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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

As per the CFIA's 2010-11 PAA, the Agency's activities contribute to the following strategic outcomes:

1. Public health risks associated with the food supply and transmission of animal diseases to humans are minimized and managed.
2. A safe and sustainable plant and animal resource base.
3. Contributes to consumer protection and market access based on the application of science and standards.

Section 2.1 provides a high level description of how the Agency plans to act on its priorities toward achieving its strategic outcomes. The planned activities are informed by a number of factors, including the Government's priorities and the Agency's annual priority setting exercise.

2.1 Strategic Outcome 1: Public Health risks associated with the food supply and transmission of animal diseases to humans are minimized and managed

[D]

Mitigating risks to food safety is the CFIA's highest priority, and the health and safety of Canadians is the driving force behind the design and development of the CFIA's programs. The CFIA, in collaboration and partnership with industry; consumers; and federal, provincial and municipal organizations, continues to work toward protecting Canadians from preventable health risks related to unsafe food and zoonotic diseases.

The key strategic risks, as identified in the Agency's CRP, relating to the CFIA's ability to deliver on its mandate in this area are:

• Foodborne Hazards
• Zoonotic Outbreaks / Incidents
• Human Resources
• Information for Decision-Making
• Partnerships
• Internal Co-ordination
• Program Framework

To mitigate these risks, the Agency will focus its efforts in 2010-11 on the delivery of activities identified under the following five priorities:

• Design and deliver risk-based inspection and surveillance services.
• Improve compliance through compliance management activities.
• Modernize the Agency's regulatory components and tools.
• Increase transparency and strengthen strategic partnerships and communications with key partners and stakeholders.
• Develop a workforce and workplace such that the Agency is innovative, more effective and well-managed.

2.1.1 Program Activities Summary

The Agency's ongoing efforts toward achieving this strategic outcome are managed and measured within the context of the following two program activities:

• Food Safety and Nutrition Risks
• Zoonotic Risks

2010-11 Planned Spending

[D]

Food Safety and Nutrition Risks

This program activity aims to mitigate risks to public health associated with disease and other health hazards in the food supply system and aims to manage food safety incidents and emergencies. The program activity achieves its objectives by promoting food safety awareness through public engagement and by enforcing standards and science-based regulations.

In the summer of 2008, the CFIA responded to a listeriosis outbreak linked to ready-to-eat meats produced at a Maple Leaf Foods establishment in Toronto, Ontario. The outbreak prompted one of the largest recalls in Canadian history involving close to 30,000 distributors. Since the outbreak, the CFIA, working with its federal and provincial partners and with industry, immediately undertook a number of measures to prevent and reduce the risk posed by similar outbreaks in the future and continues to work towards putting in place stronger food safety control measures in an effort to improve the safety of the food system and to better protect the health of Canadians.

While much of the Agency's leadership has resulted in a stronger food safety system, the CFIA recognizes that there is still room for ongoing improvement in this area. To achieve this, the CFIA, working collaboratively with its partners and industry, has committed over the next few years to addressing all the recommendations outlined in the Report of the Independent Investigator into the 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak as well as the recommendations by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (Sub-Committee on Food Safety). By addressing these recommendations, the CFIA will further strengthen the safety of Canadians and the Canadian food system by minimizing the risks associated with foodborne pathogens.

In 2010-11, the CFIA will focus its efforts on improving its current risk-based inspection system, hiring additional inspectors, enhancing the current training system and assessing vulnerabilities in Canada's food supply. By regularly updating its science-based programs, policies and procedures to address new and emerging threats, the CFIA will ensure that it keeps pace with the constantly evolving challenges affecting the food supply and is better able to predict and respond to food-related outbreaks. As part of its efforts in this area, the CFIA will expand its science-based research agenda, including enhancements to testing methodologies and rapid methods for detecting foodborne pathogens.

The CFIA will continue to work with its federal partners to further implement the FCSAP, which will strengthen active prevention, rapid response and targeted oversight. This work will allow the Agency and its partners to better identify food safety risks, provide better inspection coverage and allow the Government to issue more timely alerts to Canadians about food recalls and food-related hazards. In addition, recognition of voluntary industry food safety systems will be expanded to the post-farm sector.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.1.2.

Zoonotic Risks

The Zoonotic Risks program activity aims to minimize the risks associated with the spread of diseases that are transmitted, or may be transmitted, from animals to humans or from humans to animals. This program activity involves developing and delivering programs and services that focus on animal health biosecurity, integrated surveillance, prevention and control of the spread of zoonotic diseases such as H1N1 influenza and avian influenza.

In 2010-11, the CFIA will continue to work with its animal health stakeholders to better anticipate, prevent and manage animal health risks and associated emergencies. Specifically, in support of the Fore-CAN: Foresight for Canadian Animal Health project, the Agency plans to apply foresight methods to its approach to managing animal health. This involves developing and applying new insights to anticipate, prevent and prepare for future zoonotic threats. Taking a collaborative approach to foresight projects, the CFIA will continue to work with both its domestic stakeholders and international organizations such as the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) respectively.

As part of its efforts to minimize risks associated with the H1N1 influenza outbreak, the Agency plans to continue collaborating with industry and the public through initiatives under the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)-led Growing Forward Agricultural Policy Framework and the Canadian Swine Health Board. These initiatives will be used to develop and implement enhanced biosecurity programs for all major commodities including swine. This should reduce disease transmission and protect the interests of Canadians. The CFIA will also continue to work with public health officials to investigate any other situations where potentially affected people may have had contact with susceptible animal species.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.1.2.

2.1.2 Planning Highlights

In addition to its ongoing activities, the CFIA plans to augment the achievement of the expected results for this strategic outcome by focusing efforts on the following activities:

• Continue to implement recommendations contained in the Report of the Independent Investigator into the Listeriosis Outbreak and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (Sub-Committee on Food Safety). This includes working collaboratively with partners and industry, enhancing learning opportunities for inspection staff and enhancing public access to food safety information.
• Work toward implementing the CVS in non-meat programs.
• Review and update manuals, policies and procedures, including the design and delivery of risk-based inspection, to address high risk areas.
• Further implement the FCSAP, which will strengthen active prevention, rapid response and targeted oversight for food safety.
• Continue to work with partners, domestic stakeholders and international organizations to anticipate, prevent and prepare for future zoonotic threats.

2.1.3 Benefits for Canadians

• A safer and more secure food system will improve the health of Canadians by minimizing the occurences of foodborne pathogen outbreaks.
• Improved monitoring, detection, and management of zoonotic diseases will reduce the health and economic risks associated with Canadians contracting zoonotic diseases.

2.2 Strategic Outcome 2: A safe and sustainable plant and animal resource base

[D]

The current and future economic prosperity of the Canadian agriculture and forestry sectors relies upon a healthy and sustainable animal and plant resource base. As such, the CFIA is continually improving its program design and delivery in the animal and plant area to minimize and manage risks. In an effort to protect the natural environment from invasive animal and plant diseases and plant pests, the CFIA also does extensive work relating to protecting environmental biodiversity. It does this through the assessment of new and novel plants, supplements,²⁹ feeds and veterinary biologics.

The key strategic risks, as identified in the Agency's CRP, relating to the CFIA's ability to deliver on its mandate in this area are:

• Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases
• Human Resources
• Science and Technology Capacity
• Information for Decision-Making
• Partnerships
• Internal Co-ordination
• Program Framework

To mitigate these risks, the Agency will focus its efforts in 2010-11 on the delivery of the five priorities identified in Section 2.1.

2.2.1 Program Activities Summary

The Agency's ongoing efforts toward achieving this strategic outcome are managed and measured within the context of the following three program activities:

• Animal Health Risks and Production Systems
• Plant Health Risks and Production Systems
• Biodiversity Protection

2010 -11 Planned spending

[D]

Animal Health Risks and Production Systems

This program activity aims to minimize risk to Canada's terrestrial and aquatic animal resource base, animal feeds and animal products, which are integral to a safe and accessible food supply system as well as to public health. The program activity achieves its objectives by minimizing the risk to Canada's animals (including livestock and aquatic animals) from regulated diseases, managing animal disease incidents and emergencies, promoting and regulating animal welfare, verifying that animal feeds and vaccines are safe and efficacious, and guarding against deliberate threats to the animal resource base.

In 2010-11, the CFIA plans to further implement the CVS in the feed program. This will help strengthen inspection and compliance performance in that area. The CFIA will also continue to work on a readiness assessment and roll-out strategy, so that in the future all of the Agency programs will be able to move to CVS as their inspection tool.

Under the Growing Forward initiative, the CFIA plans to further its work on animal traceability to enhance the capacity to track agriculture and agri-food products through specified stages of production, processing and distribution. This work will continue to improve the long-term sustainability of Canada's animal resource base and will include the development of a traceability framework and federal, provincial and territorial cooperation approaches. The CFIA will continue to work with specific industry groups to develop traceability strategies and implementation plans for their sectors.

In collaboration with the provinces and territories under the National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, the CFIA plans to work toward enhancing Canada's farmed animal health system to address new and emerging animal health challenges. Also, the CFIA will continue implementing enhanced animal welfare controls to better protect the health and welfare of animals being transported, slaughtered at federally-registered plants or humanely killed for disease control.

The Agency will also begin to implement the National Aquatic Animal Health Program (NAAHP). The purpose of this program is to protect Canada's aquatic resource productivity by minimizing the risk of introducing infectious diseases of concern to Canada. For more information on the NAAHP, refer to the Horizontal Initiatives table in Section III.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.2.2.

Plant Health Risks and Production Systems

This program activity aims to minimize risks to Canada's plant resource base, which is integral to a safe and accessible food supply, as well as to public health, the economy and environmental sustainability. The program activity achieves its objectives by regulating agricultural products; minimizing risks to the plant resource base (including crops and forests) from regulated pests and diseases; regulating the safety and integrity of seeds, fertilizers and plant products; and managing plant health incidents. The program activity also guards against deliberate threats to the plant resource base, verifies environmental safety before adopting emerging plant technologies and protects the rights of plant breeders.

In 2010-11, the Agency will continue to address the recommendations outlined in the 2008-09 Plant Health Audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor General. These actions will improve the information management capacity within the plant program and will strengthen the risk-based approaches to plant program design and delivery.

In addition, the CFIA will further the implementation of prevention and eradication programs aimed at invasive species in Canada. This work will support the long term viability of the agricultural and forestry sector within Canada by working to protect the plant resource base from invasive species that can reduce the yield and vitality of marketable plant products. To further promote awareness, the CFIA will maintain its program to publicize regulations aimed at reducing the entry and spread of invasive pests, and keep the public, stakeholders and affected industries up-to-date by posting information on the CFIA website.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.2.2.

Biodiversity Protection

Protecting Canada's biodiversity is critical to the sustainability of Canada's environment. The CFIA's biodiversity protection program design and delivery and associated risk mitigation strategies play an important role in minimizing and managing risks to Canada's environment (for example, risks from novel plants, supplements, feeds and veterinary biologics). The Agency's programs are developed and delivered to assess and manage environmental safety when new agricultural products are introduced.

In 2010-11, the CFIA will continue to work with its federal partners to facilitate the coordination and harmonization of policy and regulatory approaches. As well, the Agency will continue to increase its capacity to conduct scientific evaluations of novel products for registration purposes, research authorizations and unconfined environmental release.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.2.2.

2.2.2 Planning Highlights

In addition to its ongoing activities, the CFIA plans to augment the achievement of the expected results for this strategic outcome by focusing efforts on the following activities:

• Begin to implement the NAAHP.
• Under the National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, implement enhanced animal welfare controls.
• Under the Growing Forward initiative, implement initiatives related to traceability to develop or enhance the capacity to track agriculture and agri-food products through specified stages of production, processing, and distribution.
• Respond to the Auditor General's recommendations on plant health to improve its information management capacity and strengthen the risk-based approaches to plant health program design and delivery.
• Further implement the eradication programs aimed at invasive species and plant pests.
• Continue work with partners to strengthen policy and regulatory approaches to managing the environmental safety of agricultural products.

2.2.3 Benefits for Canadians

• The Canadian agricultural, aquaculture and forestry sector benefits from preventing and/or managing animal and plant disease and plant pest risks.
• Canadians can be more confident in the security of their environment as impacts from novel plants, supplements, feeds and veterinary biologics are minimized and managed.

2.3 Strategic Outcome 3: Contributes to consumer protection and market access based on the application of science and standards

[D]

The CFIA's programming contributes to protecting consumers from unfair market practices and supporting the ability and competitiveness of Canadian agriculture and agri-food businesses to enter domestic and global markets. The Agency works to develop and implement regulatory frameworks that address risks to consumers, to verify that labelling information is truthful and not misleading and to verify that imports and exports meet Canadian and international requirements. To support these objectives, the CFIA also engages in outreach and consultation activities with key stakeholders and partners including industry, consumers and international trade and standards organizations.

The key strategic risks, as identified in the Agency's CRP, relating to the CFIA's ability to deliver on its mandate in this area are:

• Human Resources
• Science and Technology Capacity
• Information for Decision-Making
• Partnerships
• Internal Co-ordination
• Program Framework

In order to mitigate these risks, the Agency will concentrate its efforts in 2010-11 on the delivery of the five priorities identified in Section 2.1.

2.3.1 Program Activities Summary

2010 -11 Planned Spending

[D]

The Agency's ongoing efforts toward achieving this strategic outcome are managed and measured within the context of the following two program activities:

• Integrated Regulatory Frameworks
• Domestic and International Market Access

Integrated Regulatory Frameworks

This program activity contributes to developing and implementing national and international regulatory frameworks for food, animals, plants and their related products. In support of this goal, the Agency strives to build and maintain regulatory frameworks that are consistent, transparent, science-based and outcome-oriented. The Agency also continues to enhance its internal regulatory development processes, including increased focus on performance measurement and economic analysis. These frameworks support the CFIA's activities to manage food, animal and plant risks, and incorporate fair and competitive marketplace principles that are applied to the agri-food sector. The CFIA's programming also protects consumers from misleading information and false quality and quantity claims by verifying the accuracy of information on food product labels and advertising, as well as verifying labeling quality and/or efficacy for some agricultural inputs. Additionally, the Agency helps to provide accurate information to consumers enabling them to make informed choices about food products.

In 2010-11, in adherence with the Government-wide Cabinet Directive on Streamlining Regulation (CDSR), the CFIA plans to improve the horizontal regulatory framework for agri-food programs. As part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers from unsafe or unfair practices, the CFIA also plans to work toward modernizing legislation and regulations for the following areas: food and food safety; animals, and their related products; plants and their related products; and the Agency's user fee regime. This work aims to provide for a more effective, efficient and accountable regulatory system, designed to enhance consumer protection, support trade and facilitate collaboration. Specifically, the Agency plans to amend the Health of Animals Regulations related to humane transport and hog identification and the Honey Regulations in order to insert performance standards and improve enforcement; establish components of a national swine traceability system; and align with international standards respectively.

The Agency also plans to strengthen and expand international partnerships to manage plant health risks before their arrival at Canadian borders. The CFIA will work and collaborate with its international partners to identify and respond to plant health risks at earlier points in the plant production and supply cycle.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.3.2.

Domestic and International Market Access

The CFIA's programming under this program activity supports the ability of the agriculture, agri-food, forestry and fisheries sectors to enter domestic and global markets. This program activity contributes to ensuring that Canadian standards and regulations meet domestic and international requirements and that the safety and quality of Canadian food, plant and animal products are recognized internationally. The Agency's activities include inspecting imported products to verify that they meet Canadian requirements, issuing export certificates to assist Canadian producers to meet foreign import requirements and participating in negotiations and the development of science-based international standards and agreements.

In 2010-11, the CFIA plans to continue modernizing its import/export certification process including implementing electronic certification to facilitate trade and market access for Canadian industry. Electronic certification helps to streamline the management of import/export certification information and requirements and allows the Agency to efficiently keep abreast of changing regulatory requirements. Having such timely and accurate information leads to foreign regulators having greater levels of confidence in Canadian products.

In October 2009, the CFIA appointed a Chief Technical Market Access Negotiator to contribute to the development of bilateral and multilateral technical market access strategies, and lead multidisciplinary technical negotiating teams, as well as CFIA participation in Ministerial missions. Under the Chief Technical Market Access Negotiator's leadership, the Agency will provide technical trade support to the Market Access Secretariat (MAS) within AAFC. The MAS aims to better co-ordinate government initiatives with producers and industry to aggressively and strategically access new markets and keep pace with international competitors.

Additionally, the CFIA will continue to support Canada's missions abroad by providing science-based information to trade partners and importers. This information will highlight the safety of Canadian pork and swine products and address challenges in canola and flax markets. In countries where an import ban is being considered or has been imposed, the CFIA will continue to engage with key agencies and officials to help them make informed decisions regarding the safety of products from Canada.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is measured against the performance indicators and targets presented in the following table. Specific planning highlights are outlined in Section 2.3.2.

2.3.2 Planning Highlights

In addition to its ongoing activities, the CFIA plans to augment the achievement of the expected results for this strategic outcome by focusing efforts on the following activities:

• Work toward modernizing legislation and regulations for food and food safety; animals, plants and their related products.
• Facilitate trade and maintain market access for Canadian food, plant and animal exports through support of Canada's trade missions abroad, implementation of electronic certification and provision of technical support to the MAS.
• Influence international agreements and standard setting using sound science so that imported food is safe for Canadians.
• Strengthen and expand international partnerships to help manage plant risks before they arrive at the Canadian border.

2.3.3 Benefits for Canadians

• Access for Canadians to accurate nutritional and other labelling information required to make informed decisions about the food and agricultural products they purchase.
• A strong trade position and supported domestic and international market access through sound regulatory systems and the consolidation of standards and inspection techniques for food, plant and animal products.

2.4 Internal Services

Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Security Management Services; Environmental Management Services; Materiel Management Services; Procurement Services; Travel and Other Administrative Services; and Science-related infrastructure and capacity.

2.4.1 Program Activities Summary

2010-11 Planned spending

[D]

This program activity conforms to the current Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines. Internal services provide robust, sustainable and affordable enabling services to business lines in support of the Agency's responsibilities and all three of its strategic outcomes. Internal services and internal operations help ensure that Agency resources target high priority areas while at the same time addressing matters of administration, human and capital resources.

In 2010-11, the CFIA plans to enhance its internal services by better integrating branch and corporate services. This will improve delivery of effective support to managers. The Agency will continue to prudently manage its capital assets and stewardship of financial and non-financial resources. In addition, the Agency plans to move toward horizontal planning based on the Agency's business line priorities (food safety, animal health and plant health).

To meet and keep up with its ever changing and competitive environment, the Agency plans to modernize its approaches to operational, human resources, information management, information technology services, asset planning and management of science practices. This will enhance and improve its supporting functions and ensure that these effectively support decision making and the Agency's overall business and planning requirements.

In support of these goals, the CFIA will continue to develop the Performance Management and Reporting Solution project, which is designed to deliver timely performance information that is easily accessible, robust, reliable, and well substantiated. The CFIA will also continue to implement the CFIA Renewal Plan 2008-2013, which focuses on five major areas of people management: employee engagement, building capacity, leadership development, attracting talent and a supportive human resource management architecture. The Plan also complements the government's Public Service Renewal initiative, which aims to ensure continued excellence in serving Canadians, now and in the future.

In 2010-11, as part of the CFIA's Learning Framework, a governance structure will be put in place with clear lines of accountability, roles and responsibilities for learning. The Agency will also work toward the development of a leadership development framework which will pull together internal and external programs that are in place and allow employees to see their leadership development path from entry into the public service through to their retirement. This will allow them to better plan their training and development, so that they can achieve excellence in their work.

In addition, the Agency will place heightened attention on delivering on its obligations flowing from the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Act. A multi-year action plan is being implemented to ensure greater oversight, coordination and accountability concerning the processing of requests for information and the protection of Canadians' privacy rights. The planned improvements support the priority to increase transparency to maintain public and stakeholder confidence in the Agency's work.

The Agency's management of human and financial resources to deliver on this program activity is presented in the following table. Specific planning commitments are outlined in Section 2.4.2.

Canada's Economic Action Plan

In 2009, the federal government committed to approximately $24 million over two years to help modernize the CFIA's laboratories. The CFIA will deliver 13 initiatives comprising 30 projects in six provinces at the following seven laboratories: Burnaby, Calgary, Dartmouth, Lethbridge, Ottawa, Saskatoon and St. Hyacinthe. With this funding, scientists and researchers will have improved work environments that will enhance research and development. This contributes to public health and safety for Canadians.

2.4.2 Planning Highlights

In addition to its ongoing activities, the CFIA plans to augment the achievement of the expected results for this strategic outcome by focusing efforts on the following activities:

• Enhance internal services to improve delivery of effective support to managers.
• Continue to develop business line planning, resource management and performance management.
• Continue implementing the CFIA Renewal Plan 2008-2013, including the development of a strong learning framework.
• Continue to work toward improving science-related processes, infrastructure and capacity to better manage risk, meet future needs and inform decision-making.
• Support business requirements with a robust, sustainable information management / information technology environment.
• Under CEAP, modernize laboratories to enhance scientific research and development.
• Under the ATIP program, continue to implement activities in its multi-year Action Plan.

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