Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate the opportunity to participate, and I would like to explain what the CFIA is doing to support harmonizing regulations for the food production sector.
The CFIA is a science-based regulatory agency dedicated to safeguarding plants, animals, and food. It reports to the Minister of Health. Our first priority is the health and safety of Canadians.
The CFIA also supports the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in his responsibilities.
CFIA's approach to supporting harmonization with other countries has several dimensions. Perhaps the most important and foundational element we are working towards today is the implementation of the Safe Food for Canadians Act through new regulations. That act received royal assent on November 22, 2012, with support from all federal parties. The act establishes a modern legislative framework for food safety that shifts the focus from responding to food safety hazards and incidents to prevention. It also enables a new regulatory framework that is being developed and has so far been the subject of extensive consultation.
The proposed regulatory framework is modern and would allow for more efficient inspections based on risk and greater flexibility for industry innovation. Of particular relevance to today's discussion is that the new regulations will replace 13 existing inconsistent and prescriptive regulations with a single outcome-based regulation that applies to all food that is imported, exported, and traded between provinces.
What we mean by outcome-based is that as long as the food achieves the safety outcomes that are required, they can be achieved in multiple ways. This will significantly improve the ability of the food sector to innovate and the ability of Canadian exporters to meet not only Canadian but foreign requirements, while further strengthening the food safety system in Canada.
Finally, the Safe Food for Canadians Act and the regulations will instill even greater confidence that all food produced in Canada is safe and subject to the same requirements—requirements based on international standards established by Codex Alimentarius. That confidence is extremely important when it comes to exports. Perhaps the most important factors in maintaining and expanding access to foreign markets are the efficacy of the food safety system in Canada and the credibility of the competent authority, which is the CFIA.
The other element I want to talk about is specific to the U.S., the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council, or RCC. Canada and the U.S. have highly successful world-class regulatory systems that have evolved independently while their economies have grown closer. The RCC provides a structured and accountable process for Canada to work continuously with the U.S. to improve trade opportunities and enhance regulatory alignment. The RCC focuses on joint initiatives—both countries agree what they are going to work on—that seek to align regulatory systems and reduce unnecessary requirements.
For example, under the RCC, the CFIA and the United States Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. FDA, evaluated each other's food safety control systems and determined that they provide a similar level of health protection. A food safety systems recognition arrangement was subsequently signed this past April by the CFIA, Health Canada, and the FDA. The arrangement applies to fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, processed foods, and certain milk products. The recognition of an exporting country's food safety system as being comparable allows an importing country to focus its inspection resources on higher-risk foods and potentially higher-risk countries. Importers can be confident that the food source from the other country meets domestic requirements.
While the U.S. FDA covers most food, meat and poultry are the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the USDA. Canada and the U.S. routinely audit each other's meat inspection systems, which have been determined to be equivalent. However, in both countries, the regulatory frameworks for these products are much more prescriptive and entrenched than for other foods, making harmonization extremely difficult. The CFIA has a unique work plan with the USDA for meat and poultry. Both countries are committed to seeking greater harmonization and facilitating trade, and there has been some success. For example, in 2015, CFIA harmonized with the U.S. on meat nomenclature, essentially using the same terminology for beef products on both sides of the border.
I trust this sheds light on how the CFIA is working to support harmonizing regulations for the food production sector.
I look forward to any questions you may have.
Thank you.