Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program
Food Safety Initiative
Program Guidelines

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. GMPs and HACCP
3. The Food Safety Initiative
4. Steps to Completing Your Application
5. Additional Information
6. FSI Process Summary
7. Related Links

Introduction

Through the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed themselves to work together to help the agriculture and agri-food sector manage their risks and be more competitive and profitable. The Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program is a key part of the APF that will enhance Canada's reputation as a producer of safe, high-quality food products.

The Food Safety Initiative (FSI) program is one component of the Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program. The FSI program provides direct grants to food processors on a cost share basis, with 90% being contributed by government. Food processors can receive FSI funding by participating in the adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

These guidelines have been developed to assist the applicant in completing the application form and to steer the applicant through the necessary steps to receive funding.

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GMPs and HACCP

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are the prerequisite components of HACCP. They are designed to control hazards associated with personnel and the manufacturing environment, creating conditions that are favourable to the production of safe food products. Examples of GMPs or Prerequisite Programs are:
  • Equipment maintenance program
    
  • Sanitation program
    
  • Pest control program
    
  • Shipping, receiving, handling and storage program
    
  • Water safety program
    
    

  Adopting GMPs involves writing protocols and procedures, training personnel, implementing procedures and monitoring conformance. GMPs are implemented prior to the HACCP plan(s). Because GMPs identify and control a large number of general hazards, they limit the number of hazards that need to be controlled by a HACCP plan and make the HACCP system easier to maintain. Effective implementation and maintenance of GMPs lays the foundation for a HACCP system.

• HACCP plans
  A HACCP plan is designed to control hazards directly related to the product, ingredients or manufacturing process that are not controlled by GMPs. HACCP plans are developed through a process of hazard analysis to determine hazards significant to food safety. Control measures, called Critical Control Points (CCPs), are then put in place to prevent, reduce or eliminate these hazards. HACCP plans are facility specific.
  
  
• HACCP System = GMPs + HACCP plan(s)
  A full HACCP system includes both GMPs (Prerequisite Programs) plus HACCP plan(s). The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has developed HACCP Advantage, a HACCP program designed to be practical and feasible for all facilities, regardless of commodity processed or facility size. HACCP Advantage is based on international standards and contains both GMPs (Prerequisite Programs) and HACCP plans. Now the Ministry is offering a 3-step approach to food safety management - GMP Advantage, HACCP Advantage and HACCP Advantage Plus+ - that makes it easier for food processors to adopt a program that meets their food safety and market requirements. OMAFRA has a variety of resources to help operators implement both GMPs and HACCP, including a Program Manual and Guidebook.

  For more information on the HACCP Advantage series of programs and certification: call 1-888-466-2372 ext 64752 or contact us by e-mail at HACCP.Advantage@omafra.gov.on.ca.

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The Food Safety Initiative

Program Eligibility

You may apply for funding under this program if you meet all of the following criteria.

• You are an Ontario processor involved in processing food or drink for human consumption
• You have a Revenue Canada Business Number (GST Number)
• You are not a federally registered establishment
• You are licensed to operate in Ontario (if required e.g. Meat, Poultry and Dairy)

Note:

• You may be eligible if you are a packaging manufacturer for the food industry. These applications will be assessed on an individual basis.
• Fish and shellfish processing plants are not eligible under this program.
• Systems for pet foods are not eligible under this program
  

Eligible Costs

The FSI program provides grants for costs associated with the development, implementation and maintenance of either GMPs or HACCP. Descriptions of eligible and ineligible costs are available in Part G of the FSI application form.

Some examples of eligible costs include:

• Development, implementation and/or maintenance of GMPs and/or HACCP program, including:
  
  • Consultant fees for development and implementation of your program
    
  • Staff costs directly related to development and/or maintenance of your program (e.g., wages for HACCP Coordinators)
    
  • Materials and supplies for GMPs or HACCP plans or manuals
    
  • Technical assistance to prepare for the recognition audit
    
• Related scientific testing
  
• Related staff training costs
  
• Costs for rental or lease of facilities or equipment related to food safety program implementation
  
• GMP/HACCP audit and certification costs

Capital costs and equipment purchases are not eligible under the Food Safety Initiative.

Assistance Levels

FSI will reimburse 90% of eligible costs up to the following maximums:

Application Forms and Contact Information

Application forms can be obtained by contacting the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) at 1-866-641-3663 or by downloading from the OMAFRA website.

Deadlines

Applications will be accepted up to December 31, 2007. This is a first come, first served program and it is recommended that you apply well in advance of the application due date. Prior to payment, we will require receipts for expenses and supporting documents for proof of GMP and HACCP implementation. The deadline for submitting receipts and supporting documents is March 1, 2008. We also advise you to submit these as soon as you can. The program ends on March 31, 2008.

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Steps to Completing Your Application

Part A - Applicant Information

Items 1-15 are general questions about your business.

Part B - Activity

Please choose one of the options.

• If you wish to implement only GMPs, you will be eligible to receive up to $15,000 in funding.
  
• If you wish to implement HACCP (which includes GMPs and one HACCP plan), you will be eligible to receive up to $20,000 in funding.
  
• You may implement 3 additional HACCP plans and receive additional funding of $3,000 per HACCP plan for a maximum total of $29,000 in funding.

Please note, to receive funding in excess of $15,000, your facility must be HACCP certified and evidence of certification must be provided to the FSI Program Administrator.

If your plant meets certain criteria, you may be eligible to participate in a pilot study. Please indicate if you are interested and you will be contacted to make an application. In a pilot project, OMAFRA will work closely with you to ensure that your facility fully implements GMPs or HACCP. Concurrently, OMAFRA will also be collecting data to help develop a variety of information packages. These include educational materials, cost/benefit data, generic models, and sector-specific materials.

Part C - Food Safety Program Information

Developing a food safety program at any facility requires dedicated staff to help write a food safety program, train staff, and maintain the program. In Part C, we would like you to indicate how you plan to acquire and/or utilize existing staff to participate in developing a food safety program.

Part D - Proposed Work Plan and Budget

The activities involved with GMP and HACCP implementation are listed here. Please check off the activities that you plan to complete. In the next two columns, please provide an estimated start and finish date for each activity and, in the last column, indicate the associated costs that you estimate you will incur.

Part E - Additional HACCP Plans

Please indicate the product, start and finish dates and estimated costs for any additional HACCP plans. Additional financial assistance is provided through FSI to help you implement more than one HACCP plan. Please note, to receive funding in excess of $15,000, you must plan to receive HACCP certification and provide evidence of certification for all HACCP plans to the FSI Program Administrator.

Part F - Other Funding

If you are applying for costs covered by another government funding program, please indicate here. This program will not cover costs already covered by another funding program. If you are a meat plant, some of your capital and non-capital costs may be covered by the Meat Plant Assistance Program (MPAP). Please contact OMAFRA for more information regarding MPAP.

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Part G - Activities and Costs

Please carefully review the list of eligible and ineligible costs listed on page 7 of the Application form.

Part H - Declaration of the Applicant

Signing this Declaration indicates that you have read and understood the requirements of this program. Also, you agree to follow the conditions set forth in the application form and the program guidelines.

By signing the declaration you are also authorizing OMAFRA, at the Program Administrator's discretion, to obtain a credit report from a recognized credit reporting agency as part of its determination of your financial stability.

Application forms must be signed by the applicant. For partnerships and other forms of joint ownership, all partners or owners must sign the application form. For corporations, the authorized officer(s) must sign the application form.

Designates are not permitted to sign application forms unless they have duly authorized powers of attorney, the proof of which must be submitted with the application.

Mailing Your Application

Please submit your completed application form, Statement of Tangible Net Worth, and any other supporting documents to:

Program Administrator
Food Safety Initiative
OMAFRA
1 Stone Road West
Guelph, ON, N1G 4Y2

Fax: 1-519-826-4466

If you have any further questions completing your application form, or throughout the funding process, please call the FSI hotline at: 1-866-641-3663.

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Additional Information

Application Processing

Once your application is received, it will be processed as quickly as possible. Applicants will be notified of their application's eligibility, and will receive a Contribution Agreement and Claim Forms.

Contribution Agreement

The Contribution Agreement indicates in writing the terms and conditions for receiving payment for eligible costs, including the event of default under which you will be required to repay all, or a portion, of the payment.

When you receive the Contribution Agreement, please return a signed copy of it to the Program Administrator at OMAFRA within 15 business days. Keep the Claim Forms for submitting expenses.

Changing Your Application

At any time, if you wish to make changes to your application form (for example, you wish to change from GMPs to HACCP or from HACCP to GMPs) you must notify the Program Administrator in writing of the proposed change.

Submitting Claims

After you have incurred costs related to the implementation of your food safety program, you may submit expenses with supporting documentation providing proof of GMP and/or HACCP implementation. Without proof of HACCP Certification, you will only be eligible for the $15,000 GMPs portion.

The Claim forms with supporting documentation will be reviewed for eligibility and a cheque authorized for all approved expenditures.

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Supporting Documentation

You will need to provide some of the following documents as proof of GMP implementation:

• Receipts
  
• Payroll records
  
• GMP Programs (You may provide copies of the following written programs)
  
  • Sanitation
  • Pest Control
    
  • Equipment Maintenance
    
  • Water Safety
    
  • Recall
    
  • Shipping, Receiving, Handling & Storage
    
  • Personnel Practices
    
• Other documents, such as records may also be used to support your claim.

You will need to provide some of the following documents as proof of HACCP implementation:

• Receipts
  
• Payroll records
  
• Must provide a copy of HACCP Certification. (Without proof of HACCP Certification, you will only be eligible for the $15,000 GMPs portion.)
  
• HACCP Program(s)
  
• Training Records, Training Certificates, HACCP course Certificate

Technical Review by FSI Assessment Staff

When a Claim is submitted to OMAFRA, the Claim Forms, invoices and supporting documentation will be reviewed by FSI Assessment Staff to ensure that claimed items meet the FSI Application Form and Program Guidelines. FSI Assessment Staff will calculate an approved amount from the Claim Forms.

Payment

Payment will be made after the Contribution Agreement, Claim Forms, and appropriate documentation for proof of payment (e.g., receipts, copies of cancelled cheques, bank records, payroll records) and proof of the adoption of GMPs and/or HACCP has been received and undergone technical review by FSI Assessment Staff. Your payment package will include a Payment Letter and a Cheque. The Cheque you receive will be based on the amount approved. Your payment amount may be for all items that you have submitted in your Claim Forms, or only a portion. If you are only receiving a portion of your Claimed expenses, the Payment Letter will outline either the ineligibility of unpaid items, or the need for further supporting documentation which you are required to submit prior to receiving payment.

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FSI Process Summary

• Please note that random audits will be performed by OMAFRA to review your food safety program.
  

Appeals

An eligible applicant may, in writing to the Program Administrator, request an appeal of the decision regarding their application within 30 calendar days of notification from the Program Administrator of the status of their application.

Termination of Program

The Minister may terminate this program at any time without notification to applicants.

Refunds

Applicants will be required to refund any payment received under this Program that is not in accordance with the Program Guidelines within 30 calendar days of notice being provided to them by the Program Administrator. Failure to make repayment as required by the Program Administrator creates a debt owing to the Crown in Right of Ontario that can be set off against any money the Crown owes to the applicant.

False or Misleading Information

Applicants who provide false or misleading information under this program forgo all rights to any benefit for which the applicant would otherwise be eligible from this Program, are liable to repay any or all payments received, and may be subject to prosecution.

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Confidentiality

The program will be administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Personal, financial, commercial, scientific, or technical information provided in the application will become the property of OMAFRA and is collected for the purposes of administering the FSI, developing aggregate statistical profiles of applicants and developing a database of Ontario stakeholders for the purpose of informing stakeholders about further food safety programs and HACCP initiatives and for the purpose of audit and evaluation and may be shared with the federal government for the said purposes. Questions about the application process may be directed to 1-866-641-3663. Information provided in the application form and in the application process is governed by the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Information will not be disclosed except as required by the Act. Applicants will also be required to provide consent to OMAFRA under the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) to allow the Program Administrator to obtain necessary information from municipal corporations, federal and provincial governments, or any agency, board, or commission thereof, and any non-government organizations in the assessment of applications and Payments.

Ministerial Discretion

The Minister has the absolute discretion to determine any Payments under this Program notwithstanding the Program Guidelines. The Minister has absolute discretion to administer this Program; to make, amend, or revoke rules concerning administration of this Program; to amend, revoke, replace, or add any other program Guidelines; and to interpret any word, sentence or phrase contained in the Program Guidelines and Application form, including the ability to make, extend, or waive timelines.

Debts to Government

The Minister has the right to deduct from the Eligible Applicant's Payment any amount due and owing to the Province of Ontario, where appropriate arrangements are in place.

No Liability

The applicant acknowledges that Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario is not liable to the applicant, the applicant's heirs, administrators and assigns for the personal injury, property damage, or any other damage, injury, claim or loss whatsoever arising out of this Program and the applicant's participation in it.

Related Links

• Food Safety Initiative Application Form
  
  
• Food Safety Initiative
  

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