CFIA adopts single fish import fee

Summary#

The Minister of Health, Mark Holland, has amended the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice to update several inspection and service fees and how they are charged. The biggest practical change is a single fish import inspection fee set at $0.00230 per kilogram (applied as of March 31, 2024); the government says about 95% of fish and seafood importers will pay less under the new approach.

What it does#

• Applies a single fish import inspection fee (per kg) to all fish and seafood importers, replacing the old two‑tier system tied to licence type. The new per‑kilogram fee is $0.00230 (previously $0.00215 for some importers).
• Removes fees for services that are no longer being provided (obsolete fees).
• Changes wording and table headers so fees are shown by date (for example, “Fee as of March 31, 2024”) instead of by fiscal year or Consumer Price Index.
• Changes when some fees are billed or payable, for example:
  • Certain dairy inspection fees are to be paid on completion of the inspection, on issuance of an export certificate, or on invoice.
  • Egg and fish inspection fees are to be paid on receipt of an invoice.
• Updates specific fee amounts in several parts of the notice. Examples:
  • A dairy export inspection or related export certificate line now shows amounts such as $106.80 and $21.36.
  • A re‑inspection to check corrective action for eggs or processed eggs is now $76.97 per hour (previously $72.07).

Who's affected#

• Fish and seafood importers are the most affected group. Most (about 95%) are expected to pay a lower fee under the single per‑kilogram rate.
• Food businesses that use CFIA services, including dairy exporters, egg and processed‑egg producers, and some plant producers (greenhouse, nursery, peat bog, field crops) where specific field inspection fees were updated or removed.
• Small and medium enterprises in the seafood import industry are likely to notice the biggest changes.
• If it’s unclear how an individual business is affected, the impact depends on what products are imported and the volumes involved.

Why it matters#

• For importers: the single per‑kilogram fee simplifies billing and is expected to lower costs for most fish and seafood importers, which can affect competitiveness and pricing.
• For businesses that buy CFIA services: removing obsolete fees and clarifying when fees apply reduces confusion and paperwork.
• For the public: clearer fee tables and updated billing practices make it easier to understand what businesses pay for inspection services.
• The CFIA says it consulted on these changes (a public consultation started May 13, 2024, and a WTO notification began May 16, 2024) and received no significant objections.