Council urges one national food safety standard for meat trade
The Canadian Meat Council (CMC) has expressed concerns about proposed changes to Canada's food safety regulations that would allow certain provincially inspected meat products to be sold across provincial borders.
While the organization supports efforts to reduce barriers to interprovincial trade, it believes the proposed four-year exemption could create challenges for Canada's food safety system. According to the council, allowing products inspected under different standards to enter the same marketplace may weaken confidence in the country's regulatory framework and create uncertainty for international buyers.
“Most meat processed in Canada already moves across provincial borders. We support efforts to expand that trade, but not by creating different inspection standards for products entering the same market,” said Kyle Larkin, President & CEO of the Canadian Meat Council. “The potential damage to consumer and international confidence in Canada’s food safety system far outweighs the limited benefit of this proposal.”
Canada currently operates both federal and provincial meat inspection systems. Federally licensed facilities must meet strict requirements and undergo continuous oversight by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). These standards help support Canada's reputation as a supplier of safe and high-quality meat products around the world.
CMC representatives argue that maintaining a single national food safety standard is important for protecting consumer confidence and ensuring fair competition within the industry. They say introducing different inspection requirements for products sold across provinces could create confusion and affect the credibility of Canada's food safety system.
“Our federally licensed members invest heavily every year to meet Canada’s rigorous food safety requirements and maintain access to markets around the world,” said Dr. Sylvain Fournaise, Chair of the Canadian Meat Council. “Allowing products produced under different inspection standards into interprovincial trade risks undermining that investment and the reputation Canada has built as a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality meat.”
Industry leaders note that most of the meat processed in Canada comes from federally licensed facilities. They also suggest that only a small portion of the sector would benefit directly from the proposed changes. As a result, they believe the potential risks outweigh the expected advantages.
The council emphasized that federally licensed processors invest significant resources to meet Canada's strict food safety requirements and maintain access to domestic and international markets. They warn that lowering regulatory standards could impact those investments and the country's reputation as a trusted meat exporter.
Instead of creating exemptions, CMC recommends helping more provincially inspected facilities achieve federal certification. The organization believes this approach would encourage greater interprovincial trade while maintaining strong food safety protections and preserving access to important export markets.
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