Food Protection
The Ministry of Health shares the responsibility for ensuring food safety in British Columbia with several other agencies, including the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the health authorities.
Food Premises
The health authorities administer the Food Premises Regulation in British Columbia. The regulation outlines public health requirements for businesses supplying and serving food to the public. The health authorities are responsible for licensing, inspecting and responding to complaints about food facilities. They also administer the FOODSAFE education program in their jurisdiction. For more information, visit the BCCDC’s Food and Your Health website.
Food Safety Courses
See Food Safety Courses to find out about voluntary and mandatory courses on the safe preparation, handling and serving of food.
Meat Inspection
For comprehensive information on this topic, see Meat Inspection.
British Columbia has a system for ensuring that meat produced in B.C. is safe for consumers, while providing enough slaughter and meat-processing capacity for the entire province. This system is governed by the Meat Inspection Regulation. The regulation ensures animals are humanely handled and slaughtered, carcasses are processed in a clean environment, and meat is packaged and stored in ways that reduce contamination risks.
The regulation also establishes classes of provincial slaughter licences. Class A licences permit both slaughter and cut-and-wrap services. Class B licences permit slaughter only. Amendments to the regulation in 2010 introduced a graduated licensing system that includes two new licences (Class D and Class E) designed to support local livestock and meat production in B.C.'s remote and rural communities.
In 2010, the Ministry of Health established the B.C. Abattoir Inspection Review to develop options for a new provincial meat inspection system. To learn more, see Consultations to Develop a New Provincial Meat Inspection System.
Milk and Dairy
The BCCDC’s Food Protection Services licenses and inspects all dairy plants in British Columbia under the Milk Industry Act and the Milk Industry Standards Regulation. Food Protection Services also provides educational materials and programs on dairy product safety. For more information, visit the BCCDC’s Dairy website.
Fish and Shellfish
The Fish Inspection Act and Fish Inspection Regulations govern fish and shellfish harvested, processed and sold in British Columbia (exports from B.C. fall under federal regulations). The Ministry of Agriculture issues licences for commercial fisheries, finfish and shellfish aquaculture, and fish-processing plants. The health authorities are responsible for inspecting and recommending approval of provincially licensed fish-processing plants to the Ministry of Agriculture. To learn more, visit the BCCDC’s Fish & Shellfish website.
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