Market Access Food Safety Program

This program focuses on assisting companies to overcome a specific food safety requirement or obstacle that is preventing them from entering a new market, or in keeping markets open when requirements change.

Specifically, this program will support a limited number of companies with:

  • obtaining Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI) certification which will in turn open more export markets
  • meeting the food safety requirements of new markets to support market entry or market expansion

What are eligible activities?

  • Gap assessments for specific food safety program requirements to assess what needs to be done for compliance with a specific standard.
  • Program coaching of a company’s food safety program manager or quality assurance staff on plan development or revisions, implementation and employee training.
  • Pre-audit assessment in preparation for a third-party audit to meet a specific food safety program standard.

Service definitions

  • Gap Assessment: on and offsite assessment and report to a predetermined standard supplied by the individual company involved; facility inspection (onsite) and written food safety program review; written food safety program review only (onsite or offsite); facility inspection onsite only.
  • Program Coaching: assistance with the development and/or implementation of a food safety program. This can be done on or offsite depending on the aspects the individual company needs assistance with. This may or may not include employee/individual training.
  • Pre-Audit Assessment: conducted at a facility or offsite based on the company’s written food safety program at least one month in advance of a third-party audit that is already booked. Individual company must consider itself to be audit ready, food safety program in place and implemented with a history of completed records. 

What funding is available?

Funding is available to a maximum of $15,000 per applicant and based on scope and deliverables. Due to caps on the funding, not all applicants may be funded.  Please apply early.

Is there an equity requirement?

Yes. Projects are cost-shared to a maximum of 50/50 with applicants (for example, a $30,000 project would receive $15,000 in funding). Applicants must pay a percentage of their contribution for the project to begin, depending on total project costs.

Application Process

What is the application process and requirements?

  • Complete the Market Access Food Safety application or email seafood@perennia.ca to be sent the form. Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding so please ensure you submit a completed application. All information will be kept confidential and used for application assessment purposes only.
  • Once an application is received, applicants should be prepared to be contacted by a Perennia team member to get further information or to have follow up questions answered.
  • Applications will be reviewed quickly for approval so projects can move forward.
  • Successful applicants must be able to provide a down payment before work begins.
  • Scheduling of the project may begin immediately upon application approval with a signed quote and project plan.

Contact

For more information on this program, or to check the status of your application please contact Ashley Sprague at 902-955-0248 or asprague@perennia.ca.