagnostic and research programs and house scientists from the CFIA and RSS partner organizations. This facility will support collective management of key threats and strengthen emergency preparedness.

The CFIA is also investing in its information management tools and replacing outdated digital systems. These upgrades will improve operational efficiency and help the agency respond faster to emerging risks. In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will invest in new network-attached storage systems for its laboratories. This will standardize storage solutions across laboratories and improve how large volumes of scientific and operational data are securely stored, managed, and accessed, ensuring that inspectors, laboratories, and decision-makers have reliable access to the information they need, when they need it.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 5: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year

Complete financial and human resources information for the CFIA's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

The CFIA remains committed to supporting Indigenous businesses through its procurement activities. Since launching its Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses (PSIB) Action Plan in 2022, the agency has pursued its objective of not only meeting but exceeding the mandatory 5% target each year. This commitment will be carried out through strategic procurement planning, the proactive use of set-asides, and the continued delivery of guidance and resources that enable meaningful participation by Indigenous suppliers.

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will build on this foundation by leveraging the provisions under the federal PSIB policy to further expand procurement opportunities for Indigenous Peoples. The agency is also strengthening its reporting and analytical capacity to ensure the successful achievement of the Action Plan's objectives and meet our targets.

Table 6: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses

Department-wide considerations

In this section

• Related government priorities
• Key risks

Related government priorities

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The CFIA remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding food, animals, and plants, thereby enhancing the health and well-being of Canadians, the environment, and the economy. Through the ongoing delivery of its mandate, the CFIA contributes meaningfully to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by supporting key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on safeguarding public health, protecting natural resources, and promoting fairness and inclusion across communities, and goals under other sustainable development strategies, such as the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), Canada's National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), and Canada's 2030 Nature Strategy (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)).

In 2026 to 2027, the CFIA will further its support of the following SDGs and associated domestic sustainable development goals:

The CFIA integrates sustainable development principles into all aspects of its work to support a healthier, more resilient Canada.

More information on the CFIA's contributions to Canada's Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Artificial intelligence

The CFIA is advancing its digital transformation through the strategic adoption of AI to enhance regulatory excellence, operational efficiency, and scientific innovation. This approach is grounded in principles of responsibility, transparency, and security, ensuring alignment with Government of Canada directives and maintaining public trust. As part of this effort, the agency will continue to strengthen its digital infrastructure to ensure it can fully support AI capabilities and future innovations.

The agency is integrating AI into its day-to-day work to better serve Canadians. By automating routine tasks and streamlining processes, AI will help CFIA staff work more efficiently and focus on delivering high-quality services. This technology will also support faster, data-informed decisions, allowing the agency to respond more quickly and accurately to the needs of stakeholders. Ultimately, AI will help the CFIA reduce costs, improve service delivery, and strengthen its ability to protect Canada's food supply and plant and animal health.

The CFIA workforce will be equipped and prepared to integrate the use of AI into operations. To support the successful integration of AI, the CFIA will:

• launch comprehensive upskilling programs and targeted training to ensure safe and effective use of AI tools
• implement change management strategies to guide cultural and operational shifts
• enhance AI governance by creating an AI working group and centre of expertise to oversee compliance, readiness, security, and ethical standards
• provide access to approved AI platforms and development tools to increase productivity and reduce manual workloads
• invest in improving digital infrastructure to enable secure, scalable, and efficient AI adoption across the agency

Through various pilot projects, the agency is testing generative AI, a type of AI that can create new content such as text, images, audio, or code. The CFIA is also exploring the use of virtual agents to help inspectors and policy analysts streamline request handling, reduce manual effort, and shorten resolution times. The CFIA's successful development of AI tools like Fertiscan to automate fertilizer label reviews and Nachet to support faster identification of weed seeds, have both shown that AI can reduce analysis time and improve service delivery across regulatory functions. The CFIA will enhance its ability to assess risks using advanced algorithms, such as the Establishment Risk Assessment model and the Food Import Risk Explorer model, which contribute to smarter, more proactive decision-making in protecting Canada's food supply.

The CFIA will implement AI-enabled features on a limited number of service offerings and infrastructure processes, measure efficiency and client experience improvements, and refine its approach to AI before expanding further. This evidence-based rollout ensures responsible implementation and supports the agency's goal of delivering timely, reliable, and cost-effective IT services to employees. By strategically integrating AI into its operations and modernizing its digital infrastructure, the CFIA is laying the foundation for a more modern, efficient, and responsive food safety system that better meets the needs of Canadians today and into the future.

Key risks

The CFIA operates in a complex risk environment, responding to overlapping emergencies, such as animal disease outbreaks, invasive pests, and global trade disruptions. Shifting international standards and climate change continue to challenge food safety, plant, and animal health. Through science-based decision, collaboration, and preparedness, the CFIA works to safeguard Canada's food system and maintain public trust.

The agency's 2024 to 2027 Corporate Risk Profile guides prioritization of internal services risks and helps the CFIA incorporate risk considerations into planning and decision making.

Key risks for safe food and healthy plants and animals

Key risks for internal services

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the CFIA's planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and of planned spending for 2026 to 2027 with actual spending from previous years.

In this section

• Spending
• Funding
• Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
• Human resources

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2023 to 2024 to 2028 to 2029.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 7: Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 7 presents the CFIA's spending over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2023 to 2024 actual expenditures	2024 to 2025 actual expenditures	2025 to 2026 forecast spending
Safe food and healthy plants and animals	877,330,418	830,746,084	844,446,333
Subtotal (s)	877,330,418	830,746,084	844,446,333
Internal services	201,991,068	209,002,886	182,183,857
Total (s)	1,079,321,486	1,039,748,970	1,026,630,190

Analysis of the past three years of spending

Forecast spending in 2025 to 2026 under the core responsibility is higher compared to 2024 to 2025 due to statutory compensation payments. Forecast spending for internal services in 2025 to 2026 is lower compared to 2024 to 2025 due to retroactive payments of collective bargaining agreements.

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Table 8: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 8 presents the CFIA's planned spending over the next three years by core responsibilities and for internal services.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2026 to 2027 planned spending	2027 to 2028 planned spending	2028 to 2029 planned spending
Safe food and healthy plants and animals	666,934,957	621,249,328	602,667,162
Subtotal	666,934,957	621,249,328	602,667,162
Internal services	172,157,405	159,831,640	158,059,636
Total	839,092,362	781,080,968	760,726,798

Analysis of the next three years of spending

Planned spending is decreasing in 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 primarily due to the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.

More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.

Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2023 to 2024 to 2028 to 2029.

Text description of graph 1

Text description of graph

Fiscal year	Total	Voted	Statutory
2023 to 2024	$1,079,321,486	$805,973,698	$273,347,788
2024 to 2025	$1,039,748,970	$810,981,845	$228,767,125
2025 to 2026	$1,026,630,190	$779,119,756	$247,510,434
2026 to 2027	$839,092,362	$677,228,295	$161,864,067
2027 to 2028	$781,080,968	$627,061,780	$154,019,188
2028 to 2029	$760,726,798	$608,111,923	$152,614,875

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

Spending from 2023 to 2024 to 2025 to 2026 is higher primarily due to statutory compensation payments and operating expenses related to the HPAI emergency response. Planned spending in 2026 to 2027 is less than in previous years primarily due to the sunsetting of various initiatives and is lower again in 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 largely due to the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.

For further information on the CFIA's departmental appropriations, consult the 2026 to 2027 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the CFIA's operations for 2025 to 2026 to 2026 to 2027.

Table 9: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2027 (dollars)

Table 9 summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers for 2025 to 2026 to 2026 to 2027. The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

Financial information	2025 to 2026 forecast	2026 to 2027 planned results	Difference (planned results minus forecasted)
Total expenses	1,123,056,000	1,052,255,000	−70,801,000
Total revenues	53,000,000	53,000,000	0
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	1,070,056,000	999,255,000	−70,801,000

Analysis of forecasted and planned results

The CFIA is anticipating a 6% decrease in total expenses in 2026 to 2027 compared to 2025 to 2026. This change is mainly a result of decreasing animal health compensation payments in response to the HPAI emergency response.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2026 to 2027, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on the CFIA's website.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned human resources from 2023 to 2024 to 2028 to 2029.

Table 10: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 10 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for the CFIA's core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2023 to 2024 actual full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 actual full-time equivalents	2025 to 2026 forecasted full-time equivalents
Safe food and healthy plants and animals	5,602	5,416	5,189
Subtotal	5,602	5,416	5,189
Internal services	1,251	1,168	1,086
Total	6,853	6,584	6,275

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

The decrease in the CFIA's full-time equivalents in 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 is associated with the sunsetting of funds.

Table 11: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 11 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of the CFIA's core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2026 to 2027 planned full-time equivalents	2027 to 2028 planned full-time equivalents	2028 to 2029 planned full-time equivalents
Safe food and healthy plants and animals	4,772	4,420	4,356
Subtotal	4,772	4,420	4,356
Internal services	996	887	870
Total	5,768	5,307	5,226

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

The decrease in the CFIA's full-time equivalents in 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 is associated with the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the CFIA's website:

• Details on transfer payment programs

Information on the CFIA's departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on the CFIA's website.

Federal tax expenditures

The CFIA's Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.

This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Corporate information

Definitions

List of terms

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments, or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department's actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

Is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.

government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2026 to 2027 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2025 Speech from the Throne.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)

Requirements for verifying Indigenous businesses for the purposes of the departmental result report are available through the Indigenous Services Canada Mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target website.

nonbudgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Non-budgetary authorities that comprise assets and liabilities transactions for loans, investments, and advances, or specified purpose accounts, that have been established under specific statutes or under non-statutory authorities in the Estimates and elsewhere. Non-budgetary transactions are those expenditures and receipts related to the government's financial claims on, and obligations to, outside parties. These consist of transactions in loans, investments, and advances; in cash and accounts receivable; in public money received or collected for specified purposes; and in all other assets and liabilities. Other assets and liabilities, not specifically defined in G to P authority codes are to be recorded to an R authority code, which is the residual authority code for all other assets and liabilities.

One Health (une seule santé)

A multisectoral and multidisciplinary collaborative approach to addresses shared health threats that recognizes the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

performance (rendement)

What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of a department, program, policy, or initiative respecting expected results.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities, or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes, or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to a department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program, or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the department's influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.