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Industry Labelling Tool: overview

Is there a search function within the Industry Labelling Tool (ILT)

Yes. A search engine has been created to locate information within the ILT, which includes consumer information and the ILT. This search engine will find information that is relevant to food labelling requirements and can be accessed from the Labelling, standards of identity and grades web page.

Is the ILT a legal document

No, the ILT is not a legal document. It is a tool to assist industry compliance with legislation and consumer protection. The ILT provides information on food labelling and advertising requirements as well as policies that apply to statements and claims made for foods, including alcoholic beverages. Food claims that adhere to the information set out in this tool are considered to comply with the provisions set out in the Food and Drugs Act, the Food and Drug Regulations, the Safe Food for Canadians Act, the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, and other relevant legislation.

For the purposes of interpreting and applying the law, the official version of the applicable legislation remains within the Food and Drugs Act, the Safe Food for Canadians Act and other acts enforced by CFIA. For more information, refer to Labelling legislative framework.

Has all information from former references like the Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising and Nutrition Labelling Toolkit been included in the ILT

Yes, all labelling information that is still valid has moved from former references like the Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising and the Nutrition Labelling Toolkit. Since the format of the ILT is subject based, not all of the content taken from the Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising or Nutrition Labelling Toolkit is in the same place. Any information that was duplicated between the guide and the toolkit has been consolidated into one place for the ILT.

Does the guidance in the ILT cover provincial labelling requirements

In general, the information in the ILT is about federal labelling requirements in Canada. Additional provincial requirements may apply.

Is a PDF version of the entire ILT available for viewing and printing

No, a PDF version is not available for the entire ILT. The table of contents for each subject has a "View all information" or "Complete text" option to make it easier to view and print entire subjects. However, printed versions of the ILT may not have the latest information and users are encouraged to consult the online version.

What if I need more information or can't find what I'm looking for

If the ILT does not provide the necessary information, follow up questions can be sent to the local CFIA office. International exporters sending products to Canada from another country should contact the local CFIA office closest to the Canadian port of entry.

Will the ILT continue to evolve or is it complete? How will we be notified about updates

Food labelling is an evolving subject that changes on a regular basis and the ILT will be updated as needed with new policy and relevant information. A history of changes to the ILT is available through the Record of food labelling and advertising updates web page. To stay informed about changes to the ILT, please sign up for related email notifications.

Where are the decisions, information letters and policy updates that used to be on the CFIA website

All of this information has been integrated into the ILT. It can be found within the text of the ILT or within the "Additional Information" section of the most relevant ILT subject area.

In the former Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising, regulatory references were often written in the subject header titles. Where are the regulatory references in the ILT

The ILT includes more specific regulatory references. These have been entered within the text at the end of the related sentences or paragraphs. This was done to support understanding of how the content is supported in regulations.

How should sections of the ILT be formally referenced

ILT references should be listed by topic title and subheading, such as "Date markings - Manner of declaring". Adding regulatory or legislative references that are used in the tool is also appropriate. To facilitate web links, all sections and subsections within the ILT have direct links so readers can be taken straight into specific topics.

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