The Government of Canada is taking action on fish fraud so Canadians can be confident the fish products they buy are accurately labelled.

To respond to the risk of fish substitution in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducted a targeted surveillance strategy during the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year.

You can find the results in the: Report: Enhanced fish species substitution surveillance.

News from Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

I am writing to inform you that as of this afternoon the Government has announced new quarantine requirements effective March 21, 2021, for certain temporary foreign workers with work visas in the agriculture, agri-food, and fish and seafood sectors, in the following occupations:

0821 – Managers in agriculture

0822 – Managers in horticulture

8252 – Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers

8255 – Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services

8431 – General farm workers

8432 – Nursery and greenhouse workers

8611 – Harvesting labourers

6331 – Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail And wholesale

9461 – Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing

9462 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers

9463 – Fish and seafood plant workers

9617 – Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing

9618 – Labourers In fish and seafood processing

Information on the announcement is now available on the Government of Canada website at:

Government announces comprehensive plan to better protect foreign workers in order to secure Canada’s food supply chain

We are continuing to work with the Public Health Agency of Canada to address the operational challenges for many employers and temporary foreign workers with respect to the COVID-19 At Home Specimen Collection kit (test kit) test to be taken at day 10 during the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.  In the meantime, a video with step-by-step instructions is currently available at: Switch Health.  The video is available in English and French.  Subtitles are available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Arabic, Portuguese, Hebrew and Russian by pressing the cc button on the video window.

Please be assured that the Government is working to address these issues on an urgent basis.

In addition, we are in the process of updating information on the Government websites with respect to border measures to ensure employers and temporary foreign workers have access to accurate and current information with respect to these measures.  We will inform you when this information is available and the relevant links.

We are continuing to work with other federal departments, provincial governments and stakeholders to ensure the ongoing safety of temporary foreign workers and communities.

We will continue to keep you apprised of new information as it becomes available.

We would like to thank you for your ongoing collaboration and support.

Thank you,

Philippe Massé
Director General
Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The FDA has released the latest results of its Food Safety and Nutrition Survey (FSANS) designed to assess consumers’ awareness, knowledge, understanding and reported behaviours relating to a variety of food safety and nutrition related topics. The findings are designed to help the FDA make better informed regulatory, policy, education, and other risk-management decisions to promote and protect public health.

The survey combines the previously separate Food Safety Survey and Health and Diet Survey, which were last conducted in 2016 and 2014, respectively. The survey was sent by mail to respondents, who could then submit it online or by mail. It incorporates approximately 4,400 responses collected during October and November of 2019.

Among the key findings:

• Most consumers are familiar with the Nutrition Facts label – 87% of respondents have looked at the Nutrition Facts label on food packages. The top four items that consumers look for on the label are: Calories, Total Sugar, Sodium, and Serving Size. Consumers report using the label most frequently for seeing “how high or low the food is in things like calories, salt, vitamins, or fat,” “for getting a general idea of the nutritional content of the food,” and “to compare different food items with each other.”
• Most consumers have seen menu labeling at restaurants – Most respondents (70%) reported that they have seen calorie information on menus and menu boards. Of those who have seen such information, 53% reported using the calorie information, and most often indicated using it to avoid ordering high-calorie menu items.
• Consumers are familiar with front of package claims – Over 80% of respondents have seen claims such as, “No added sugar,” “Whole grain,” “Organic,” Gluten-free,” “Low fat,” “No artificial ingredients,” “Low sugar,” and “No artificial colors.”
• Hand washing practices vary depending on the occasion – Consumers are more likely to wash hands with soap after touching raw meat (76%), than before preparing food (68%), or after cracking raw eggs (39%).
• The majority of consumers own a food thermometer, but usage varies depending on what is being cooked – Sixty-two (62%) of respondents reported owning a food thermometer. Usage among those who own food thermometers and cook the food ranges from 85% for whole chickens, 79% for beef, lamb or pork roasts, to 40% for chicken parts, 36% for burgers, 23% for egg dishes, and 20% for frozen meals.

More on CFSAN Consumer Behavior Research

March 1, 2021 – Reminder – Importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence

As of March 15, 2021, food import transactions will automatically be rejected unless a valid Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence is entered in the Integrated Import Declaration (IID). If a transaction is rejected, the SFC licence holder may experience delays and have their related food shipment(s) held at the border until the error is addressed and the import transaction is resubmitted.

You must obtain your SFC licence to import before presenting your shipment at the border. You will not be able to obtain an SFC licence at the border. If you currently hold a licence, review your licence profile in My CFIA to ensure that your licence has been issued for the activity of “Importing” and for the food commodity or commodities you intend to import.

Please be aware that an SFC licence application or amendment request may take up to 15 business days to process, and can take longer if a pre-licence inspection is required.

For more information on food commodities, including examples of foods included in each sub-commodity, refer to Annex A of What to consider before applying for a Safe Food for Canadians licence.

For more information on transaction rejections, please refer to: Importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence.

As of March 15, 2021, food import transactions will automatically be rejected unless a valid Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence is entered in the Integrated Import Declaration (IID). If a transaction is rejected, the SFC licence holder may experience delays and have their related food shipment(s) held at the border until the error is addressed and the import transaction is resubmitted.

You must obtain your SFC licence to import before presenting your shipment at the border. You will not be able to obtain an SFC licence at the border. If you currently hold a licence, review your licence profile in My CFIA to ensure that your licence has been issued for the activity of “Importing” and for the food commodity or commodities you intend to import. An SFC licence application, as well as certain licence amendments, may take up to 15 business days to process, but can take longer if a pre-licence inspection is required.

For more information on food commodities, including examples of foods included in each sub-commodity, refer to Annex A of What to consider before applying for a Safe Food for Canadians licence.

For more information on transaction rejections, please refer to: Importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence.