Getting started: Toolkit for food businesses

If you need a licence, you can apply using My CFIA. To get a licence, you need to have a written preventive control plan or preventive controls in place.

A business may choose to apply for one licence that covers all of its establishments, activities and types of food, or multiple licences that would cover unique combinations of establishments, activities and types of food.

Refer to Licensing for more information.

Preventive controls help to prevent food safety hazards and reduce the likelihood of contaminated food entering the market, whether the food is prepared in Canada or imported.

Under the SFCR, most businesses need to document their food safety controls in a preventive control plan (PCP). However, small businesses in some sectors may not require a written plan but do have to have preventive controls in place, such as sanitation and pest control measures.

Refer to Preventive controls for food businesses for more information.

Traceability is the ability to track the movement of a food product, one step forward and one step back in the supply chain. Retailers only need to trace one step back, not forward to consumers.

Refer to Traceability for food for more information.

Imported food must be prepared with the same level of food safety controls as food prepared in Canada. Canadian businesses importing food, including ingredients, will need a licence in most cases.

Refer to Food imports for more information.

As an exporter, the food you export must meet Canadian requirements, as well as those of the importing country, before you can export your food. Countries may have different requirements for each food commodity. You are responsible for knowing the requirements set by the country of import that relate to public and animal health as well as plant protection. When there are no requirements in the foreign country, you still need to comply with applicable Canadian law.

Refer to Food exports for more information.

Still looking for more information?

• Questions and answers on the SFCR
• Information for small businesses
• Understanding the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations: A handbook for food businesses
• Glossary of key terms
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
• SFCR overview webinar (pre-recorded)
• General food requirements and guidance 
• Food-specific requirements and guidance
• Enforcement
• Outcome-based regulations fact sheet
• Multilingual fact sheets
• What businesses need to know now that the SFCR are in force
• Information for growers and harvesters of fresh fruit and vegetable fact sheet
• Infographic: Key preventive food safety controls
• Infographic: Categories of Hazards