What is SFCR?

Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) came into force on January 15, 2019. Since that date, there is a requirement for a SFC licence to conduct certain food business activities. Its vital to understand these new regulations, especially for importers in the foodstuff industry.

Why a new system? 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) introduced the new licensing system for a few reasons.
1) To provide the means to identify who is involved in the production and supply of food in Canada
2) Structure the licence to fit the various businesses within the food industry
3) Align Canada with international standards on food safety
4) Show CFIA’s commitment to modernization and service. 

Who needs a licence? 

Although the regulations have been in place for almost half a year now, certain requirements are being phased in over the next 2 years to allow industry time to adapt. The CFIA has an online questionnaire to assist in determining if you require a license. Eventually all businesses involved in activities relating to food, such as importing, manufacturing, processing, treating or packaging will require registration.

How to register?

In order to register, a business first has to sign up for a My CFIA account. Once you complete the registration and sign up for an SFC license, you will receive an email requesting payment. The SFC license costs $250.00 and is valid for 2 years. After you follow the instructions and complete payment, you will be provided with a unique SFC license number.

Businesses have been required to complete this new process to register for an SFC license as part of CFIA’s modernization efforts. As Canadian Customs Brokers, we can assist you with importing your goods into Canada according to regulations. It is important to be informed of the requirements to import into Canada. Please contact Orbit Brokers for guidance on how to import your goods into Canada.