Food Safety

Food safety requires a collective effort from all the members of the food supply chain.

Consumers can be confident in the production of safe food in our territory. Food Safety is an essential component of the agrifood industry in the Northwest Territories.

The Territorial Agrifood Association works to develop, coordinate and deliver training and materials to educate primary and secondary producers in applicable food safety and food safety systems. Food safety training is available to agrifood producers in the territory and includes personal hygiene training, hazard awareness training, and on-site practical training.

NWT meat regulations are currently under review to provide more opportunities for commercial food production. The draft regulations can be read here.

Commercial meat regulations in the NWT are changing.

FoodSafe

Environmental Health with the Department of Health and Social Services is responsible for Food Safety compliance in the NWT. https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/environmentalhealth/food-safety-training

The goal of the Food Safety Training Program is to reduce the number of foodborne illnesses in the NWT by training food handlers to handle food safely and reduce the risk of a food-borne disease outbreak. Certified trained food handlers are required by this legislation in every food premise on every shift. A FoodSafe Certificate is valid for 5 years.

In lieu of in-person training with an Environmental Health Officer, a few individuals and small groups have successfully completed this on-line safe food handling course (with exam) and found it to be quite reader/learner-friendly: Food Safety Certification – SafeCheck® Advanced – Includes Exam - SafeCheck Learning (safecheck1.com).

FOODSAFE Level 1 can also be taken online for $99 through the BC Goverment. It takes 7-8 hours to complete and requires an exam at the end of the course. The course is acceptable for NWT regulations. http://www.foodsafe.ca/courses/level-1.html

MarketSafe

MarketSafe training is for farmers, food processors, and producers who make, bake or grow products to sell at local farmers’ markets, farm gates, or other types of temporary food markets. It increases awareness and knowledge of food safety and safe food handling procedures for farmers’ market vendors, market managers, farm gate vendors, home kitchen small-scale food processors, and others who may make, bake or produce food products for public consumption outside of food service establishments. MarketSafe is not a replacement for FOODSAFE Level 1.

The Territorial Agrifood Association is the authorized delivery agent for MarketSafe in the NWT. We are happy to deliver this training at cost for your community or organization. Contact us at admin@nwtagrifood.ca for more information or to book the training.

Public courses are held regularly in Yellowknife in partnership with the City of Yellowknife. Watch our events calendar for upcoming dates.

HAACP Certification

Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP, is a food safety management system that addresses food safety by analyzing and controlling biological, chemical, and physical hazards related to preparing, producing, handling, and consuming food products.

The HACCP certification is an international standard for the effective control of food safety in the food industry. The majority of the top food manufacturers, food processors, and food vendors worldwide use the HACCP food safety system to manage food safety throughout the food supply chain and comply with GFSI audit schemes.

You can complete your HAACP certification online from authorized providers. It takes 10-12 hours and costs approximately $200. There is a final exam to achieve certification. https://canadianfoodsafety.com/courses/haccp-certification/

Canadian On Farm Food Safety Programs

The On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program provides government recognition of on-farm and post-farm food safety systems developed and implemented by national industry organizations in order to:

• enhance food safety;

• maintain the confidence of Canadian consumers; and

• facilitate market access

Farms and producers operating in these areas are expected to be compliant with industry-standard on-farm food safety systems.