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About the CFIA > Reporting to Parliament > Annual Report > Annual Report 1998 - 1999 Who We AreThe creation of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in April 1997, brought together inspection and related services previously provided through the activities of four federal government departments – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada and Industry Canada. Establishment of the CFIA consolidated the delivery of all federal food, animal and plant health inspection programs.
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OUR LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
The CFIA, which reports to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the following Acts: Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act, Canada Agricultural Products Act, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, Feeds Act, Fertilizers Act, Fish Inspection Act, Health of Animals Act, Meat Inspection Act, Plant Breeders’ Rights Act, Plant Protection Act, Seeds Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act as it relates to food, and the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act as it relates to food.
The Agency’s mission to provide safe food, consumer protection and market access is complex; the sectors the Agency regulates are closely inter-related. Safe food and consumer protection are essential to the health of Canadians and contribute to marketplace fairness. Inspection and certification of importers and exporters enhance the level of confidence in agricultural inputs, animal and plant health and food safety, elements essential to marketplace confidence. The legislative authorities provide health, social and economic benefits for all Canadians.
The Minister of Health remains responsible for those provisions of the Food and Drugs Act as they relate to public health, safety or nutrition; for establishing policies and standards for the safety and nutritional quality of food sold in Canada; and for assessing the effectiveness of the Agency’s activities related to food safety.
OUR OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
The CFIA Workforce
The CFIA is comprised of 4,600 people working together to protect Canadian consumers and the health of Canadian animals and plants. It is working to meet the demands of domestic and international consumers and markets. Its staff consists of a broad range of specialists, including veterinarians, inspectors, systems specialists, support staff, financial officers, research scientists and laboratory technicians.
With headquarters in the National Capital Region, the CFIA organization comprises four operational areas, subdivided into 18 regional offices, 185 field offices (including border points of entry), 408 offices in non-government establishments (such as processing facilities) and 22 laboratories and research facilities.
Our Organizational Structure
The CFIA is led by a President who reports to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The President is supported by an Executive Vice-President.
During 1998, a new program structure was put in place to allow the Agency to more effectively manage risk and implement an Integrated Inspection System. The structure maintains the Agency’s commitment to science, deals with the continuum of food production from primary production to the retail level and manages horizontal issues that cut across commodity lines. CFIA Programs now have four directorates: Animal Products, Plant Products, Program Laboratories, and Policy, Planning and Coordination.
In its Operations Branch, the Agency integrated the different regional structures from the four founding departments and moved away from matrix management to a line-of-command approach. A consistent regional structure was adopted for the four areas of Operations (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, and Western) to enable consistent and effective inspection delivery across the country. Staffing for the 18 Regional Director positions was completed in 1998.
Minister’s Advisory Board
A 12-member, external advisory board provides advice directly to the Minister on broad policy issues related to the responsibilities of the CFIA. Board members are chosen for their knowledge and experience in areas related to the mandate of the Agency.
The People We Serve
The CFIA provides inspection and related services for animals and plants and their products ranging from inputs such as veterinary biologics to lumber and nursery products, to medicated feeds and seeds, to fresh foods – including meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, fruit and vegetables – to prepared and packaged foods. Those we serve include farmers, fishers, manufacturers and distributors, and, ultimately, all Canadian consumers.
| CFIA MONITORS CARIBOU AND MUSK OX
Since 1985, federal meat inspectors from facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have journeyed north at traditional hunting times. They ensure that the animals obtained during the harvest are handled in a humane way, that the facilities used are operated in a sanitary manner and that the uniquely-Canadian product is inspected to protect the health of consumers. For CFIA inspectors, it is also a unique opportunity to live with the Inuit people at the harvest site and learn about their rich cultural heritage. |
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Important Notices |
The annual
harvest of northern game such as caribou and musk ox is an important part of life for the
Inuit people of Nunavut and Inuvialuit in Canada’s far north. As well as controlling
wild game populations, the harvest provides much-needed employment and economic benefit to
the local people.