Canada Cracks Down on Import, Domestic Food Businesses

Do you import foods or ingredients into Canada or have a facility in the country? If so, it has become more important than ever to ensure you are in compliance with all Canadian food regulations. In a recent crackdown on food manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is escalating its inspections and regulatory enforcement in an effort to increase the efficacy of risk management controls for manufactured foods.

The actions are a response to findings that there were deficiencies in the CFIA’s risk-based inspection algorithm, which allowed for self-calculated risk assessment by certain food plants, leading to deprioritization of their CFIA inspections. Among those that had not been inspected for years was the now-closed plant-based milk facility implicated for the 2024 deadly Listeria outbreak that caused 20 confirmed illnesses and three deaths. The plant had not been visited by a CFIA inspector for five years, and the agency announced an enhanced action plan to address regulatory noncompliance, including license verification.

Of perhaps greatest impact on those doing business in or with Canada is the license blitz CFIA began in October 2025. With an aim to ensure all food businesses hold the required Safe Food for Canada Regulations (SFCR) license and verify its accuracy and applied regulatory compliance, CFIA intends to complete the all-encompassing inspections by October 2026. While some verifications will be conducted remotely, others will be on-site — we’ve learned of some having days-long audits by CFIA.

With the previously accepted self-verification of lower-risk establishments no longer recognized, CFIA will now review all new, amended and renewal applications to ensure each business:

• Holds the proper SFCR license pertinent to its specific business activities, food commodities and establishments, and updates it by requesting an amendment when any of these change.
• Is implementing SFCR Preventive Controls that ensure the food it imports, manufactures or sells in, or to, Canada is safe and meets regulatory standards.
• Has a written Preventive Control Plan, outlining how it identifies and manages food safety risks, that is actively used in daily operations and is kept up to date.

Be prepared to be intensively inspected and subject to enforcement action for noncompliance.

The CFIA also is conducting risk-based inspections of more than 2,400 manufactured food establishments by fall 2026. The focus is primarily on facilities that are licensed but have not been inspected, with the depth of inspection based on facility/product risk.

For businesses that hold a SFCR license, it is important to understand changes the CFIA has made, including:

• Chemical hazards (e.g., pesticide, heavy metals, etc.) not previously a part of risk calculation have been added.
• Facilities now must be able to demonstrate a food safety culture.Complaint information will be factored in, including data that indicates food safety concerns, historical data and/or trends.
• Certain sections of the application that were previously voluntary are now mandatory, such as the Additional Establishment Information questionnaire.

The CFIA is taking compliance with all the new — and existing — requirements very seriously, escalating enforcement and responding to critical noncompliances with detention of product, licence suspension and cancellation and the use of Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) when warranted for regulatory violations.

As the agency stated, “The stronger enforcement action sends a clear message to industry that the CFIA is serious about food safety and expects food businesses to meet the regulatory requirements of the SFCR.”

So, what does all this mean to you — whether you operate a business in Canada or import your foods or ingredients into the country?

First, while CFIA generally provides notice of a scheduled inspection, an inspector may show up unannounced in response to a complaint, if you are considered a high-risk facility, in an emergency situation or simply for a targeted or surprise check. Whether you have an existing license or you are submitting a new, amended or renewal application, ensure you are compliant with all licensing requirements. Be prepared to be intensively inspected and subject to enforcement action for noncompliance.

With the variances between the food regulations of the United States and Canada and the complexities of each, it is critical to understand the minutiae of each country’s requirements — or to work with an external company that has resident food industry and regulatory experts on both sides of the border — to help assess compliance, implement food safety practices for mitigation and protect your consumers, product and brand.