About the CFIA > Reporting to Parliament > Annual Report > Annual Report 1998 - 1999  

Executive Summary

The Agency’s second year of operation can be best described as one of steady progress in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of federal inspection services related to food, and animal and plant health.

The Agency’s Corporate Business Plan sets out objectives and priorities for the 1997-2000 period. The section of this report entitled How We Are Doing provides performance information for these objectives. The Agency continues to protect consumers, promote partnerships, streamline its operations and adopt new policies and approaches as outlined below.

ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE INSPECTION SYSTEM

To enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the inspection system, the Agency has

• continued to reduce overlap and duplication in program delivery, management and administration, without reducing services to Canadians, including reducing the number of offices across the country to 18, from the 33 which existed when the Agency was created in April 1997;

• recognized prevention as a critical means to ensure food safety (For example, the Agency has supported the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems by federally-registered establishments. HACCP is an internationally recognized approach to food safety which is based on identifying and preventing food-safety risks during processing. HACCP is a key element of the Agency’s work in the development of an Integrated Inspection System (IIS) which will cover the full range of food safety, right from input materials through production to retail and consumer use.);

• received commitments from over half of Canada’s 800 federally-registered meat processing, slaughter and storage establishments to participate in the Food Safety Enhancement Program which incorporates HACCP principles; and

• implemented the re-engineered Fish Quality Management Program, which incorporates HACCP principles, for all federally-registered fish processors .

PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS

The Agency increasingly saw the need for and participated in partnerships with other levels of government, consumers, industry and stakeholders as a means to meet its objectives.

• On the federal-provincial scene, agreements were reached with the governments of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and the Northwest Territories that clarify inspection roles and allow for greater collaboration and efficiency in inspection activities.

• The Agency assisted the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education to introduce the FightBAC!™ Campaign that successfully reached and continues to educate a large number of Canadians about the safe handling of food.

PROTECTING CONSUMERS

Truthful and accurate labelling of food products is essential to ensure consumer protection. During the past year, the Agency has

• continued a thorough review of its labelling program;

• stepped-up enforcement action against violators; and

• taken a lead role in the Codex Alimentarius Commission’s efforts to develop an international agreement on the labelling of products of biotechnology.

FACILITATING MARKET ACCESS

Not to be confused with "trade promotion", market access refers to the Agency’s measures to protect important Canadian resources – Canada’s food supply system, its animals and plants – through measures that help prevent the spread of food-borne illness and maintain a healthy animal and plant population. We contribute to safe food by

• inspecting and certifying producers and importers, thereby protecting Canadians and helping to build international confidence in Canadian-produced foods and animal and plant products; and

• influencing international inspection standards and encouraging adoption of Canadian requirements.

MAINTAINING A SKILLED AND COMPETENT STAFF

During the year, previously identified priority policy needs were transformed into policy.

Accomplishments included

• a Human Resources policy framework designed to provide a blueprint for policy- and decision-making;

• a Staffing and Accountability Framework to clarify the delegation of authority and accountability across all staffing activities;

• implementation of a Staffing Complaint Policy providing employees with a recourse mechanism;

• an Employment Equity Strategy and a three-year action plan;

• a Student Internship Program;

• a Learning Strategy to address training needs in the Agency; and

• management competency programs.

The next several years will be particularly exciting ones for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. We look forward to serving Canadians, responding quickly to their changing needs and further strengthening Canada’s food safety systems and animal and plant health.