Government of Canada finances a certification program for small food enterprises

The Government of Canada is investing $336,858 to support the creation of a certification program that will allow businesses to meet specific trade requirements.

This investment will support GS1 Canada, a not-for-profit association, to develop training tailored to small and micro food enterprises. The project includes learning modules and a virtual portal of resources specifically for them.

GS1 Canada plans to equip at least 200 businesses across Canada with the knowledge, tools and experience they need to prepare for trade with different sectors, including the grocery sector, distribution and food services.

Completion of the certification program will provide micro and small enterprises with access to other services provided by GS1 Canada for one year. A key component of this subscription for is ensuring their products have licensed GS1 barcodes, which are required by many Canadian retailers and distributors, as well as access to online tools to share quality, bilingual product data with trading partners. GS1 barcodes are a global standard and play an important role in supply chains and traceability.

“This new certification program will help small and micro businesses in the food sector meet key industry and regulatory requirements and learn essential information about trade and export,” said the honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food. “This will help these businesses to access new opportunities and strengthen our economy.”