The Improved Food Inspection Model: Draft Framework

The image illustrates the framework of the draft food inspection model. The image is composed of a pentagon with a number of circles around it, all above a horizontal and rectangular base divided into separate boxes.

• The pentagon comprises five equal, pie-shaped wedges that represent five key components of the draft inspection model.
• At the center of the pentagon are two boxes that represent the types of inspector that would be required to deliver the new model.
• The nine circles around the pentagon represent the various business areas and the business functions of each area that would be required to deliver the new model.
• The base represents six components of a foundation that would be required to deliver the new model.

Pentagon

The pentagon’s five pieces read as follows (from top right going clockwise):

• CFIA oversight
• Licensing
• Inspection
• Compliance and enforcement
• System performance

The two boxes at the center of the pentagon are titled “Frontline Inspectors” on the left and “System Assessment Officers” on the right.

The content of these two boxes reads as follows:

Under “Frontline Inspectors”

Functions that are listed as status quo are

• delivers inspection program using a single approach
• takes compliance and enforcement action, including food recall
• reports critical food safety issues
• verifies industry compliance using a balance of traditional and systems-based inspection

Under “System Assessment Officers”

Redesigned business functions for this new type of inspector are

• pre-licensing assessment of high-risk establishments and importers
• conducts inspection for system performance, including effectiveness and quality of delivery
• identifies gaps and issues to facilitate continuous improvement

Circles

The nine circles that represent agency business areas and that are placed around the pentagon read as follows (starting top right, going clockwise).

1. Risk oversight
2. Program management
3. Licensing
4. Centres of expertise
5. Field operations
6. Border control
7. Enforcement and investigation
8. Food safety and recall
9. Integrity and redress

The information within each one of these circles is as follows, starting at the top right and moving clockwise:

1. Risk oversight: This circle is marked as a redesigned business function and is placed near the “CFIA Oversight” pentagon piece. Business functions are
   • environmental scanning and trend analysis to support risk evaluation, program design and adjustments to risk management strategies
   • categorizes establishments and importers for licensing based on inherent risk
   • determines level of oversight for each establishment and importer based on residual risk
2. Program management: This circle is marked as status quo and is placed near both the “CFIA Oversight” and the “Licensing” pentagon pieces. Business functions are
   • develops program policy and regulations
   • provides functional guidance to Operations and Science Branches
   • works with national associations and domestic and international partners on issues and policy
3. Licensing: This circle is marked as a redesigned business function and is placed near the “Licensing” pentagon piece. The business function is
   • provides a single window to the administration and issuance of licensing
4. Centres of expertise: This circle is marked as a redesigned business function. It is placed between the “Licensing” and the “Inspection” pentagon pieces. Redesigned business functions are
   • national program design based on interpretation of regulations/policies
   • compliance promotion and education outreach to industry
   • develops and maintains manuals and provides advice to support program delivery
5. Field operations: This circle is marked as status quo and is placed by the ”Inspection” pentagon piece. Business functions marked are
   • develops and approves operational policies and procedures
   • provides operational input into program design
   • coordinates compliance and emergency response actions
   • develops the national operational work plan and allocates resources based on risk
   • develops and maintains a single enforcement strategy for food
6. Border control: This circle is marked as a redesigned business function and is placed between the “Inspection” and the “Compliance and Enforcement” pentagon pieces. Business functions are
   • implements single window initiative
   • confirms that importers have a valid license
   • develops single process for prohibition, border lookout and border blitzes
   • manages import data
7. Enforcement and investigation: This circle is marked as status quo and is placed by the “Compliance and Enforcement” pentagon piece. Business functions are
   • centralized enforcement
   • provides the expertise for investigations leading to enforcement actions
8. Food safety and recall: This circle is marked as status quo and is placed between the “Compliance and Enforcement” and the “System Performance” pentagon pieces. Business functions are
   • directs the gathering of evidence
   • assesses, classifies and makes decisions on food recalls
   • provides recall data and information necessary for determination of risk oversight
9. Integrity and redress: This circle is marked as a new delivery mechanism and is placed by the “System Performance” pentagon piece. Business functions are
   • single window to register complaints and appeals related to service delivery, administrative errors and regulator decisions
   • identifies systemic issues and the right tools for inspectors through data analysis

Base

The horizontal and rectangular base across the bottom consists of six boxes that read, from left to right:

1. Legislative and regulatory framework
2. Science
3. Training
4. Tools
5. Human resources
6. Communication and stakeholder engagement

The information within each of these boxes, starting from left to right, is as follows:

1. Under “Legislative and Regulatory Framework”
   • Modernizing legislation and regulations
2. Under “Science”
   • Enhanced scientific expertise to respond to changing demands and increasing complexity of the inspection environment to support decision making
3. Under “Training”
   • State-of-the-art training based on competencies of a modern inspection staff
4. Under “Tools”
   • Modern tools and systems to create sustainable and reliable sources of information to be used for reporting and decision making
5. Under “Human Resources”
   • Enabling human resources system including
     • competencies, recruitment. retention and career planning
6. Under “Communication and Stakeholder Engagement”
   • Enabling effective communications to CFIA staff, industry and Canadians