Inspection modernization

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is building on its strong foundation and strengthening Canada's current federal inspection approaches and tools.

What is inspection modernization?

New technologies, tools and a more comprehensive approach to food inspection are needed to properly manage today's food safety risks. Inspection modernization is one of many initiatives under the Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan that the CFIA is pursuing in order to strengthen Canada's food safety system.

After extensive consultation with front-line inspectors, consumer associations, industry and government stakeholders, the CFIA has developed a single and consistent inspection approach that will be applied to all regulated food, whether imported, exported or prepared domestically for sale across provincial borders or internationally.

This approach sets the foundation for new food regulations that are being designed to fully support the CFIA's new food inspection model and bring into force the Safe Food for Canadians Act. The approach also

• clearly-defines responsibilities for regulated parties and the CFIA
• provides consistent oversight for all food sectors subject to regulations enforced by the CFIA
• expands the use of science and inspection data to help focus resources on areas with the greatest risk
• adapts inspection to focus on verifying the effectiveness of a regulated parties' controls for achieving safe and compliant food

For more information, please read the improved food inspection model.

The CFIA will implement the model incrementally beginning in the fall of 2013.

To support this new approach, the CFIA is also

• investing in state-of-the-art training and development programs in order to maintain a professional and highly-skilled inspection workforce
• providing new technology and tools to support the work of industry and inspectors
• implementing and verifying industry compliance with Health Canada's revised Listeria policy for all high-risk foods

How this affects consumers

Inspection modernization will allow the CFIA to detect and prevent food safety risks more effectively. Consumers will 

• have better access to information about food, allowing them to make informed decisions and healthy choices
• benefit from food inspection activities that target the highest risk areas (domestic or imported)

How this affects industry

Inspection modernization will provide Canadian companies the flexibility to design controls that demonstrate that their operations and products comply with all relevant federal standards. It will also create a more level playing field for businesses by streamlining the inspection process in favour of overseeing a single system with one set of food safety requirements.

What information is available?

• Electronic service delivery platform
• Implementation of Health Canada's Revised Policy on Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-To-Eat Foods
• Final Improved Food Inspection Model
• Inspector training
• Questions and Answers
• The Case for Change
  • What We Heard Report: The Case for Change
• What We Heard Reports during consultation on the improved food inspection model
  • March – May 2013
  • August – October 2012

How to stay involved

The CFIA will continue to actively engage and consult all stakeholders as it implements the new food inspection model.

To stay informed of this and other CFIA initiatives to modernize food safety, please subscribe to receive updates through the Agency's email notification services. Please select the subject "Modernization initiatives". If you are already a CFIA email notification subscriber, you will simply need to add this topic to your list.