CFIA Fees Updated; Fish Import Fee Unified

Summary#

This notice from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency amends the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice to clean up wording, remove fees for services the agency no longer provides, and change how fish import inspection fees are charged. The changes use fee levels described as applying “up to March 30, 2024” and “as of March 31, 2024” and were signed by The Honourable Mark Holland on December 19, 2024 and published January 4, 2025.

What it does#

• Replaces table headers to show when each fee applies (e.g., “Fee up to March 30, 2024” and “Fee as of March 31, 2024”).
• Sets a single, per-kilogram inspection fee for all imported fish and seafood, removing the previous two-tier fee that depended on licence type.
  • New import inspection fee levels in the notice: from $0.00215 per kg to $0.00230 per kg (shown as the fee “as of March 31, 2024”) for product groups like “Ready-to-eat”, “Canned”, “Fresh”, “Raw molluscan shellfish” and “Other.”
• Removes obsolete fees for services the agency no longer provides.
• Adjusts how and when some fees are billed or paid in dairy and egg sections:
  • Dairy export inspection and certificate fees updated (examples: inspection fee $100.00 / $106.80; certificate issuance $20.00 / $21.36, shown as “up to” and “as of” amounts).
  • Egg and processed-egg inspection hourly fee changed from $72.07 to $76.97 (per hour, showing the two dates).
• Updates several plant protection inspection rates (examples: peat bog rates $107.57 → $114.88; field crop blocks $53.79 → $57.45; additional half-hectare $23.67 → $25.27; nursery short-period $188.26 → $201.06 and per-day cap $322.71 → $344.65).
• Repeals some sections and tables in the Fish Inspection Fees part (removing outdated fee rules and tables).

Who's affected#

• Fish and seafood importers are the main group affected because the notice changes how their inspection fees are charged. The CFIA says the single fee will apply to all importer licence types.
• Businesses that export or process dairy and eggs may see billing or unit-rate updates (dairy exporters, egg processors).
• Farmers, nurseries and greenhouse operators that receive plant protection field inspections will notice the updated per-hectare or per-period rates.
• The changes are administrative for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency itself and anyone who pays CFIA fees. If it’s unclear whether a specific fee listed applies to you, the notice itself or the CFIA can clarify.

Why it matters#

• The fish import fee change aligns the fees with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and removes a two-tier system that depended on old licence types. The CFIA says this will reduce fees for most businesses: an estimated 95% of fish and seafood importers would pay a lower fee under the new structure.
• Removing obsolete fees and clarifying table headings should make it easier for businesses to understand what they will be charged and when.
• Some hourly or per-unit fees go up for particular services. Affected businesses should check the specific line items that match their activities to see how their costs change.
• The notice followed a short public consultation (started May 13, 2024) and a 60‑day WTO notification (started May 16, 2024) with no substantive objections reported.