Food Safety Program (FSP)

Cost-shared funding is available for a range of eligible activities under three distinct categories.

If you have not completed a food safety assessment through Category 1 of the Food Safety Program or another route, you will first need to complete one. You can also seek Category 2 funding without a food safety assessment if you are registered/certified under third-party audited programs like HACCP compliance, GFSI schemes (BRC, SQF, CanadaGAP), Federal Dairy/Meat Inspections, etc.

1. Category 1: Food Safety Assessments
2. Category 2A: Food Safety Improvements to Equipment / Facilities
3. Category 2B: Other Food Safety Improvements
4. Category 3: Food Safety Certifications

Category 1: Food Safety Assessments

Activities under this category focus on obtaining a food safety assessment highlighting the food safety risks, deficiencies, and traceability capacity of a business; resulting in a food safety workplan that outlines steps to address the identified gaps.

Food safety assessments are also called gap-assessments. Eligible applicants’ food safety assessments must be completed by an approved Qualified Food Safety Professional (QFSP) or Certifying Body (CB), which are qualified professionals in good standing with the appropriate regulator(s). Please note:

1. Eligible applicants will be required to obtain a quote for a food safety assessment from an approved QFSP or CB. If applicants pass IAF’s initial eligibility review, they may obtain this quote prior to their initial workplan call with the program’s Technical Advisor.

A reference list of Qualified Food Safety Professionals (QFSP) for the program may be found here.

A reference list of Certifying Bodies (CB) may be found here.

Assessments must include:

1. Deficiencies in existing food safety practices & infrastructure against a recognized food safety standard. A list of certifications recognized by FSP may be found under Category 3, and in the FAQ.
2. Recommendations in order of priority to mitigate key food safety risks identified.
3. If a facility or equipment upgrade is recommended, additional rationale for how the proposed recommendations mitigate or improve the identified risks.

Applicants may also choose to include identified business needs or opportunities in the assessment.

Category 2A: Food Safety Improvements to Equipment / Facilities

This category focuses on implementing the improvements outlined in a previously completed food safety assessment. This assessment does not have to be completed through Category 1 of FSP, but must have been completed by a Qualified Food Safety Professional (QFSP) or Certifying Body (CB) as defined by the program here, and must include:

1. Deficiencies in existing food safety practices & infrastructure against a recognized food safety standard. A list of standards/certifications recognized by FSP may be found under Category 3, and in the FAQ.
2. Recommendations in order of priority to mitigate key food safety risks identified.

Applicants may also seek Category 2 funding without a food safety assessment if they are registered/certified under third-party audited programs like HACCP compliance, GFSI schemes (BRC, SQF, CanadaGAP), Federal Dairy/Meat Inspections, etc.

Activities under this category focus on creating traceability plans, developing and implementing written food safety programs, making facility upgrades for regulatory compliance, and conducting laboratory testing required to reduce food safety risks. High quality activities demonstrate the largest impact on reducing food safety risk.

The applicant must have buildings, equipment, and relevant infrastructure as a starting point; funding will be provided for further food safety improvement. As an exception, approval for full equipment purchase may be considered if equipment upgrades required for food safety are more costly than buying new equipment, or if the equipment has significant linkages to food safety risks. This will be assessed by IAF on a case-by-case basis. The purchase of land or buildings is not eligible.

Eligible Activities in this category include:

Equipment purchases and/or facility modifications to meet regulatory compliance or have a strong impact on food safety.

1. Incremental Premises upgrade:

• Wall, doors, ceilings, and overhead structure repairs to prevent accumulation of contaminants, improve ability to clean and prevent entry of pests.
• Floor repairs to improve ability to clean and enable removal of water to drains.
• Drain repairs allowing rapid removal of wastewater and equipping with traps and back flow prevention.
• Building upgrade to enable proper segregation of material storage (ingredients /packaging), waste material and waste material handling equipment.
• Providing for change/lunch/washrooms that do not open into processing or packaging areas.
• Equipment sanitizing stations.
• Shatterproof lighting and windows.
• Ventilation upgrade to prevent dust and condensation build up.
• Ventilation to maintain positive air pressure.
• Hand washing stations, soap and paper towel dispensers, hand sanitizing stations, footbaths, and related signage.
• Facility modifications so food handling areas do not open directly outside.
• Installing self-closing doors.
• Water recirculation & treatment methods (e.g., ultraviolet, ozonation, filtering systems)
• Personnel hygiene-dedicated lunchroom and storage facilities for personal items.

2. Incremental Storage upgrade:

• Addition/upgrading cold storage/reefers, chillers, freezers.
• Temperature monitoring devices, data loggers.
• Storage for non-food chemicals, sanitizers, and chemical agents.

3. Incremental Equipment upgrade:

• Equipment linked to control of significant food safety risks (e.g., hazards controlled at CCPs).
• Equipment upgrades to food safety materials (non-toxic, smooth, and non-absorbent).
• Initial set up and calibration of new equipment with direct impact on food safety.
• Stainless steel worktables, food grade containers.
• Instruments to monitor process parameters at CCPs (e.g., temperature monitoring devices, data loggers, pH meters, water activity meters).
• Equipment/tools for testing chemical levels in water (e.g., chlorometer, ORP meter/automated chemical dispensing system).
• Designated utensils (e.g., scoops, pails, containers, brushes, brooms, shovels, bins, totes).

4. Incremental Sanitation and pest control:

• One-time undertaking the pest control survey and establishing pest control program (routine inspections not included).
• Cleaning equipment (e.g., hoses, nozzles, bin washers, floor cleaners).
• Cleaning utensils to support the development of a utensil/allergen control system (e.g., color-coded brushes, squeegees).
• Cleaning and sanitizing verification (e.g., ATP luminometer, micro and allergen test kits).
• Containers suitable for chemical application/use, pre-mixing unit/automated chemical dispenser, foam systems.
• Re-usable protective clothing (e.g., aprons, boots).

5. Foreign body detection:

• Metal detectors, magnets, parts.

Category 2B: Other Food Safety Improvements

Other food safety improvements to meet regulatory compliance or have a strong impact on food safety.

1. Incremental third-party Consultation/ Advisory costs to:

• Develop or improve written food safety program components (e.g., food safety policies, procedures, schedules, and records) for prerequisite programs, HACCP/PCP/OFFS and CCP validation.
• Develop or improve traceability and recall plans. Conducting a “mock recall” is only eligible if not applying to the Traceability Adoption Program (TAP) under Sustainable CAP.

2. Incremental third-party accredited Staff Training either on-line or in-person. A list of industry training courses may be found here.

• One-time training of staff on newly developed or updated procedures, policies or practices related to food safety.
• Food Safety Skills Development – Formal education or training course by a third-party accredited organization; includes manual/materials and training.

3. Validation of food safety process (outlined in HACCP plans/CCPs) control measures.
4. Baseline or incremental laboratory analysis:

• One-time cost to establish or improve environmental monitoring program testing performed by an accredited third-party laboratory to obtain validation results.
• Conduct shelf-life validation studies.

Category 3: Food Safety Certifications

Activities under this category focus on completing final audits which lead to successful certification or registration in nationally or internationally recognized food safety programs. Participants are eligible for multiple OFFS/HACCP Plans if they are incremental or new to the product being certified by the applicant. Annual re-certifications are not eligible.

Final audit and certification costs by a third-party which lead to a certification in the following accredited, national, and internally recognized food safety certification programs are eligible. The following list contains certifications recognized under FSP. Please note that this list is not exclusive. Other certifications may be accepted but require preapproval by the Ministry.

Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Schemes:

1. British Retail Consortium (BRC)
2. Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000
3. Global Red Meat Standards (GRMS)
4. International Food Safety Standard (IFS version 6)
5. PrimusGFS
6. Canada G.A.P.
7. Safe Quality Food (SQF 2000)
8. Global GAP

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Recognized Food Safety Plans:

1. Preventive Control Plans (PCPs) as per Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA)
2. Food Safety Enhancement Program (CFIA’s FSEP)
3. Canada Grains Council
4. Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Verified Beef Production
5. Canadian Cervid Alliance
6. Canadian Hatching Egg Producers: Canadian Hatching Egg Quality
7. Canadian Herbs, Spice and Natural Health Products Coalition
8. Canadian Honey Council
9. Canadian National Goat Federation: On-Farm Food Safety Program
10. Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Working Group
11. Canadian Pork Council: Canadian Quality Assurance Program
12. Canadian Sheep Federation: Food Safety Farm Practices: Canadian Verified Sheep Program
13. Canadian Trucking Alliance
14. Responsible Distribution Canada
15. Chicken Farmers of Canada: On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program
16. Dairy Farmers of Canada: Canadian Quality Milk
17. Egg Farmers of Canada: Start Clean-Stay Clean
18. Ontario Veal Association: Veal Quality Assurance Program
19. Turkey Farmers of Canada: On-Farm Food Safety Program

Please note, regarding traceability implementation:

The development or improvement of traceability or recall plans, including training, are eligible activities under this category. However, funding for the purchase, installation and use of dedicated equipment, hardware or software, required to specifically improve traceability capacity can only be accessed through the Traceability Adoption Program (TAP). Mock recall activities may be funded under FSP or TAP.