Regulations

How is plant breeding regulated in Canada?

All food in Canada must meet the same high standards set by the government for safety, no matter how it is developed.

Health Canada regulations require that all products of modern plant breeding meet Canada’s high safety standards, while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations require that all crops developed with modern plant breeding are safe for the environment and livestock feed. Read From Science to Seed to learn more about this process.

Regulatory agencies and scientific bodies around the world have endorsed the safety of GMOs, including the World Health Organization; the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; the U.S. National Academy of Sciences; and the Royal Societies of London and Canada.

Health Canada’s scientific opinion on the regulation of gene edited plants describes the long history of safety in plant breeding and recognizes that all food in Canada, no matter how it is produced, is subject to the high safety standards set out in the Food and Drugs Act and related regulations. 

The plant science industry maintains several stewardship initiatives to complement Government of Canada regulations, going beyond the legal requirements to promote safe and responsible use of products of modern plant breeding in Canada.