December 19, 2019 – When the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations came into force on January 15, 2019, importers were required to have a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence to import food into Canada. Since then, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has been using a graduated enforcement approach to help food business comply with the new regulations. Beginning January 15, 2020, if you import any of the following food commodities without a valid SFC licence to import, you may experience delays or rejection of your shipment at the border, and you may be subject to other enforcement actions:

· Meat products and food animals

· Fish

· Dairy products

· Eggs and processed egg products

· Fresh fruits and vegetables

· Processed fruit or vegetable products

· Honey products

· Maple products

For all other foods, you will require an SFC licence to import on July 15, 2020.