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The Ministry of Health and its partners have begun the final stage of implementing amendments to the Meat Inspection Regulation (MIR) through the Rural and Remote Licensing Strategy. Its main intent is to create improved market opportunities for small-scale producers in areas where slaughter capacity is limited or unavailable, while supporting the viability of licensed A and B facilities. To this end, the strategy has led to the creation of the new graduated licensing system. The new system offers several different types of licences in order to meet the diverse needs of livestock producers, retailers and consumers across the province, especially those in rural and remote areas.
The following diagram and table compare the various types of licences available under the graduated licensing system. For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions.
| Comparison of New and Existing Licences available under the Graduated Licensing System | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licence Type | Licensing Status | Activities Permitted | Sales Permitted | Geographic Scope | Number of Animal Units** | Oversight |
| Federal Licence | Current and continuing | Slaughter, and cut and wrap | Retail and direct to consumer | B.C. and out of province | Unlimited | Pre- and post-slaughter inspection of each animal |
| Class A | Current and continuing | Slaughter, and cut and wrap | Retail and direct to consumer | B.C. | Unlimited | Pre- and post-slaughter inspection of each animal |
| Class B | Current and continuing | Slaughter only | Retail and direct to consumer | B.C. | Unlimited | Pre- and post-slaughter inspection of each animal |
| *Class C | To be phased out | Slaughter only | Direct to consumer only | B.C. | Unlimited | No inspection |
| Class D | New | Slaughter only (own animals and other peoples' animals) | Retail and direct to consumer | Sales restricted within the regional district where meat is produced | 1 - 25 | Periodic site assessments and audit of operational slaughter records |
| Class E | New | Slaughter only (own animals only) | Direct to consumer only | Sales restricted within the regional district where meat is produced | 1 - 10 | Periodic site assessments and audit of operational slaughter records |
| Personal Use | No licence required | Slaughter only | None | For producer only | Unlimited | None |
*Note that Class C transitional licences are being phased out. No new applications are being accepted (as of June 1, 2010). Existing Class C licence holders are expected to be working towards obtaining a Class A or B licence. They are required to submit a transition plan detailing the steps they must complete to achieve a Class A or B licence, including key milestones and target completion dates.
**One animal unit means: combined weight, when measured alive, of 1000 lbs (454 kg) of meat (e.g., beef, poultry, bison, etc.)
The Class D and E licence application process is now open. For more information, please see: How Do I Apply for a D or E Licence? You can also contact your regional health authority for more information.
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