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Importing food and plant products for trade shows and exhibitions in Canada

1. Basic guidelines

Food and horticultural products are subject to strict import controls in Canada. However, there are some exemptions for small amounts of product intended only for sampling or other free distribution during a trade show, exhibition or similar event.

If this situation applies to you, check this guide for an informal outline of related requirements. Then, for specific details on permits and other documentation, consult CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). Required permissions and permits would be coordinated through CFIA's National Centre of Permissions. Finally, if you have questions about the process, contact an import coordinator at the CFIA Area Office closest to the event you plan to attend, or the CFIA National Import Service Centre.

Note that any required permit or authorization should be obtained as early as possible before the planned import – at least six weeks prior to the event. In some cases, an import broker may be contracted to assist exhibitors with such arrangements.

If you require a Safe Food for Canadians licence to import the food, refer to our Food Licences page for more information on how to obtain your licence.

Some additional guidelines:

Documentation: All accompanying documentation must be in English or French. For products requiring proof of origin certification, see Memorandum D11-4-2 for more information.

Novel or high-risk products: Animal or plant products that are new to the Canadian market will require a product assessment, so relevant information should be forwarded to the appropriate commodity program at least a few weeks earlier than necessary. High risk products (i.e. dairy products) for event use may either be imported under the same Animal Import/Export requirements as a commercial shipment, or with an animal health import permit.

Regulatory changes: Changes to these requirements may occur at any time, owing to events or regulatory changes in your country or Canada. While the CFIA will contact any permit holders in such an event, you should re-confirm that you have met all current requirements prior to shipping any products.

Product safety: You and/or your importer or legal representative are responsible for the safety of any products offered for sampling during a Canadian event. They must be transported, stored and displayed in a way that prevents deterioration or contamination. Health and safety inspections may be conducted at any time by CFIA representatives, with unsafe or infested products returned to their place of origin or destroyed under CFIA supervision – at the importer's expense.

Sales and distribution ban: These regulatory exemptions apply only to products being distributed without charge during trade shows or exhibitions. Sales at the event, or distribution outside the event (for example, food banks), is strictly forbidden without prior CFIA authorization.

2. Aquatic animals (such as, fish, shellfish, other seafood)

Definition:

The Health of Animals Regulations define aquatic animals to include "means any finfish, mollusc or crustacean, or any part of a finfish, mollusc or crustacean at any life stage, as well as any germplasm of those animals"

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "fish" to include shellfish, crustaceans and other marine animals, and any of their parts, products and by-products. The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "shellfish" as meaning a bivalve mollusc of the class Bivalvia or a carnivorous marine mollusc of the class Gastropoda, or any product that is derived from one of those molluscs.

Aquatic animals including fish and shellfish may require either an aquatic animal health import permit, zoosanitary export certificate from the country of export, and/or a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence. Consult AIRS.

Food safety requirements

Live or raw molluscs and shellfish, whether frozen or unfrozen, must be harvested, handled and processed in a manner which ensures they are safe for human consumption. Refer to the Importing live and raw molluscs and shellfish page.

Aquatic animal health import requirements

The Aquatic Animal Health Import Program regulates finfish, molluscs and crustaceans. It does not regulate other aquatic species such as marine mammals, other aquatic invertebrates and aquatic plants. This includes any finfish, mollusc or crustacean, or any part of a finfish, mollusc or crustacean at any life stage, as well as any germplasm of those animals. If the species to be imported is listed as a Susceptible Species of Aquatic Animal, then an aquatic animal health import permit and zoosanitary export certificate from the country of export will be required.

Aquatic Animal Importation
Application for Permit to Import Aquatic Animals and/or their Offal (CFIA/ACIA 5670)

3. Dairy products

Imported dairy products must comply with both the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and the animal health requirements under the Health of Animals Regulations.

Definition: The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "dairy product" as meaning milk or a food that is derived from milk, alone or combined with another food, and that contains no oil and no fat other than that of milk

The Health of Animals Regulations define "milk" as: the lacteal secretion obtained from the mammary gland of any ruminant, in concentrated, dried, frozen, reconstituted or fresh form, and "milk product" as any of the following, namely, partly-skimmed milk, skim milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, butter oil, whey, whey butter or whey cream, in concentrated, dried, frozen or reconstituted or fresh form, but does not include milk proteins, milk sugars and milk enzymes.

Food safety requirements

Animal health requirements

From the United States

From other countries

Permit Application

4. Eggs and processed egg products

Imported eggs and processed egg products must comply with both the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and the animal health requirements under the Health of Animals Regulations.

Definition: The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "egg" as meaning an egg of a domestic chicken of the species Gallus domesticus or, in respect of a processed egg product, means that egg or an egg of a domestic turkey of the species Meleagris gallopavo. It does not include a balut.

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "processed egg product" as meaning a food for which a standard is set out in Volume 2 of the Standards of Identity Document.

The Health of Animals Regulations do not specify the species of origin for eggs, so animal health requirements apply to eggs from any species of bird and also apply to balut. An "egg product" is defined as whole egg, egg shells, egg yolk, egg albumen or any mix of these, in a liquid, dried, frozen or fresh form.

Food safety requirements

Animal health requirements

From the United States

From other countries

Permit Application

5. Potentially injurious organisms (other than plants)

Definition: Potentially injurious organisms (other than plants), which are or may be plant pests, may be contaminated with plant pests, or are shipped with host material that is or may be a plant pest or contaminated with a plant pest. These include organisms such as invertebrates (e.g. insects, mites, earthworms, snails, slugs) and micro-organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, viruses).

Import conditions for potentially injurious organisms are based on the plant health risk they present to Canada. Some potentially injurious organisms may only be imported under containment, and cannot be released into the environment. These organisms can only be imported for specific end uses, including for exhibition/display purposes.

Importers must submit an application for an import permit to the CFIA's Plant Health Permit Office. Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if a permit is required, and whether additional import conditions (e.g., shipping, containment) are needed to mitigate plant health risks.

Plant Importation
Application for Permit to Import Plants and Other Things under the Plant Protection Act (CFIA/ACIA 5256)

6. Meat products

Imported meat products must comply with both the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and the animal health requirements under the Health of Animals Regulations.

Definition: The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "meat product" as meaning "the carcass of a food animal, the blood of a food animal or a product or by-product of its carcass or any food that contains the blood of a food animal or a product or by-product of its carcass. It does not include:

  1. gelatin, bone meal, collagen casing, hydrolyzed animal protein, monoglycerides, diglycerides or fatty acids; or
  2. any food that contains a meat product in an insignificant quantity, having regard to the nature of the food and of the meat product"

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "food animal" as meaning "a bird or mammal, other than a marine mammal, from which an edible meat product may be derived.

Under the Health of Animals Regulations, meat is considered to be an animal by-product and import conditions for animal by-products apply. All foods containing meat are subject to animal health requirements including those that are exempt from the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

Food safety requirements

Animal health requirements

From the United States

From other countries

Permit Application

7. Manufactured foods (for example, baked goods, baby food, alcohol)

Definition: a wide range of products, including confectionary, snack foods, beverages, oils, dried herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, coffee and tea, processed grain-based foods such as baked goods, cereals and pasta.

Beginning July 15, 2020, imported manufactured foods must comply with the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).

Note: Food additives and alcoholic beverages are exempt from many of the SFCR requirements. Importers do not require a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence to import these products into Canada.

Import control of alcoholic beverages is performed by provincial and territorial liquor control boards. Please refer to our Alcoholic Beverages page.

Food safety requirements

8. Pet food

Definition: pet foods may include commercially prepared foods (such as, wet or dry shelf-stable products), raw pet food (such as, for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or BARF diets), pet treats (for example, rawhide, chews, dried animal ears, bones, hooves, pizzles), supplements (for example, mixtures containing vitamins, minerals, fish oils), and/or commercial samples (such as, for laboratory analysis, feeding trials or display). This includes products destined for companion animals (for example, dogs, cats, birds, fish), exotic pets (for example, reptiles, ferrets, hedgehogs), laboratory animals, or zoo animals.

For samples containing ingredients of animal origin

Pet Food Policy
Permit Application

9. Plants and plant products

Plant Importation
Application for Permit to Import Plants and Other Things under the Plant Protection Act (CFIA/ACIA 5256)

The person in charge of the event in Canada must apply for an import permit to the CFIA permit office. The application must specify the scientific and common names and precise origin of each plant.

a. Fresh fruits and vegetables

Imported fresh fruits and vegetables must comply with the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).

Definition: The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "fresh fruits or vegetables" as meaning any fresh plant or any fresh edible fungus, or any part of such a plant or fungus, that is a food is considered to be a fresh fruit or vegetable.

Food safety requirements

Plant protection requirements

A permit to import and a phytosanitary certificate may be required depending on the origin and nature of the product.

No import permit is required for tropical fruits, but fruits grown in temperate regions are subject to evaluation, and the importer must apply for a permit.

b. Potatoes

Definition: The Fresh Fruits or Vegetables requirements in Part 6, Division 6 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) define "potato" as meaning a fresh potato for which a grade is prescribed by these Regulations.

Food safety requirements

Plant protection requirements

c. Processed fruits and vegetables, honey and maple products

Definition: The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "processed fruit or vegetable product" as meaning a food

  1. for which a standard is set out in Volume 4 of the Standards of Identity Document
  2. for which a grade is set out in Volume 3 of the Compendium
  3. that is set out in column 1 of Table 3 of Schedule 3 in items 2 to 11 or in column 1 of Table 4, 5 or 6 of that Schedule; or
  4. to which Division 3 of Part 10 applies

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations define "maple product" as meaning a food that is obtained exclusively by the concentration of sap from trees of the genus Acer or the concentration of maple syrup.

Food safety requirements

d. Seeds, grains, forages and grain products

Imported seeds, grains, forages and grain products can present a plant health risk to Canadian agricultural and forestry resources, acting as a pathway for the movement of pests.

Food safety requirements

Imported seeds, grains and grain products for human consumption must comply with the food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians and Regulations(SFCR).

Plant protection requirements

Some commodities may be prohibited, require treatment, or be otherwise regulated, this will be identified on the CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). In cases where a specific product to be exhibited is missing from AIRS, exhibitors are encouraged to submit an application for a permit to import plants and plant products before importing. A commodity specialist will evaluate the phytosanitary risk associated with the import and determine the conditions of import that may be applicable.

Import of Tree and Shrub Seed into Canada
ABCs of Seed Importation into Canada

e. Wood and wood items

Wood and wood items, including bark, from all areas of the world must apply and obtain an import permit before entering Canada.

Application for Permit to Import Plants and Other Things under the Plant Protection Act (CFIA/ACIA 5256)
Import process

Note: packaging materials such as crates, boxes, pallets, bracing etc. made of solid wood, from all areas of the word except the continental United States, must be treated to meet Canadian import requirements. The use of untreated wood packaging materials will result in the refusal of entry into Canada. Please refer to the Entry Requirements for Wood Packaging Material into Canada.

Appendix 1: Other government department requirements

In Canada, while food and horticultural imports are mainly regulated by the CFIA, other departments have related responsibilities.

The importer is solely responsible for ensuring your products meet all Canadian import requirements.

Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA)

CBSA collects customs and excise duties, and performs initial border control.

Global Affairs Canada

The Trade Controls Bureau issues permits to import certain commodities, without which you may pay higher customs tariffs, under the authority of the Export and Import Permits Act.

Environment Canada (EC)

Some commodities are regulated by Environment Canada (EC), under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This international agreement allows more than 160 countries to exercise control over the import and export of more than 30,000 plant and animal species and their derivatives listed in one of the three appendixes of the Convention.

Appendix I lists the most endangered species for which international trade is not permitted. Canadian regulation forbids all trade activities including sale, distribution or promotion of these species or their derivatives unless the product is subject to a specific exemption. Appendix II and III list the species that are permitted to be traded internationally where a CITES export permit has been issued by the CITES Management Authority of the foreign country.

A CITES permit must be obtained prior to export, and is valid only for one use unless otherwise indicated. An export permit from the Canadian authority is required in order to return the merchandise to the country of origin.

Appendix 2: National Centre of Permissions (NCP)

The National Centre of Permissions (NCP) delivers and/or coordinates the full range of operational administrative services required for domestic and import related permissions. This includes licences, permits, and registration, excluding export certification activities.

The NCP is stakeholders' point of contact for all non-technical questions about CFIA issued permissions, which includes checking the status of an application, and seeking administrative guidance to complete an application or renewal for any of the services provided under "Permission".

Please contact the National Centre of Permissions for administrative permission-related inquiries:

Phone: 1-855-212-7695 / 613-773-0801

E-mail: Permission@inspection.gc.ca

Web: National Centre of Permissions (Licensing, Permitting and Registration)

Appendix 3: CFIA National Import Service Centre (NISC)

The National Import Service Centre processes import request documentation / data sent by the importing community across Canada. Staff reviews the information and return the decision electronically to the CBSA, which then relays it to the client or the broker/importer.

In addition, NISC staff handles telephone inquiries regarding import requirements for all commodities regulated by the CFIA and, when necessary, coordinate inspections for import shipments.

Phone:
1-800-835-4486 (Canada or U.S.A.)
289-247-4099 (local calls and all other countries)

Web: CFIA National Import Service Centre

Facsimile: 613-773-9999

Appendix 4: CFIA Area Offices (Area Import Coordinators)

West (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Territories)
4321 Still Creek Drive
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S7
604-292-5725

Ontario
1050 Courtney Park Drive East
Mississauga, ON L5T 2R4
289-247-4051

Quebec
2001 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard, Suite 671-X
Montreal, QC H3A 3N2
514-283-3815

Atlantic (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland)
1081 Main Street
P.O. Box 6088
Moncton, NB E1C 8R2
506-777-3923

Appendix 5: Event commodity importer checklist

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