Safe Food for Canadians Act S-11 Adopted by the Senate

Oct 18, 2012

New Food Act to Enhance Food Safety Inspection in Canada

The Safe Food for Canadian’s Act S-11 that was tabled last spring was adopted by the Senate on Wednesday. The Act seeks to modernize food safety and will provide the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) with more authority over inspection.

"Canadian consumers have always been our Government's top priority when it comes to food safety," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "This legislation demonstrates the Harper Government's commitment to strengthening Canada's food safety system and we hope this legislation is passed expeditiously by Members of Parliament."

Some of the specific enhancements include:

• More authority for CFIA inspectors to demand food producers to provide information and documents in a timely manner.
• CFIA authorities can demand that food processors have traceability systems in place as part of regulation requirements.
• Tougher penalties for food processors who don’t meet compliances.
• More control over imports and exports.
• More consistence inspection regime for all food commodities.

The Act was adopted with an amendment that would require the Minister of Agriculture to reassess resources that are allocated for food inspection on a five year basis and would also allow the Auditor General to review the allocation of these resources over the span of five year period at any time.

Video: Canada reaches tariff deal with China on canola, electric vehicles

Canada has reached a deal with China to increase the limit of imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) in exchange for Beijing dropping tariffs on agricultural products, such as canola, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday.

The tariffs on canola are dropping to 15 per cent starting on March 1. In exchange for dropping duties on agricultural products, Carney is allowing 49,000 Chinese EVs to be exported to Canada.

Carney described it as a “preliminary but landmark” agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs, part of a broader strategic partnership with China.