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My CFIA Glossary of Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Accrediting Body
When enrolling as an Alternative Service Provider (ASP), you must select which authoritative body performs the accreditation associated to your profile.
Alternate Location
An inspection location different from those provided in your party profile.
Alternate Profile Manager
A role only given by invitation. The Alternate Profile Manager, like the Profile Authority and Profile Manager, has full administrative rights in My CFIA to create, read, update or delete Party Profile information and to invite other Party Contacts.These rights also include managing service requests. Note: An Alternate Profile Manager is not a required role.
Alternative Service Provider (ASP)
An individual or organization that has an alternative service delivery arrangement with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Under this arrangement, the provider delivers a program or service directly linked to the CFIA's mandate that would otherwise be delivered by the CFIA (for example, an accredited veterinarian who inspects a party's animals prior to export). In My CFIA, an ASP is invited by a Party to be associated with their party profile. A business may invite and associate multiple Party ASPs, as required. The Party ASP will interact online in My CFIA on behalf of the Party for services that require their specific accreditations.
Annex(es)
Certain export requests require a supplementary information (specific Annex(es)) to accompany the export certificate. When completing the export interview process, any required Annexes will be identified.
Applicant
An individual or organization who applies for a service (for example, a license, a certificate or another type of permission) from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Application Name
A unique name you create to easily identify your application. This name will help you locate or search for an application in the system.
Application Submitted
The status when an application has been successfully submitted and has become an active service request. You can view service requests and status in the My CFIA dashboard.
Application Type
The system has two types of applications: new or amended. Amended applications are used when a change has been made to an existing or previously submitted application.
ASP Type
This is a required field when enrolling as an Alternative Service Provider (ASP). There are two options to select from: accredited veterinarian or accredited laboratory.
Attestation
The act of showing, proving, stating or endorsing that the information provided is true or authentic. When enrolling, you will be asked to accept various attestations in order to continue in the process.

B

Billing Address
The address where the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will send invoices and/or billing communications.
Business Line
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA's) three categories of programs - Food, Plant Health and Animal Health.
Business Number (BN)
A nine-digit account number that identifies your business to federal, provincial, and municipal governments.
Business Structure
Indicates the category of organization associated to a Party. For example, corporation, sole-proprietor, partnership, etc.

C

Care Of (C/O)
When the consignor (exporter) is an affiliate of the export applicant but is not listed on the party profile. You can add details in the consignor field in addition to the name and address of the export applicant. This field can only contain one address (for example: Exporter affiliate c/o name of Export Applicant and address).
Case
An electronic file, which contains information pertaining to a service request and any associated activities to be resolved in the processing of the request. The electronic file allows multiple users to access or update information required to complete the case.
Certificate number or Certificate reference number
A unique system-generated number that identifies the issued certificate. This number makes it possible for you and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to track certificates.
Certificate Status
Identifies the processing stage of an export certificate. (for example: draft, ready for signature, issued).
Certified Copy
A copy of the true original export certificate showing a "certified copy" watermark.
Claim Code (Profile Claim Code)
A system-generated code provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to you to allow you to claim a Profile created on your behalf. In some instances, through regular interactions, the CFIA will enter basic information about a business that is not yet enrolled with My CFIA. The profile therefore does not contain all the necessary information, so a Claim Code can be sent via email to you to complete the rest of your profile.
Closed
A status that indicates a service request has been resolved and requires no further action.
Commodity (products/goods)
Any products (bought or sold) and/or things (except for land) regulated under any Act or regulations administered or enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Commodity Group
Products and/or things that are regulated have been organized under each of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA's) three business lines (for example: fish and seafood under the food business line, live animal under the animal health business line and horticulture under the plant health business line).
Competent authority (Receiving Competent Authority, Foreign Trading Partner, Foreign Competent Authority, International Trading Partner and Foreign State, Central Competent Authority)
A government agency or department that has jurisdiction to perform legislated functions. This includes any person or organization that has the legally delegated or invested authority, capacity, or power to oversee and enforce the international movement of products or other things regulated under their authority.
Consignee
The person or organization who is supposed to receive a shipment from a carrier. This person or organization is financially and legally responsible for the shipment while it is in their care.
Consignment
A batch of goods or products destined for, or delivered to, someone.
Consignor
The person/organization ultimately responsible for the sale and transportation of the goods or products. They are legally responsible for the goods or products until they are sold.
Contact Profile
The contact profile contains basic information such as name, email address and preferred language. Any individual who signs up for My CFIA must create a Contact Profile before any other profile, such as a party profile or Alternative Service Provider (ASP) profile.
Conveyance (Mode of Transport)
Any vehicle or container used to move, animals, or things. For example, conveyance can include aircraft, carriage, motor vehicle, trailer, railway car, vessel, and other means of transportation including cargo containers.
Country of Destination
The country that is the final destination of the goods or products.

D

Dashboard
The My CFIA home page that appears once a client has enrolled. The dashboard is where you can submit service requests, view and monitor the status of your service requests, receive issued permissions, or update your Party Profile information.
Date of birth (Meat)
The date listed on a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) birth certificate.
Date of export
The date that the commodity or goods/product will be leaving Canada.
Date Issued
The date that the export certificate or import or domestic permission was issued.
Declared Business Activity
Information about business activities that you provided during enrolment. It identifies any commodity linked to a Party's business activity. You are required to provide at least one commodity to be associated with your Party's business activities; however, multiple commodities can be added.
Destination
The single location listed on an export certificate, where the goods will be received.
Discharge location (discharge port, port of unloading)
The location where the goods or products are released for delivery.
Distinguishing marks (goods identification/
shipping marks/visible distinguishing marks)
A visual symbol or indicator that is unique to a commodity (for example: package markings or animal markings).
Draft export certificate
An incomplete export certificate with a "draft" watermark.

E

Eligibility list
A list of entities that are approved to carry out a specified function (for example: sell goods or export specific commodities to specific destinations).
Emergency Contact
The person that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) should call first if something requires attention outside of normal business hours. The Emergency Contact does not need to be enrolled with My CFIA.
End use (Intended use)
The proposed use of the commodity (for example: human consumption, animal feed, propagation breeding/rearing, slaughter, wildlife management, pet exhibition/education, further processing, technical use).
Enrolment
The creation of a Contact Profile, Party Profile or Alternative Service Provider ASP Profile which enables you to use My CFIA online services.
Establishment
Any place where regulated activities take place (including a conveyance) or where a commodity is produced/manufactured, prepared, stored, transported, packaged or identified (including labelling).
Establishment Contact
A person associated with a specific establishment.
Establishment Name
A unique identifier created for an Establishment during enrolment.
Expected date of export
The date that a commodity is expected to leave Canada.
Export Application
The information submitted as part of a request for an export certificate.
Export Application Interview
A series of questions used to check if a commodity is eligible for export. The information gathered will be used to process the service request and populate the export certificate as needed.
Export Application Template
A partially-completed application that is saved in My CFIA and can be re-used to create new export applications. Using a template can speed up the application process.
Export Certificate(s)
An official paper or electronic document that attests to the status of a consignment to facilitate international trade or describes and attests to attributes of commodities for international trade.
Export Certificate Record
A record of all details associated to an export certificate including all versions of the certificate (for example: draft, certified copy).
Export Certificate with Electronic Signature Image (ESI)
An export certificate that has been electronically signed using signature and stamp/seal images.
Export Certificate with ink signature
An export certificate that has been endorsed using an ink signature and stamped/sealed.
Export Interview Results
When you have completed the export application interview, you will be presented with results that confirm if the commodity(ies) are eligible for export, as well as any necessary requirements that must be met.
Export place of loading (loading port)
The location where a consignment is loaded for export.

F

Facility Registration Number (Registered Establishment Number, Establishment Number or Veterinary Approval Number)
A number to identify a registered establishment.
First Available Date of Inspection
The date you provide to indicate when the commodity will be ready and available for inspection.

G

G2G (E-cert transmission file, E-certification file transmission,)
Government-to-government (G2G) refers to the electronic sharing of data between government agencies, departments or organizations. In the case of My CFIA, G2G is an electronic, authenticated and secure transmission of export certificate data from the exporting country to the Foreign Competent Authority (FCA) in the importing country.
GCKey
A unique user name and password used by members of the public to access Government of Canada programs and services online (including My CFIA).

I

Importing country
The final destination country where a commodity will be received.
Individual
When using My CFIA services for personal use, you would select the option of proceeding as an individual.
In-progress
An indicator that a service request has been assigned and is being processed.
Inspection Result
The outcome of an inspection task.
In transit (in-transit country)
A consignment, which passes through a country without being imported. For example, a commodity is being imported into a landlocked country but it needs to transit another country prior to entering the destination country. Further requirements may be required for in-transit countries.
Invite Code
A principal contact, such as the Profile Manager, can send requests to individuals asking them to accept a specific role for their party. These requests are sent via email and include a system-generated code that the recipient must use to claim their role in the party profile (for example, Profile Authority, Profile Contact, Alternative Service Provider (ASP)).
Issued Export Certificates
An export certificate has the status of "issued" when it has been fully endorsed (includes the certificate review, date, signature and stamp).

L

Legal Name
The official name of the individual or organization that owns a business. Depending on your business model, this can be your full name, or your organization may have a legal name registered with the provincial or federal government. This legal name appears on a valid Proof of Business Document.
Letter of Credit (LOC)
A trade document issued by a commercial bank (typically in another country) that serves as a guarantee for payments made to a specified person (typically the exporter) under specified conditions.
Location(s) of Inspection
The location where the inspection is to take place.
Location(s) of your exporting product
Where applicable, the location where the exporting product is kept that is different than the location in your party profile.

M

Mandatory Contacts
Required contacts in the creation of a Party Profile. There are two types of mandatory contacts – Principal Contacts and Secondary Contacts.
Manual validation (Export)
A manual validation for export is conducted when documents submitted through My CFIA for an export certificate application are reviewed and assessed. It includes listing export activities appropriate for the commodity, origin and destination combination.

O

Office Address
The address where records of regulated activities are kept. This address must be provided in the Party Profile.
On-account Number
The billing account number is your party's Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) credit account number. Clients who have accounts will receive an invoice from CFIA's Accounts Receivable at the end of each month. You can apply for a credit account by completing the Application for Credit (CFIA/ACIA 0015 - PDF [89 kb]).
On-hold
An status that indicates that a service request is active yet cannot be processed further for a specific reason (for example: awaiting additional information/supporting documents, emergency/control measure, awaiting payment, awaiting non- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection, etc.).
Operating Name
The name used by a business for day-to-day activities, export activities and in advertisements. This is also known as a trade name and may include "Also doing business as name(s)".
Origin
The location (country/state/province/region) where a product was grown, produced, manufactured or packaged.
Original
The true original export certificate. Only one original of an export certificate can exist.

P

Party
An individual or organization whose business activities are subject to acts and regulations administered and enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Party Contact
An individual who is associated to a Party Profile who has "read only" access to Party Profile information but can submit service requests on behalf of the Party. A Party Contact must be invited by a Principal Contact (for example Profile Authority, Profile Manager) to connect with a Party Profile.
Party Profile
A Party Profile is a set of information collected, recorded online and validated in My CFIA for a given party. You need to create a Party Profile to use My CFIA.
Party Profile Name
A unique identifier created for your Party Profile during enrolment.
Permissions
Official consent granting legal authorization to a regulated party to conduct specified activities (for example: permits, certificates, licences and registrations).
Permit
Official consent granting legal authorization to a regulated party to conduct specified activities
Place of Issuance
The location where the export certificate was issued.
Principal Contacts
Principal contacts have full administrative rights to create, read, update or delete Party Profile information, as well as the ability to invite other Party Contacts. Principal contacts are the Profile Authority, Profile Manager, and Alternate Profile Manager.
Product identification
Any document or device associated with and/or attached to a product that allows the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to distinguish that product from another (for example: labels, tags, tattoos, stamps, microchips).
Profile Authority
The Profile Authority is accountable for all information, records, and requests as well any Party Profile associated with them in My CFIA. It is up to the Profile Authority to determine who and how Profile Managers, Alternate Profile Managers, or Party Contacts can use My CFIA, on behalf of the Party. A single Profile Authority may be accountable for more than one Party Profile.
Profile Manager
The Profile Manager is authorized by the Profile Authority to create the Party Profile and to conduct business online with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on behalf of the Party.
Proof of Authority Form (CFIA/ACIA 5805)
A form that must be submitted by the Profile Authority during enrolment. This form must provide the name of the Profile Authority who will be accountable for any information, record or request for the Party Profile that they are associated to. The form must be signed by a current Owner, Partner, Director or Company Officer of the business associated to the Party Profile. The name of the signing authority must also appear on a valid Proof of Business Document associated to that business and provided at enrolment.
Proof of Business Document
A document which has been issued to the business within the last 12 months and shows the full legal name of the business, as well as the name(s) of current owner(s), partner(s), director(s) or company officer(s) who are in a position to approve those who can conduct online interactions with the Agency through My CFIA on their company's behalf. Typically these documents would include any federal or provincial document of business registration, incorporation, partnership, or other proof of legal business name and ownership. Proof of Business documents must be provided by an applicant and verified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to validate a Party Account and fully process a service request for that Party.

R

Regulatory Contact
An individual whom the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) may contact to arrange inspection activities, provide inspection findings or work with on inspection-related issues during regular business hours. It is the CFIA's main point of contact for establishments on any regulatory or government-related items/communications. The Regulatory Contact does not need to be enrolled with My CFIA.
Replacement Export Certificate
An export certificate issued to replace a previously-issued export certificate. Replacement export certificates are marked as replacements. When a replacement export certificate is issued, the previously issued export certificate becomes invalid and void.

S

Secondary Contacts
Additional contacts who are required for all Party Profiles, including a Regulatory Contact and an Emergency Contact. They are considered Party Profile "positions" rather than "roles" and are not required to interact online in My CFIA.
Service Request Status
Identifies the processing stage of the service request (for example: in progress, inspection in progress, on hold or awaiting payment).
Sign-In Partner
You may use your existing electronic credentials, such as your online banking credentials, to securely access online resources and services offered by various Government of Canada departments, such as My CFIA. Using your credentials from one of the Sign-In Partners to securely access government services is convenient because you don't have to remember a different user ID and password.
Supporting Documents
Documents that provide additional information about a Party or service request. These include a Proof of Business, a Proof of Authority or any other supporting documents that are required to fully process a service request.

T

Task - ASP Assignment
An action related to a service request that needs to be completed by an Alternative Service Provider (ASP) associated with the Party Profile. The task assigned must be accepted or declined by the ASP.
Tasks
Actions related to the service request that you or your Alternative Service Provider ASP will be assigned through My CFIA to complete.
Task-Status Reason
Identifies the stage of a task. It can be either "complete" or "incomplete". An incomplete task requires action by the client. Once the client has completed the task needing action, they must mark it as complete. In doing so, the Status Reason changes to "complete".
Third country
A list of countries to which the commodity will be exported after the importing country.
Trans-shipped (trans-loaded)
A product or good which is transferred from one conveyance (vehicle or container) to another for further transportation.
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