Safe Food For Canadians Regulations To Require License For Businesses
Safe Food For Canadians Regulations
If you have a business providing food to Canadians, you will most likely be affected by the new Safe Food For Canadians Regulations (SFCR) being implemented January 15, 2019. The SFCR focus is to prevent unsafe foods from entering into Canadian marketplaces, as well as, providing faster means to eliminate unsafe foods when they manage to penetrate the marketplace.
Canada Food Import Guide
How Will SFCR Affect Food Businesses?
Starting January 15, 2019, if you provide food to Canadians, and the food crosses provincial or territorial borders, you will be required to have a license under the SFCR.
The SFCR will also require you to have preventative controls, traceable goods, packaging requirements, and labeling standards to make sure your food is safe for Canadians.
As a food business, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a helpful tool to inform you;
- If you need a license,
- When you will need the license by, and
- How to apply for the license.
Basic Import Requirements For Food Products Into Canada
What Food Business Activities Will Require A SFCR License?
For more information on if you need a license, the CFIA has also produced a well structured guide Food business activities that require a license under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. This guide is helpful for the DIY (Do It Yourself) approach. It covers who will need a license and who will not. For instance, if you are going on a road trip across Canada and you have a few snacks, you will not need a license. However, if you are importing food into Canada, you will need a license if you are importing food additives, alcoholic beverages, and for all unprocessed foods listed in Schedule 1 of the SFCR.
Canadian Food Importers: New Regulations Affecting Your Imports
An Expert Trade Advisor You Can Rely On
For those who do not want to study the requirements top to bottom, a customs broker or trade advisor will be able to help you navigate the new regulations of the SFCR beginning early 2019. You can contact one of our expert trade advisors today to help you simplify the complicated world of trade.
