CFIA News Release: Government of Canada takes action to support interprovincial trade of meat and strengthen food security

News release

July 2, 2026 Ottawa, Ontario

As announced in the National Food Security Strategy (NFSS), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is taking action to reduce barriers to interprovincial trade of meat and support food security through a stronger, more resilient Canadian food system.

The CFIA is proposing targeted, time-limited amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) to make it easier to move red meat from one province to another when unmet slaughter capacity may be contributing to food security and regional economic issues. These regulatory amendments support the NFSS by increasing access to affordable, locally produced meat, particularly in rural and remote areas. They also advance the FPT Ministers’ commitment to pursuing opportunities to facilitate internal trade while maintaining Canada’s strong food safety standards and trade reputation.

With provincial support, the proposed changes will enable the CFIA to issue targeted, time‑limited exemptions that would allow the interprovincial movement and sale of low volumes of red meat under provincial oversight when there is unmet slaughter capacity. This proposal responds to challenges faced by small-scale livestock producers, specifically in rural and remote areas, that cannot access nearby slaughter services within their own province. The proposed exemption includes safeguards to ensure there is no impact on food safety or international trade. This includes limiting the exemption to low volumes of meat, ensuring traceability, and requiring the two provinces trading the meat to provide food safety oversight.

The benefits

This exemption will benefit small livestock producers and small provincial slaughter establishments by allowing them to test the market in another province while they look to become federally licensed.

• For livestock producers, this would improve access to nearby slaughter capacity and allow their meat to be traded interprovincially in a specific province. It would reduce transportation costs and support competitiveness.
• For provincial slaughter establishments, this would enable them to address the unmet slaughter capacity and, with CFIA support, explore whether pursuing a Safe Food for Canadians licence makes sense for their business before the exemption ends.
• The proposal also includes regulatory measures that would eliminate red tape by removing unintended work shift requirements for certain continuous activities and improve the clarity of SFCR requirements for stakeholders.

Have your say

The complete text of the proposed regulations is available in the Canada Gazette, Part I. Comments may be submitted through the Gazette commenting feature, or to cfia.internaltrade-commerceinterieur.acia@inspection.gc.ca until August 26, 2026.

For more information on the proposed regulations, please visit the CFIA Consultation web page.

The CFIA will review all comments received during the consultation period and may propose adjustments based on this feedback.

Quotes

“Removing barriers to internal trade is essential to building a stronger, more competitive Canadian food system. These proposed amendments create a practical, time‑limited pathway for producers and provincially licensed slaughter establishments to move red meat between provinces when local slaughter capacity is limited. This will help small producers and establishments test new markets, reduce transportation costs, and support food security in rural and remote communities, all while maintaining the high food safety standards Canadians expect.”

- The Honorable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick facts

• Since 2018, the number of federally licensed slaughter establishments has declined from 100 to 86, with similar reductions at the provincial level.
• Limited nearby slaughter capacity can restrict producers’ ability to sell meat, reduce consumer choice, and contribute to higher prices, particularly in rural and remote communities.
• The proposed exemption would be a one time, time‑limited four-year measure that would apply only where provinces and territories agree to provide oversight (subject to a CFIA risk assessment) and for low volumes of trade of raw, single-ingredient red meat products.
• Other amendments would remove unintended work‑shift requirements and improve the clarity of SFCR requirements for stakeholders.
• The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

For complete and up to date information, please visit the CFIA website for article details: https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2026/07/government-of-canada-takes-action-to-support-interprovincial-trade-of-meat-and-strengthen-food-security.html

Contacts
Media Relations
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
613-773-6600
cfia.media.acia@inspection.gc.ca