The Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition is enhancing Canada’s food safety audit system, bringing it more in line with international standards. The Coalition will receive up to $173,000 CAD to shape consistent food safety audits and certifications across all sectors of the food industry.

Consisting of members from every part of the agriculture and agri-value chain, the coalition’s investment in food safety standards was made as part of the Growing Forward 2 initiative. The initiative, whose new policies took effect in April this year, promotes the development of assurance systems that meet both buyer requirements and market demands.

The Growing Forward 2 initiative hopes to promote growth and innovation in the Canadian market. By developing these standards, Canada hopes that all sectors implementing a food safety system will be able to remain competitive in both the international and domestic markets.

In addition to the standards, the Coalition backed the Safe Food for Canadians Act which aims to protect Canadian families from potentially unsafe food by targeting unsafe food practices, implementing penalties, and controlling food imports, among other things. The Act was adopted by the Canadian Government in late 2012.

“Canada is known for its world-class ability to produce a variety of safe, high-quality agricultural and food products,” said Parliamentary Secretary Pierre Lemieux. “An important part of Canada’s rigorous food safety system is the strength of our oversight – not only do we have strong standards, but we have strong quality-control to back that up.”

Canada’s new standards and policies will affect the way agricultural and other food businesses run, making food that Canadians eat safer.