Reducing Red Tape — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Progress Report

On this page

• Context
• Executive summary
• Red tape reduction initiatives
  • Government–stakeholder collaboration on regulatory modernization and experimentation
  • Agricultural Marketing Programs Act and Agricultural Marketing Programs Regulations
  • Animal Pedigree Act
  • Canadian Agricultural Loans Act and Canadian Agricultural Loans Regulations
  • Pari-Mutuel Betting and Racing and Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations
  • Farm Products Agencies Act and Regulations and the Agricultural Products Marketing Act and Regulations
  • Canada Grain Act and Regulations
  • Canadian Dairy Commission Act and Regulations

Context

The agriculture and agri-food sector operates within a regulatory framework designed to support food safety, animal and plant health, the environment, the security and safety of our food supply, access to markets, and the social and economic well-being of Canadians. Canada’s strong regulatory system is foundational to Canada’s export-oriented economy, and plays an important role in supporting economic growth, competition, innovation and international competitiveness, while bolstering consumer confidence by ensuring a safe and transparent food system. While Canada’s regulatory framework is robust, its complexity can be challenging for businesses and producers to navigate. Regulators have been working to reduce the burden of red tape and modernize regulations to ease burden on industry without compromising health, safety and the environment for Canadians.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and its portfolio partners, Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal, Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA), Farm Credit Canada, and Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC), are responsible for over 200 regulatory instruments, which derive their authority from over a dozen acts. AAFC regulatory instruments are designed to enable the creation of programming and services including assisting producers in managing business risks, supporting the marketing of agricultural products, and facilitating competitiveness and trade. For a list of AAFC regulatory responsibilities, visit the Acts and regulations webpage.

The current agriculture and agri-food regulatory modernization priorities are rooted in the 2019 Agri-Food and Aquaculture Targeted Regulatory Review Roadmap, which laid out a regulatory modernization plan in support of innovation and economic growth in the agri-food and aquaculture sector. In response to Roadmap recommendations, AAFC launched the Agile Regulations Table (ART) in 2020, which brings the sector and government together to discuss regulatory priorities and find ways to collaboratively improve and modernize Canada’s agricultural regulatory system. AAFC and partners are pursuing innovative approaches to help address regulatory issues, including regulatory experimentation and journey mapping to help regulators fill data gaps, streamline approvals and test new processes.

Beyond AAFC, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada are the most prevalent regulators for the sector in areas including food and feed safety, novel foods and labelling. AAFC works closely with regulatory partners on regulatory modernization opportunities.

The respective progress reports by CFIA and Health Canada can be found here.

Executive summary

In ongoing efforts to reduce red tape, AAFC and its portfolio partners have made headway through digitalization, eliminating duplicative and unnecessary burden, developing clearer guidance and modernizing regulatory frameworks. AAFC’s Red Tape Progress Report includes 19 initiatives, 6 of which have been achieved, 13 are ongoing or upcoming that include proposed legislative modernization. Of the ongoing initiatives underway, most are anticipated to be completed within the next 2 years.

Progress achieved to date

• In response to stakeholders’ calls for more effective collaboration with government, AAFC launched the Agile Regulations Table (ART) in 2020 to address the cumulative and economic impacts of regulations, resolve persistent regulatory irritants and enable innovation through pilot projects. Following government–stakeholder collaboration on regulatory modernization and experimentation coordinated by the ART, AAFC has an evergreen list of over 150 specific issues and irritants, of which 34 have been addressed and initiatives are underway to address 20+ others.
• The introduction of a digital-based system to authorize the conduct of pari-mutuel betting on horse racing has resulted in the Administrative Burden Baseline count decreasing from 731 to 304. The digital system streamlines application and renewal processes, reduces paperwork, and improves processing times with fewer resources resulting in faster service and reduced administrative costs.
• AAFC identified outdated and duplicative processes through a comprehensive review of the Animal Pedigree Act (APA). AAFC is now in the process of seeking feedback from all breed associations incorporated under the APA on potential updates that could lower administrative burden and costs, as well as offer digital options that would reduce processing times.
• A process improvement exercise undertaken by the Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC) in 2024 resulted in the digitization of the regulatory amendment process for marketing and promotion-research agencies, streamlining the process and considerably reducing the administrative burden on FPCC and all 6 agencies.
• AAFC digitized and streamlined various processes under the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) Program, including for submitting loan registrations, defaults and claims for losses. This is expected to result in faster service delivery and further reduce the administrative burden on producers, lenders and bureaucrats.

Further regulatory modernization and red tape reduction can be enabled through modernization of AAFC’s legislative framework, including but not limited to:

• Findings from AAFC’s ongoing consultations with stakeholders for input on improving flexibility and reducing administrative burden with respect to the CALA will require legislative and regulatory changes to further reduce red tape.
• Following the 2023 Review of the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act (AMPA), AAFC continues to pursue the implementation of significant improvements to the Advance Payments Program which depends on legislative and regulatory changes to be realized.
• Potential amendments to the Agricultural Products Marketing Act (APMA) would offer a more efficient stakeholder-oriented approach, significantly reduce federal red tape, offer a greater collaboration between federal and provincial governments, and streamline processes.
• Potential amendments to the Farm Products Agencies Act (FPAA) would remove outdated, burdensome and age discriminatory requirements, allowing for more agile and inclusive processes.
• Modernization of the Canada Grain Act (CGA) based on stakeholder feedback to 2021 consultations would result in less prescriptive legislation. This could lead to reduced regulatory burden on the grain sector and greater ability for the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) to optimize its operations and lower fees to the sector, while maintaining necessary regulatory protections.

AAFC and its portfolio partners remain committed to red tape reduction, improving user experience, leveraging technology as a tool for promoting modernization, improving stakeholder engagement and continuing to collaborate as we strive towards a more agile regulatory framework in the agriculture and agri-food sector. AAFC will continue to leverage its ART to further government priorities of enabling innovation and cutting red tape through regulatory modernization to build a stronger economy.

Red tape reduction initiatives

Government–stakeholder collaboration on regulatory modernization and experimentation

Ongoing initiative: Agile Regulations Table: Sector-specific government–stakeholder collaboration on regulatory issues

Context: As a part of the 2019 Agri-food and Aquaculture Roadmap process, stakeholders raised concerns about the growing complexity and cumulative burden of regulatory requirements, which are creating significant red tape for industry. They stressed the need for more effective collaboration with government to address the cumulative and economic impacts of regulations, resolve persistent regulatory irritants, and enable innovation through pilot projects. In response, the ART was established in 2020 and developed a multi-year strategic plan with stakeholders to tackle these challenges.

Actions: Since launching, the ART has held 20 meetings bringing together stakeholders from across the agriculture and agri-food sector with federal regulators and provincial/territorial partners. Under the ART, the Agriculture and Agri-food Regulatory Issues Working Group was established to explore opportunities to reduce cumulative regulatory burden, unintended consequences and irritants across the supply chain. In alignment with the ART Strategic Plan, an evergreen list of over 150 specific stakeholder-identified issues and irritants was developed with the purpose of informing regulatory issues to be discussed at Sector Engagement Tables. The ART also held 17 one-on-one interviews with industry stakeholders from fall 2024 to spring 2025 where industry shared specific views, concerns and experiences related to cumulative regulatory burden.

Using feedback obtained on the regulatory issues list in combination with insight gained through stakeholder interviews, issues were prioritized under 5 main themes:

1. Cumulative Impact of Regulations
2. Regulatory Development Process
3. International Regulatory Alignment
4. Guidance Documents; and,
5. Regulatory Consultations

Outcomes: In December 2024, stakeholders and regulators participated in moderated breakout sessions intended to discuss actions the Government of Canada could undertake to address each of the 5 themes previously mentioned. Recommendations from this session and the one-on-one stakeholder interviews were compiled and separated into potential actions for ART and potential actions for regulators. A presentation of these results was shared with stakeholders and federal regulators with a goal of discussing collective next steps and opportunities to advance these priorities. Of the over 150 issues identified so far, 34 have been addressed. These include regulatory amendments and policy changes undertaken by a range of regulatory organizations, which stem from the 2019 Agri-Food and Aquaculture Roadmap and have been shared with the sector.

Next steps for ART include continuing to maintain and update the list of regulatory issues to help inform forward regulatory plans and workplans. Of the issues identified, initiatives are underway to address over 20 of them. The ART has begun engaging with federal regulators on the insights gained through stakeholder interviews and ART discussions, including the potential actions for regulators to ease burden and cut red tape. As part of this engagement, the ART will share specific industry concerns with consultation practices within the next year to raise awareness of challenges industry faces when providing input to the Government of Canada and recommend changes to optimize the consultation process.

Timeline: Long term: Ongoing

Progress achieved: Agile Regulations Table: Ready to grow journey mapping

Context: Interprovincial food trade is a long-standing and complex challenge involving food safety, international market considerations and economies of scale. Increasing interprovincial trade can offer increased economic growth and choice for Canadians. Food inspection in Canada is shared between the federal government, with jurisdiction over internationally and interprovincially traded food, and provinces/territories, with jurisdiction over food within their borders. This system means that in order to trade interprovincially, a business must meet the federal requirements.

Actions: As a pilot for the Journey Mapping Toolkit which was developed by the ART, a small number of meat plants in Ontario participated in a journey mapping exercise to better understand their experiences including challenges and opportunities with trading outside of their provincial borders. In collaboration with the CFIA and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness (OMAFA), AAFC led a journey mapping exercise to better understand the experiences and considerations in expanding from intra-provincial to interprovincial trade. The project focused on diverse participants, with an emphasis on hearing directly from end users, with a balance of small and medium abattoirs and processing plants focusing on different types of meat products. Stakeholders participated in several sessions and developed personas whose path to federal licensing could be mapped out, with perceived challenges and obstacles along the way being noted.

Outcomes: AAFC heard consensus that maintaining high food safety standards and international trade competitiveness is everyone’s goal. Participants flagged operating realities for consideration, including economies of scale, return on investment concerns, local supply chain connections and retail demands. This work helped the CFIA and OMAFA refine the “Ready-to-Grow” pilot, which has now begun working directly with 10 candidate businesses. The pilot is showing that businesses can successfully transition to federal oversight (3 of 10 companies have applied for Safe Food for Canadians licences).

Progress achieved: Agile Regulations Table: Enabling innovation, growth and regulatory excellence through experimentation

Context: The agriculture and agri-food sector is under the purview of various regulations meant to safeguard food safety, sustainability and international trade agreements. While Canada’s regulatory system is highly respected worldwide, the agriculture and agri-food regulatory landscape has become increasingly complex. Regulatory modernization is progressing, but AAFC recognizes the work needed to ensure regulations keep pace with innovation. In order to enable growth and innovation, AAFC has embraced regulatory experimentation , bringing together interested industry stakeholders and relevant regulators to design regulatory experiments and sandboxes that allow for growth and competitiveness while protecting the safety of Canadians.

Actions: AAFC has led efforts in regulatory experimentation, using the ART as a medium for meaningful stakeholder engagement and leveraging the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Centre for Regulatory Innovation funding to pursue regulatory experiments. AAFC has worked with industry stakeholders and the CFIA to develop 2 innovative regulatory experiments to reduce red tape and enable growth.

• AAFC worked with the CFIA to facilitate industry collaboration to streamline regulatory pathways for novel fertilizers. The CFIA has published service standards of up to 380 working days to process applications for premarket authorization of fertilizer products and is currently working through a backlog of applications. Industry has identified that the lengthy published review timelines are an impediment to bringing new and novel products to the market. Through the Fertilizer Regulatory Modernization Initiative, the List of Primary Fertilizer and Supplement Materials (LOM) was incorporated by reference in the Fertilizers Regulations. This incorporation by reference allows for changes to the LOM to be made without a regulatory amendment, allowing CFIA to add materials to the list on an ad-hoc basis with the CFIA President’s approval, thereby reducing the burden on both government and industry. CFIA is working with industry to prioritize materials to add to the LOM first and to collaborate toward the creation of the evidence package required for the addition. This experiment will pilot a new model to facilitate industry collaboration across a diverse stakeholder base by prioritizing materials to be assessed for addition to the LOM. It is intended to generate learnings that will contribute to, and promote, an agile regulatory framework for fertilizer and supplement products, while reducing the time it takes to bring new products to market in Canada.
• To improve the regulatory guidance development process for livestock feeds, AAFC worked with the CFIA to support their proposal to test a new approach to guidance document development that would include a piloting step. For this new step, the guidance would be used by companies to develop a limited number of applications that would be evaluated on a priority basis by the CFIA for eventual market approval or registrations for their products. The application evaluation process would be different than the regular process in that the CFIA would engage with pilot participants to focus test the draft guidance and use that information to supplement or refine the guidance to make it more fit for purpose. The CFIA would like to confirm if, compared to the customary process, the pilot leads to more targeted, meaningful feedback from stakeholders; if stakeholders value the added opportunity for engagement; and if the revisions made as a result of the piloting step correlate with increased stakeholder satisfaction during public consultation.

Outcomes: Regulatory experimentation allows regulators to test new approaches to regulation through a limited and targeted approach that maintains the safety of Canadians while encouraging growth and innovation. AAFC continues to support the CFIA as it analyzes the results of these experiments and determines if they will result in more efficient processes that are timely and reduce the workload for both industry and government.

Progress achieved: Regulatory experimentation to allow drone-based pesticide application: Comparing pesticide residues and spray deposits between spray-drones and conventional application methods

Context: Drones used to apply pesticides are of great interest to Canadian growers. Some potential advantages associated with drones as compared to other methods such as boom sprays, backpack sprayers or planes include: more uniform and targeted coverage, reduced labour, the possibility of safer application on varying terrain, and lower carbon footprint compared to tractors or planes. This use is already registered in the United States, creating a competitive gap. As a new technology, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) needs to establish what data are required to ensure this application does not create unacceptable risks to human health or the environment. This data will help guide the regulatory process for drone-based pesticide application.

Actions: In spring 2022, AAFC convened a working group comprised of a broad range of experts to explore ways to address the spray-drone data gap in Canada. Supported by the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Regulators’ Capacity Fund, AAFC’s Science and Technology Branch worked with the PMRA and industry to generate surrogate residue data, which the PMRA could compare to other existing regulatory data and decide if it properly represented the real world characteristics of pesticide application and could be considered as equivalent to traditional application methods. In 2023, field trials were conducted across Canada on 4 crops identified to generate data on residues left on the crop and its surrounding environment when using varying drones to apply pesticides. In 2024, residues collected during the field season were analyzed using Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) certified laboratory procedures. In 2025, final reports on the results of the study were compiled for review by the PMRA. The data generated will be made publicly available.

Outcomes: If data are acceptable, a regulatory path to use existing surrogate data to register pesticide products to be applied with drones could be established by the PMRA.

Next steps: AAFC will submit data collected over the course of this experiment to PMRA for review and to inform regulatory decisions and aerial guidance.

Timeline: Medium-term: Pending receipt of outstanding data, approximately 1 year

Agricultural Marketing Programs Act and Agricultural Marketing Programs Regulations

Ongoing initiative: Progress against recommendations from the 2023 Review of the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act

Context: A review of the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act (AMPA) was tabled before Parliament in June 2023. The report summarized a review of the AMPA and its programming, including the Advance Payments Program (APP), Price Pooling Program, and Government Purchase Program (not an active program). As the largest AMPA program, the report mainly focused on the APP and identified several potential areas of improvement to reduce administrative burden and benefit the sector. The potential improvements include:

• developing a more risk-based approach to assessing the credit-worthiness of APP applicants based on their APP history and credit information;
• streamlining the process for increasing APP program limits as a means of supporting producers in times of crisis;
• reducing the need for priority agreements signed by creditors in favour of upfront lien registration for all APP advances;
• replacing current requirement for providing proof of sale with each APP repayment with a less burdensome risk-based audit approach; and
• removing the administrator’s percentage provisions, which are not meeting their intended objective and are burdensome for administrators and producers.

Additionally, AAFC officials have noted that the department and many third-party APP administrators do not have systems in place to quickly and accurately calculate APP advance balances. This means government and administrator staff must calculate these balances manually, which can be time consuming and leaves room for errors.

Actions: AAFC is making progress on implementing improvements to the APP. To date, the department:

• has developed and implemented (2025 APP program year), through a federal-APP administrator working group, credit-worthiness requirements which are intended to free up resources from low-risk applications that can be redirected towards those that are higher risk;
• is working to make the legislative and regulatory amendments required to implement the remainder of the changes form in the 2023 AMPA Review that are mentioned above; and
• is exploring the development of an automated system for calculating and verifying APP advances balances, including interest and penalties, which could eventually be shared with APP administrators and integrated into the APP Electronic Delivery System (APPEDS).

Outcomes: It is expected that:

• the new credit-worthiness provisions will save time and resources for APP administrators and low-risk applicants without increasing risk;
  • Pilot is being tested for the 2025 APP program year (April 2025 to March 2026) and, based on the results, further refinements may be made for 2026.
• a streamlined approach to making temporary increases to APP limits in times of crisis would reduce burden and allow AAFC to notify producers and APP administrators of the change earlier so they can prepare;
• reducing the requirement for priority agreements will decrease burden for producers and administrators associated with obtaining creditor-signed priority agreements, while upfront lien registration for all advances is expected to increase default collections;
• a risk-based audit approach to proof of sale will reduce administrative burden for producers and administrators associated with submitting and reviewing these documents, while still maintaining incentive for producers to keep their proof of sale documents and make an APP repayment following the sale of their agricultural products;
• removal of the administrator percentage provisions will allow producers to obtain advances based on full APP advance rates across the program; and
• an automated APP advance calculation system will reduce the administrative burden associated with the manual calculation and verification of APP advance balances for government and APP administrators.

Next Steps: AAFC will continue to pursue the implementation of the program improvements discussed above, including working with third-party APP administrators to ensure they are able to quickly and easily integrate the program changes into their program operations and monitor the program changes to ensure they are having the desired effect.

Timeline: Long term: If legislation modernization is realized, regulatory amendments could be completed in 2 years.

Animal Pedigree Act

Ongoing initiative: Reducing administrative burden under the Animal Pedigree Act

Context: Certain provisions within the Animal Pedigree Act (APA) have been identified as outdated and duplicative, such as provisions requiring submissions in triplicate. These processes increase administrative workload and costs for both industry and government administrators. Modernizing the administration of the APA to allow for single-copy submissions, including electronic formats, would reduce redundancy and improve efficiency. Similarly, current requirements for physical ministerial certificates (For example: ribbons, embossing) could be replaced with digital alternatives to align with the Government of Canada’s broader priorities around regulatory modernization, digital government and reducing administrative burden. In addition, some sections of the APA contain unclear or inconsistent language, leading to confusion and interpretive challenges for stakeholders and administrators. Providing supplementary guidance could help ensure consistent interpretation, reduce compliance burdens and improve administrative efficiency. Addressing these issues supports the Government of Canada’s commitment to regulatory clarity, modernization and reducing red tape.

Actions: A comprehensive legislative review was carried out in 2023 to identify outdated and duplicative processes suitable for modernization within the existing legislative framework. A stakeholder survey was also developed to gather input on proposed enhancements.

Outcomes: The proposed administrative modernization of the APA is expected to deliver several key benefits. Stakeholders could expect lower costs associated with printing, mailing and document preparation, while also benefiting from increased flexibility in how submissions are accepted. They would gain the ability to comply using digital tools, reducing the need for physical documentation and manual processing. Government authorities could experience more efficient processing and reduced paperwork, contributing to faster turnaround times. Expected outcomes include increased adoption of electronic submissions, reduced processing times for certificates, and measurable reductions in paper-based transactions.

Addressing unclear or inconsistent language in the APA could lead to more consistent interpretation and application of the APA by both industry and government administrators. Stakeholders are expected to benefit from more precise and standardized terminology, which would reduce ambiguity, minimize the risk of misinterpretation, and support more efficient compliance. These improvements could also lower the administrative burden, reduce the volume of clarification requests, and strengthen overall confidence in the legislative framework.

Next steps: AAFC is seeking feedback from all breed associations incorporated under the APA on potential administrative updates aimed at digitizing processes, reducing red tape and clarifying sections of the APA. These changes could be implemented within the current legislative framework. This administrative modernization effort addresses short-term needs and may inform future legislative amendments for long-term clarity and efficiency.

Timeline: Short-term: Within the year

Canadian Agricultural Loans Act and Canadian Agricultural Loans Regulations

Ongoing initiative: Progress against recommendations from the 2024 Canadian Agricultural Loans Act program evaluation

Context: AAFC is working to reduce red tape and administrative burden under the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) Program. The 2024 evaluation completed by the Office of Audit and Evaluation made 3 recommendations: review and propose changes to the program to ensure its relevancy; work to increase awareness of the program among lenders; and update the Performance Information Profile and ensure administrative data is consistently collected to support the meaningful and accurate analysis of data against its immediate, intermediate and ultimate outcomes. AAFC will ensure red tape reduction is incorporated into its management action response plan to address the recommendations of the evaluation.

Actions: AAFC has made progress on these objectives through various initiatives outlined below:

• Updated training on procedures:
  • streamlining procedures and training material for stakeholders involved in the processes for submitting loan registrations, defaults and claim for losses to improve consistency and increase efficiency;
  • delivering webinars for lenders on simplified program policies and revised procedures.
• Language modernization and guideline updates:
  • identified and addressed inconsistencies between the regulations and guidelines;
  • drafted and implemented updates to the Lenders Guidelines and forms for the program using plain language and modern terminology.
• Online system and updated procedures:
  • digitized and streamlined process for submitting loan registrations, defaults and claim for losses;
  • implemented secure document transfer protocols for all lenders, which replaced submissions by mail or email;
  • revised the claim procedure for lenders, including updating the forms and submission requirements to reduce evaluation times;
  • created a program specific and centralized program inbox to manage all correspondence and increase efficiency.
• Forms and data collection:
  • updated program forms and website content to include the appropriate consent and privacy permissions for data collection;
  • completed a system release to implement changes to both enable and simplify the collection of appropriate data.

Outcomes

• Modernizing language and guidelines has addressed outdated information and incorporated neutral and plain language consistently in all program materials to better align with AAFC policies and reduce admin burden work for all stakeholders.
• Updating the online system procedures and functions has improved efficiency by removing duplicative steps and reducing the frequency of information requests by both lenders and program staff during the submission process.
• Updating the forms for data collection has reduced the administrative burden on AAFC staff when reviewing submissions or conducting meaningful analysis.

Next steps: AAFC will continue to deliver on the above recommendations through continuous review of program procedures and policies, more frequent lender training sessions and webinars to key stakeholders and conduct meaningful analysis of program data. AAFC will continue consultations with stakeholders for input on improving flexibility, reducing administrative burden by identifying areas of improvement in CALA’s existing legislative and regulatory framework. Findings from consultations will require legislative and regulatory changes to further reduce red tape where opportunities are identified without compromising program integrity or effectiveness.

Expected outcomes: It is expected that, following legislative and regulatory changes, continued digitization, streamlining of program processes and increasing the accessibility of program information will further reduce the administrative burden on producers, lenders and program officials alike.

Timeline: Long-term: To be completed in 2 years

Pari-Mutuel Betting and Racing and Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations

The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) regularly reviews the regulatory framework and administrative programs and systems relied upon in fulfilling its mandate. A comprehensive review completed in 2012 resulted in a more streamlined regulatory model, including more expeditious processes for introducing new pari-mutuel products in Canada. Also, a long-term IT strategy guided the development of modern, digital processes, including an online application system used for issuing various betting authorizations. These efforts have reduced unnecessary regulatory burdens for licensed operators, and helped ensure that the public continues to benefit from a predictable, modern system that established the integrity of betting conducted in Canada on horse racing.

Progress achieved: Introduced a digital-based system to authorize the conduct of pari-mutuel betting on horse racing

Context: The CPMA previously relied on a paper-based system to issue over 3000 annual authorizations for conducting pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, resulting in administrative burden for both the agency and industry stakeholders.

Actions: To reduce red tape and modernize service delivery, the CPMA transitioned to an online system for issuing authorizations under the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations. The new platform includes features such as dropdown menus, the ability to upload supporting documents, and functionality to simultaneously renew multiple authorizations.

Outcomes: The Administrative Burden Baseline count has decreased from 731 to 304. The digital system streamlines application and renewal processes, reduces paperwork, and improves processing times with fewer resources. Stakeholders benefit from faster service, reduced administrative costs and a more accessible, efficient interface. Success is measured through reduced turnaround times and increased user satisfaction.

Progress achieved: Incorporation by reference of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) model rules

Context: Canadian race-course associations faced delays and administrative burden when seeking to introduce new types of pari-mutuel pools or amend existing bet types, as each change required formal regulatory amendments. Stakeholders expressed the need for a more flexible and efficient approach to compete with international betting products.

Actions: To reduce red tape, the CPMA incorporated by reference (IBR) the Association of Racing Commissioners International Model Rules into section 143 of the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations. This allowed Canadian associations to request changes through CPMA, which then champions for adoption at the ARCI level. Once adopted, the changes may be immediately recognized in Canada.

Outcomes: This streamlined and agile process enables Canadian horse racing industry associations to offer new betting products and addresses any regulatory gaps with fewer delays. Stakeholders benefit from greater choice in betting products and alignment with international standards. Success is measured by reduced times for processing requests for new pool types and addressing any regulatory gaps.

Ongoing initiative: Review of the Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) 100-day rule

Context: The CPMA regularly updates the betting regulations to eliminate redundancy, minimize overlap with provincial legislation, streamline regulatory responsibilities, and maintain a responsive model that supports the horse racing industry while preserving protections for Canadians. The Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations set requirements for provincially established EIPH programs for race-day administration of furosemide. These regulations require horses on the program to remain on the list for 100 days. While stakeholders do not support repealing the program, some expressed the need for more flexibility. Stakeholders expressed interest in maintaining national standards while at the same time recognizing the benefits of a more flexible approach to managing EIPH lists.

Actions: CPMA consulted with stakeholders to identify challenges with the existing regulatory requirements and identified several options for addressing concerns. This included potential regulatory amendments that would allow Commissions to exercise more discretion in managing EIPH lists. CPMA will reinitiate consultations and solicit further input respecting amendment of the existing EIPH requirements.

Expected outcomes: CPMA will continue consultations with industry stakeholders to identify regulatory remedies that provide greater flexibility to operators of EIPH programs, without compromising the integrity of horse racing and the related pari-mutuel betting. This will result in improved service delivery of anti-doping efforts. It will also support greater mobility of racehorses, providing increased opportunity for Canadian and US interests to compete in marquee racing events.

Timeline: Long-term: To be completed in 2 years

Farm Products Agencies Act and Regulations and the Agricultural Products Marketing Act and Regulations

Ongoing initiative: Reducing burdens in the Agricultural Products Marketing Act and associated regulations

Context: In 2021-2022, AAFC and the FPCC identified the need to amend the Agricultural Products Marketing Act (APMA) to reduce red tape, streamline efficiencies and dovetail the federal and provincial regulatory processes. Amendments to the APMA were identified to streamline the regulatory process for federal delegation orders and levy orders down to the provinces to ultimately remove need for the federal regulatory process and to address potential risks to provincial marketing boards and factual issues that have accumulated over time with these orders.

Through individual delegation orders, the APMA delegates federal powers to the provincial marketing boards which enables them to market the agricultural products grown in their province in interprovincial and export markets. The APMA also delegates the federal power to provincial marketing boards to establish and collect levies on the marketing of agricultural products in interprovincial and export trade through individual levy orders. The process to update these orders is inefficient and an administrative burden on the federal government. There are 162 orders under the APMA, 91 delegation orders and 71 subsidiary or levy orders most of which are outdated and require amending. The creation, amendment and repealing of each individual order under the APMA follow the federal regulatory system. This system is very lengthy compared to the speed at which changes occur to the orders. Since there are 162 delegation and levy orders, amending them individually would take a minimum of 5 to 8 years to complete compounded by the added pressure to limit federal government resources. Outdated levy orders lead to potential risks and factual issues accumulating over time.

Actions: AAFC and FPCC completed a joint regulatory review which identified much needed improvements to the APMA. A legal opinion was obtained which concluded that a viable option could be to modify the APMA to provide the federal delegation to provinces directly through the Act opposed to individual orders and to merge the federal regulatory administration of levy orders with the provincial regulatory process. After consultation, AAFC and FPCC agreed that amending the APMA as proposed would be the most effective option. In spring 2022, AAFC and FPCC held joint stakeholder information sessions, providing an overview of proposed changes to the APMA while allowing for discussion and questions on the topic. FPCC also provided regular updates to provincial supervisory boards on the status of the proposed amendments.

Regarding the delegation orders, potential amendments to the APMA include:

• removing the need to provide the delegation through separate federal orders for each provincial marketing board;
• providing the delegation directly through the APMA;
• adding a schedule listing all marketing boards granted with the delegation; this schedule could subsequently be amended through ministerial order.

Regarding the levy orders, potential amendments to the APMA include:

• removing the obligation to use the federal regulatory system to create or amend a levy order;
• removing the need to establish levies by establishing an order (remove “by order”).

Provincial marketing boards will still need to establish their levies for interprovincial and export trade but without using the federal regulatory system. Instead, they would use their provincial regulatory mechanism for intra-provincial levies.

Outcomes: The amendments to the APMA would offer a more efficient stakeholder-oriented approach, significantly reduce federal red tape, offer a greater collaboration between federal and provincial governments, and streamline processes. The outcomes simplify the delegation mechanism so that federal powers delegated to provincial marketing board would be contained in the APMA itself and delegated to every board listed in the new schedule to the APMA. This eliminates the need for individual delegation orders for each provincial marketing board further supporting interprovincial trade. The outcomes would also eliminate the need for provincial marketing boards to have to use the federal regulatory system to establish their requirements or other measures (including levies and charges) in the exercise of their delegation of federal powers. All provincial marketing boards that have a delegation of federal powers would require them to make their own necessary requirements to enable them to exercise the powers delegated to them.

All 162 regulatory instruments (delegation order and levy/subsidiary orders) under the APMA would be repealed and a transition period would be fixed to provide sufficient time for provincial marketing boards to make their necessary requirements. This outcome streamlines the process to obtain the provincial marketing boards’ requirements (including levy orders) with the province’s existing regulatory system.

Next steps: The proposed changes to the APMA were put forward under Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization which was introduced in the Senate on March 31, 2022, but did not make it through the Parliamentary process before the 44th Parliament was dissolved. As a result, these changes still require legislative modernization to be realized.

Timeline: Long-term: Following legislative approval, 3 years for provinces to implement.

Progress achieved: Operational efficiency — digitization of regulatory amendment process

Context: In 2024, FPCC undertook the initiative to complete a process improvement exercise which resulted in the digitization of the regulatory amendment process for marketing and promotion-research agencies. The proclamations of marketing agencies and promotion-research agencies allow them to create orders or regulations as necessary to carry out their marketing or promotion-research plan. These orders and regulations (for example, levies orders and quota regulations) are administered by the respective agency and approved by FPCC as the oversight body. The process to register and publish the agency’s approved regulatory package was time consuming and onerous on both FPCC and the agency and risked delaying time sensitive levy or quota amendments which could significantly impact industry and the operations of the agency.

Actions: In spring 2024, FPCC completed a process enhancement exercise which identified improvements to the regulatory process and submission process for amending agency orders and regulations. As a result, internal guidance documents were updated, and the process changes were communicated with the agencies.

Outcomes: The process enhancement exercise resulted in the complete digitization of the regulatory package. This change streamlined the process and considerably reduced the administrative burden on FPCC and all 6 agencies. FPCC received positive feedback from the agencies, indicating the process improvements offered significant efficiencies to the administration and submission of regulatory packages.

Ongoing initiative: Reduce burdens in the Farm Products Agencies Act and associated regulations

Context: The Farm Products Agencies Act (FPAA) was enacted in 1972, and includes many administrative processes that are deemed routine today. The elimination of these legislative requirements would significantly reduce red tape, be more streamlined and agile, and adapt to the day-to-day operations of the agencies. The amendments to the FPAA would include the elimination of the requirement to have the auditors of the agencies appointed by the Governor in Council (GIC), the designation of the inspectors of the agencies by the Minister and the obligation to table the annual reports of the agencies in Parliament. Additional amendments could also be considered such as the removal of the restrictive age eligibility requirement imposed on agencies and Council members and long-standing administrative changes.

The FPAA establishes the FPCC, 4 marketing agencies and, to date, 3 promotion-research agencies. Requirements under the FPAA, such as the Governor in Council (GIC) appointment of auditors and ministerial designation of inspectors, create a great regulatory burden on FPCC, the agencies and AAFC. The auditor appointment process is not agile and very lengthy as it requires a ministerial recommendation to the GIC and a GIC appointment. The inspector designation process is considered superfluous, as agencies should be able to select and appoint their own inspectors. The existing designation requirements delay the speed at which appointments need to occur. The appointment of auditors and the designation of inspectors are considered day-to-day operations; although at one point in time GIC intervention was needed for such appointments and designations, the agencies have been established for over 30 years and can appoint auditors and inspectors without the added oversight of the GIC or the Minister.

Another legislative burden on the agencies is the requirement to table annual reports in Parliament. Agencies must, within 3 months after the end of their fiscal year, submit their annual report to FPCC and the Minister who must then table the report in Parliament within 15 days. When the FPAA was first enacted in 1972, tabling the annual report to Parliament was the only way it could be made public. Today, all the agencies’ annual reports are publicly available on their website, so the process of tabling the report in Parliament is redundant. The requirement for FPCC to table its annual report in Parliament was removed through the Order Directing that Certain Documents be Discontinued, which aligns with the direction being proposed to remove the requirement for the marketing and promotion-research agencies to table their annual reports in Parliament.

The FPAA imposes age restrictive eligibility requirements which creates administrative burden on the agencies and FPCC. Agency and FPCC members who reach the age of 70 are no longer eligible to hold office. This creates unnecessary burden on the agencies and FPCC to find a replacement member solely because the incumbent turned 70 years of age. This has become increasingly problematic due to underrepresentation of commodities and the aging population in the agricultural sector.

Actions: Propose to amend the FPAA to address unnecessary and inefficient practices:

• removing the requirement to have the auditors of the agencies appointed by the GIC;
• removing the requirement to have the designation of the inspectors of the agencies by the Minister;
• removing the obligation to table the annual reports of the agencies in Parliament;
• removing the age limit of 70 for agencies’ board members and FPCC members.

Expected outcomes: By removing the obligations for agencies to obtain a GIC appointment of auditors and a ministerial designation of inspectors, this would allow for a much more agile appointment process for the agencies to meet their day-to-day operational needs and significantly reduce federal red tape. In addition, removing the requirement for agencies to submit their annual reports to the Minister for tabling in Parliament would reduce administrative burden and streamline processes while aligning with previous GIC, Minister of Finance and Treasury Board direction to discontinue the tabling of information that is already publicly available. FPCC, as the federal oversight body, would continue to monitor operations of the agencies over these matters, ensuring that related guidelines and processes are followed.

Removing the age restrictive eligibility requirement in the FPAA would allow a member of an agency who is 70 years of age or older to remain on or be appointed to the board, thereby reducing the agency’s administrative burden of undertaking unnecessary appointment processes to replace otherwise fully qualified individuals. This also increases the pool of eligible and qualified candidates for both agencies and FPCC. Removing this requirement eliminates discrimination based on age, reduces the number of GIC appointments, increases the pool of eligible candidates who could serve as members on the boards of agencies and FPCC, and upholds the Government’s commitment to merit-based appointments.

Timeline: Immediate pending legislative approval.

Canada Grain Act and Regulations

Ongoing initiative: MyCGC Digital Services

Context: Key elements of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)’s regulatory programs continue to be delivered using manual processes and outdated delivery systems. This results in higher administrative burden for CGC clients, limited access to information and slower service. The CGC is working towards a seamless digital solution for interacting with clients and regulated parties. Providing digital services reduces red tape by streamlining processes, making interactions easier and more user-friendly, and lowering the effort required to comply with requirements.

Actions: Aligning with the Government of Canada's Digital Ambitions and Policy on Service and Digital, the CGC is currently reviewing and modernizing outdated systems, processes and services. In 2023, the CGC launched MyCGC,a client facing portal that provides a secure, centralized, convenient and accessible way for individuals and businesses to interact with the organization. Complementing the portal, the organization implemented an enterprise client management system to efficiently track and manage account and contact information in connection with services provided on MyCGC.

Next steps: Two projects were launched in the 2025-26 fiscal year and will continue into the 2026-27 fiscal year. These projects aim to strengthen service delivery and improve efficiency of 2 core functions within the organization through digital transformation:

• licences — the objectives of this project are to centralize licence transactions and information onto MyCGC, improving access and management for licensed grain companies;
• export documentation — the objectives of this project are to improve the client service experience and meet industry’s need for digital export documentation.

Expected outcomes: At its launch, MyCGC provided licensed grain companies with an improved, more efficient way to complete their reporting with the CGC in a centralized location. This included: liability reporting, monthly grain dealer reporting, primary and process elevator weekly reporting, and primary elevator annual reporting. To date, licensees have shared positive feedback about MyCGC, noting that the changes have made reporting significantly easier and faster to complete. The overall expected outcome is an enhanced user experience, with improved operational efficiency, using modernized information technology, to make it easier for clients and regulated parties to interact with the CGC.

Timeline: Long-term: 2-plus years.

Ongoing initiative: Grain quality technology advancement framework

Context: Grain grading technology is evolving rapidly due to advancements in digital imagery and machine-learning, creating potential for less subjective and more efficient quality assessment than traditional manual visual inspection methods. This type of technology aligns clearly with the direction given in the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to deploy artificial intelligence in support of efficiency and productivity. While relatively early in development, these technologies show the potential to revolutionize grain quality assessment by reducing costs and increasing efficiency, reliability and objectivity in Canada’s grain quality assurance system.

In 2023, the CGC adopted its Science Strategy to support innovative programs and services and position the organization as a global leader in grain science. One of the actions under the strategy’s “Advances in Technology” driver is to facilitate collaboration with innovative technology companies for the development of new instrumental methods of analysis and to evaluate new technologies for objective grading based on rapid and reliable technologies.

Actions: The CGC has developed the grain quality technology advancement framework which outlines its approach to supporting the development and evaluation of new grain quality assurance technologies. The framework establishes a consistent and transparent approach for engaging and collaborating with technology developers and stakeholders. The comprehensive process ensures that new technologies are thoroughly assessed for accuracy and stakeholder perspectives are incorporated before being adopted by the CGC. The framework was publicly launched in October 2024. There are a number of technology companies from Canada and around the world actively developing this type of technology. Many of these companies have approached the CGC about collaboration and particularly validation of their technology.

Next steps: The CGC is in the early stages of receiving and reviewing project proposals from interested technology companies wishing to collaborate on assessment and validation of technology for use in the Canadian grain quality assurance system. The first collaboration project is expected to begin in fall 2025.

Expected outcomes: The collaboration projects will ensure that the development of tools for grain quality assessment is informed by objective, evidence-based analysis and sector engagement. In the longer term, these collaborations will lay the groundwork for potential adoption of this innovative technology into the official grain grading system. Assuming the technologies can demonstrate the required level of accuracy, they have the potential to significantly boost efficiency and reduce quality assurance costs, while ensuring Canada remains a leader in grain quality. This would have broad implications and benefit the entire Canadian grain value chain, including producers, grain companies and processors.

Timeline: Long-term: 2-plus years.

Ongoing initiative: Review of safeguards for grain farmers program regulations and administration

Context: The CGC’s mandate includes ensuring that Canadian producers are fairly compensated for their grain deliveries under the Safeguards for Grain Farmers Program. The program issues licences to grain companies and establishes the level of financial security that must be provided by the licensee. Security can be used in the event of a grain company’s financial failure or refusal to pay producers. Licensees who participate in the program must pay licensing fees and also face costs associated with accurate reporting, maintenance of proper records and documentation, and general compliance. Licensees indicate compliance with the program can be costly. At the same time, producers have expressed concerns about coverage levels and ensuring ongoing compliance and sufficient security.

Actions

• Program Evaluation: The CGC’s independent Audit and Evaluations Services unit recently performed a program evaluation of the Licensing and Security Program. This evaluation found significant evidence to support the continued need for the CGC’s Licensing and Security Program. The program is well-utilized and is achieving its intended outcomes and aligns with government priorities, roles and responsibilities. The evaluation is expected to provide several recommendations to improve program efficiency and resource utilization.
• Financial Risk Score: The CGC utilizes a calculated financial risk score model to determine the level of risk associated with existing or prospective licensed grain companies. The financial risk score is used to determine monitoring activities such as audits, and in some instances to set the level of security that a licensee must provide. Licensees have expressed concerns about lack of transparency in how risk scores are calculated and how security is set. Some licensees feel that they are over-secured, and some new licensees feel that they have received an unfairly high risk score. In the interests of continuous program improvement and improving service delivery, the program has initiated a recalibration of the risk scoring model to enhance its effectiveness in determining financial risk. An external consultant was engaged in early 2025 to: review the existing and newly proposed risk scoring models against industry best practices; integrate the risk scoring model with the calculation of security; and identify opportunities for further enhancements to the risk score model, including modernization of monitoring tools and methods.

Next steps: The program evaluation results will be published in October to November 2025 and the CGC will respond to its recommendations. The report and results on Financial Risk Score is anticipated to be presented to the CGC’s Departmental Audit Committee in November 2025 and recommendations incorporated shortly thereafter. In fall 2025, a broader regulatory review will be launched to compliment the findings of the program evaluation and review of the financial risk score model. This process will focus on foundational parameters of the program. The process will include feedback mechanisms for both producers and licensed grain companies.

Expected outcomes

• Process improvements flowing from recommendations of the evaluation, including modernization of reporting and monitoring tools and the opportunity to further streamline processes and utilize resources more efficiently.
• A recalibrated financial risk score as part of a model that allows for more transparency in how the CGC sets security based on risk; an overall approach to proactively improve and enhance risk mitigation strategies.
• Refined program parameters flowing from the regulatory review. Proposals for regulatory adjustments around foundational program parameters are expected to streamline processes for stakeholders, reduce barriers to entry and support competitiveness, while optimizing coverage and ensuring producers are protected in the event of a failure to pay.

Timeline: Long-term: 2-plus years.

Ongoing initiative: Modernization of the Canada Grain Act

Context: The Canada Grain Act (CGA) provides the legislative framework for the grain quality assurance system, with the objective to ensure grain exports are of a consistent and dependable quality, and that producers are protected in their interactions with grain companies. The CGA evolved continuously for 60 years since its original passage in 1912, with Parliament adjusting the regulatory scheme to match developments in the grain sector. The last major update, however, was in 1971, more than 50 years ago. The ways in which grain is grown and traded (for example, bought, sold, delivered, and handled) have changed significantly since then, as has the makeup of the Canadian grain sector, and the diversity of our production and export markets. These ongoing changes have resulted in the CGA becoming increasingly out of step with the modern Canadian grain sector over time.

The CGA sets out the CGC as the regulatory agency responsible for establishing and maintaining the standards of quality for Canadian grain, and regulating Canada’s grain handling system to ensure a dependable commodity for domestic and export markets. Stakeholders have indicated that the current legislative and regulatory framework that was designed for the 1970s grain markets adds unnecessary administrative burden, costs and inefficiencies throughout the grain handling system. Stakeholders contend that this puts downward pressure on the grain sector’s profitability and could potentially erode Canada’s competitive advantage in the global marketplace. The outdated legislative and regulatory framework also makes it increasingly challenging for the CGC to effectively respond to the needs of the sector, including delivering services, protecting agricultural producers, and providing oversight as the responsible science-based regulator. Since approximately 90% of CGC’s funding comes from cost recovery for services, any savings resulting from addressing these concerns would be passed on to stakeholders.

In addition, as an older piece of legislation, the CGA’s requirements are written in a traditionally prescriptive format that makes it difficult to responsively adapt to the sector of today, or to accommodate future sector evolution, without legislative change. Although the CGC has launched several initiatives in recent years to respond to sector priorities within its existing legislative authorities, wholesale CGA modernization is needed to support optimization of the regulatory framework to meet the needs of today’s grain sector.

Actions: The Government and the grain sector have long identified CGA modernization as necessary and overdue, with legislative reviews dating as far back as the late 1990s. Substantive legislative modernization has been introduced in Parliament 3 times since 2007, without receiving Royal Assent. In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada announced a regulatory reform agenda focused on supporting innovation and business investment. AAFC played a leadership role in the first round of regulatory reviews and the CGA was identified as a key area for regulatory modernization. This approach was further supported in Budget 2019, which included a commitment to review the CGA. Grain sector stakeholders have continuously advised the Government that CGA modernization is necessary and overdue, including via the Agri-Food Economic Strategy Table in 2018 and the Targeted Regulatory Review for Agri-Food and Aquaculture in 2019.

AAFC undertook wide ranging consultations on CGA modernization in 2021. These consultations received strong participation by stakeholders and culminated in the release of a What We Heard report in August 2021 (What We Heard: Canada Grain Act Review Consultations - agriculture.canada.ca). AAFC continues to analyze the issues raised and develop advice and recommendations for next steps in the modernization process.

Expected outcomes: Reducing regulatory burden in these areas could reduce costs faced by stakeholders in complying with regulatory requirements. A less prescriptive CGA could also allow the CGC to reduce operational costs. Overall, a modernized CGA would support improved cost-effectiveness of the grain sector supply chain, while maintaining necessary protections for Canadian producers that grow high-quality grains.

Timeline: Long-term.

Canadian Dairy Commission Act and Regulations

As part of a broader government initiative to reduce red tape and improve regulatory efficiency, the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) is undertaking a review of its regulatory framework. This effort aims to ensure that existing regulations are effective, relevant and aligned with current practices and international obligations. Two key areas have been identified for action: the review of the European Economic Community (EEC) Aged Cheddar Cheese Export Regulations and the repeal of the Exported Dairy Products Assistance Payments Order.

Upcoming initiative: Review of EEC Aged Cheddar Cheese Export Regulations

Context: The EEC Aged Cheddar Cheese Export Regulations, enacted pursuant to the Canadian Dairy Commission Act, were established to facilitate the allotment of export entitlements for Canadian Aged Cheddar Cheese to the EEC under a special customs tariff. These regulations enable Canadian exporters to benefit from preferential access to the EEC market, supporting the competitiveness of Canadian dairy products abroad. The CDC continues to administer this regulation, as required. However, in line with the red tape reduction initiative, the CDC is reviewing the regulation to ensure it remains effective in achieving its objectives and whether any amendments are necessary to improve clarity, efficiency or alignment with current trade practices.

Actions: The planned approach to the review includes an assessment of the effectiveness of the regulation through discussion with past eligible exporters and Canadian cheese manufacturers. This review will include the following steps, in close collaboration with AAFC:

If any regulatory amendments are required, the process for incorporating them will be undertaken in collaboration with AAFC.

Expected outcomes: The review of the EEC Aged Cheddar Cheese Export Regulations will help ensure that the regulation continues to support Canadian exporters effectively and aligns with modern trade practices.

Timeline: Long-term: To be completed in 2 years.

Upcoming initiative: Repeal of Exported Dairy Products Assistance Payments Order

Context: The Exported Dairy Products Assistance Payments Order, enacted under the Appropriation Act No. 3, 1978-79, authorizes the CDC to offer assistance payments to exporters of dairy products and prescribes the terms and conditions of such payments. However, this Order has become obsolete. Assistance payments ceased in 1995 when such practices were deemed export subsidies under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Since 1995, the CDC has not made any assistance payments under this Order. Its continued presence in the regulatory framework creates unnecessary complexity and may cause confusion regarding the CDC’s current practices. Therefore, the CDC proposes to repeal this Order to streamline and clarify the regulatory framework governing its operations.

Actions: The required action is to repeal this Order to eliminate outdated provisions and support regulatory clarity for the dairy sector.

AAFC will have full responsibility for all steps leading to the formal repeal of this Order in the Canada Gazette.

Expected outcomes: The repeal of the Exported Dairy Products Assistance Payments Order will not affect stakeholders, as it has not been in use for several years. No public consultation is required for the repeal, given the lack of impact on current operations or stakeholders.

Timeline: Medium-term: To be completed in 1 year.