The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is interested in engaging with Indigenous communities and Nations to understand their perspectives and priorities as it relates to the Seeds Regulations.
Who can participate
All Indigenous communities and Nations are welcome to participate. To facilitate identifying which Indigenous communities and Nations are most likely to be interested in participating, the CFIA undertook an extensive review of publicly available information to identify Indigenous communities and Nations involved in crop farming, seed growing and seed saving activities. During January 2025, we sent a letter to 111 identified Indigenous communities and Nations, inviting them to participate. However, all interested Indigenous communities and Nations are welcome to participate and can identify their interest in engaging with us.
How to participate
If you, your community or your Nation is interested in providing feedback about the modernization of the Seeds Regulations, complete the Expression of Interest Form: Indigenous Engagement. You will be able to identify who is authorized to represent your community or Nation, where your interests may lie, how you would like to be engaged and identify any barriers to your community or Nation's participation.
We will be in touch with each person, community or Nation that responds to acknowledge their participation. Based on information received, a plan to engage with interested Indigenous communities or Nations will be developed with their input.
Next steps
After learning from interested Indigenous communities and Nations, we will release a report that will reflect the input received from participants in a non-identifying way. It will also outline changes we are considering to the Seeds Regulations to address any concerns raised. Communities or Nations that engaged with us will have an opportunity to comment on a draft of the report to ensure we have captured their thoughts and ideas accurately before we publish it. This report will be posted here once finalized.
The eventual changes to the Seeds Regulations may trigger Section 35 - Duty to Consult processes and as a government agency and representative of the Crown, the CFIA will be undertaking eventual consultation processes with affected Indigenous communities.
More information
Canada's current seed regulatory framework introduces the reports available at the initiation of the seed regulatory modernization and describes in sections 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2, the current seed regulatory framework for seed and seed potatoes. It identifies the current regulations, standards and policies, and players involved within each stage of the seed regulatory lifecycle.
Learn more about Seed regulatory modernization, including its purpose, scope, related working groups and task teams, and other consultation activities to date.
Contact us
For any questions about this engagement opportunity, send us an email: cfia.seedregmod-modregsem.acia@inspection.gc.ca.