Act
Modernization of Maple Products Regulation
Regulation Number(s):
Regulation 386 – Maple Products
Instrument Type:
Act
Bill or Act:
Farm Products Grades and Sales Act
Summary of Decision:
Regulation 119/11 was established under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 to replace Regulation 386-Maple Products. The new regulation harmonizes packing and labelling with federal legislation where appropriate and no longer requires standard container sizes for maple syrup. It adopts the federal quality standards for maple syrup and introduces mandatory provincial grade names using the word "Ontario" as a prefix, retain packing standards and eliminate packaging standards. The regulation clarifies food safety standards and continues to provide the ministry with tools to protect industry and the public against misrepresentation. The effective date for the new regulation is July 1, 2011 with a two-year phase-in period for the implementation of the new grade names.
Further Information:
Discussion Paper
(Download Adobe Reader)
Stakeholder Information: Modernization of Maple Products Regulation
Farm Products Grades and Sales Act
Regulation 386 - Maple Products
Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001
Ontario Regulation 222/05
O. Reg. 119/11 Produce, Honey and Maple Products
Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001
Proposal Number:
10-AFRA006
Posting Date:
May 20, 2010
Summary of Proposal:
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is seeking feedback on its proposal to modernize and replace Regulation 386 – Maple Products, which is established under the Farm Products Grades and Sales Act.
The Ontario government’s Open for Business strategy is an ongoing plan to make government faster and friendlier for businesses. One part of the strategy is the government’s commitment to reducing the amount of regulation in Ontario by 25 per cent. The proposed Maple Products regulation would allow the ministry to eliminate the regulatory burdens related to standardized container sizes and harmonize with federal standards as they may be changed in the future based on an industry proposal currently under consideration. The regulation would continue to focus on food safety and economic fraud protection.
Proposal
OMAFRA is proposing to establish a new regulation under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 to replace the existing Maple Products regulation. The proposed regulation would clarify the food safety standards that would apply to maple products, retain the economic fraud measures in the existing regulation and harmonize the labelling requirements with the federal requirements where appropriate.
The Ministry is seeking feedback on whether to eliminate the grade standards for maple syrup or to adopt the federal grade standards and whether to make their use mandatory or optional. The federal regulation is undergoing review and may incorporate a simplified set of grade standards proposed by industry. If this change were implemented at the federal level only, it would result in duplicate standards and confusion in Ontario’s market place. If the industry wanted to continue with grade standards within the province, the proposed provincial regulation would reference federal standards. This flexible approach would allow automatic adoption of the federal changes if and when they occur.
The “Canada” prefix in the grade names would be replaced with the word “Ontario”.
The Ministry is also seeking feedback on whether to eliminate the packing and packaging standards for maple products in the existing regulations or to require compliance with the federal standards.
A link to the discussion paper providing a more fulsome description of the proposal, and the relevant legislation is provided below and on the Ministry website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/policy/legislation/mapleproductsinfo.htm
The Ontario government’s Open for Business strategy is an ongoing plan to make government faster and friendlier for businesses. One part of the strategy is the government’s commitment to reducing the amount of regulation in Ontario by 25 per cent. The proposed Maple Products regulation would allow the ministry to eliminate the regulatory burdens related to standardized container sizes and harmonize with federal standards as they may be changed in the future based on an industry proposal currently under consideration. The regulation would continue to focus on food safety and economic fraud protection.
Proposal
OMAFRA is proposing to establish a new regulation under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 to replace the existing Maple Products regulation. The proposed regulation would clarify the food safety standards that would apply to maple products, retain the economic fraud measures in the existing regulation and harmonize the labelling requirements with the federal requirements where appropriate.
The Ministry is seeking feedback on whether to eliminate the grade standards for maple syrup or to adopt the federal grade standards and whether to make their use mandatory or optional. The federal regulation is undergoing review and may incorporate a simplified set of grade standards proposed by industry. If this change were implemented at the federal level only, it would result in duplicate standards and confusion in Ontario’s market place. If the industry wanted to continue with grade standards within the province, the proposed provincial regulation would reference federal standards. This flexible approach would allow automatic adoption of the federal changes if and when they occur.
The “Canada” prefix in the grade names would be replaced with the word “Ontario”.
The Ministry is also seeking feedback on whether to eliminate the packing and packaging standards for maple products in the existing regulations or to require compliance with the federal standards.
A link to the discussion paper providing a more fulsome description of the proposal, and the relevant legislation is provided below and on the Ministry website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/policy/legislation/mapleproductsinfo.htm
Contact Address:
Wayne Patterson
Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch
1 Stone Rd W, 2nd Floor SW, Guelph ON N1G4Y2
Phone: 519-826-4599
Fax: 519-826-3492
Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch
1 Stone Rd W, 2nd Floor SW, Guelph ON N1G4Y2
Phone: 519-826-4599
Fax: 519-826-3492
Royal Assent Date:
July 1, 2011
Decision:
Approved