Public Opinion Research with Food Businesses to Support Compliance with Food Safety Regulations: 2018-2019
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Executive Summary
March 2019
Prepared for:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Supplier Name: Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
Contract Award Date: August 7, 2018
Delivery Date: March 2019
Contract Amount (incl. HST): $112,926.55
Contract #: 39903-190299/001/CY
POR Number: 029-18
For more information, please contact:cfia.enquiries-demandederenseignements.acia@canada.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.
Copyright Page
Public opinion research with food businesses 2018-2019
Final Report
Prepared for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Supplier name: Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
March 2019
This public opinion research report presents the results of two waves of telephone surveys conducted by Quorus Consulting Group Inc. on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. A first wave of surveys was conducted with 670 businesses in Canada in October and November 2018 and a follow-up wave was conducted with 700 businesses in Canada in February and March 2019. The questionnaire for the follow-up wave was largely similar to the one used for the initial wave.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Recherche sur l’opinion publique auprès du secteur alimentaire 2018-2019.
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. For more information on this report, please contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at: cfia.enquiries-demandederenseignements.acia@canada.ca or at:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
1400 Merivale Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0Y9
Catalogue Number:
A104-150/2019E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
ISBN 978-0-660-28227-5
Related publications (registration number: POR 029-18):
Catalogue Number A104-150/2019F-PDF (Final Report, French)
ISBN 978-0-660-28228-2
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Health, 2019
Political Neutrality Certification
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Quorus Consulting Group Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications - Appendix C.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed:
Rick Nadeau, President
Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Research Purpose and Objectives
As part of the modern regulatory tool kit, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) combined 14 food safety regulations into the New Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). The regulations were published in June of 2018 and came into force January 15, 2019.
CFIA requested public opinion research primarily to obtain insights on the food industry’s views towards their food safety and food safety regulations in Canada, with a focus on small food businesses, food importers and exporters. This was done through a survey with businesses before the SFCR came into force (Wave 1), and a survey with businesses after the SFCR came into force (Wave 2). Specifically, CFIA wanted to gain a better understanding of awareness, motivations, perceptions and attitudes towards the following:
- The level of awareness of existing CFIA information products, including advertising,
- Understanding and confidence in the various roles and responsibilities within the food safety system,
- Resource needs and barriers to complying with regulatory requirements, to identify areas where compliance can be assisted with implementation of compliance promotion, communications, and support services,
- Awareness and satisfaction with My CFIA,
- Satisfaction with current services, and
- Expectations on future services and programs.
Summary of Findings
The research results presented in this report are often based on one of two different segments:
- Select questions were asked exclusively to “Retail-only businesses” in the food industry – these are businesses that self-identified as only selling product to consumers and not importing, preparing food for export or to move across provincial boundaries. These businesses do need to meet traceability requirements under SFCR.
- Other study results focus exclusively on food industry businesses that conduct at least more than one activity that has requirements under SFCR other than just retail – these are referred to as “businesses not exclusively in retail” in this report.
Awareness of CFIA and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
Over three quarters of businesses are at least somewhat familiar with CFIA. More specifically, 51% would rate their level of familiarity either a 6 or a 7 on a 7-point scale (where 1 meant not at all familiar and 7 meant very familiar). Another 32% would consider themselves somewhat familiar (a rating of 4 or 5) and 16% feel they are not very familiar (a rating of 1 to 3). Familiarity seems slightly lower from Wave 1 to Wave 2 (87% vs. 83% giving a rating from 4 to 7), however the difference is not statistically significant.
Respondents were asked if they had heard, seen or read any advertisements related to CFIA in the three to four weeks prior to participating in the survey. Of all businesses, 50% of respondents recall being exposed to CFIA advertisements. This includes 5% of respondents who remembered SFCR spontaneously (unaided awareness), 39% who remembered SFCR when asked specifically about it, and 6% who remember other CFIA ads but not specific to SFCR.
Among those having heard, seen or read something about SFCR who are in a business not exclusively in retail (59% of respondents), the most common sources were email (27%), colleagues and industry events (25%), the CFIA website (21%), followed by an online general source (18%). In Wave 1, among those having heard, seen or read something about SFCR who are in a business not exclusively in retail (50% of respondents), the most common sources were colleagues and industry events (30%), a CFIA employee or inspector (21%), the CFIA website (20%), followed by an online general source (18%).
Confidence in Meeting Food Safety Regulations
The majority (91%) of businesses felt very confident that they would meet food safety regulations and requirements if they were to be inspected. Among the remaining respondents, 8% felt somewhat confident and only 1% were not very confident. This is a statistically significant increase from 86% of businesses feeling very confident in meeting food safety regulations and requirements in Wave 1.
Commonly Conducted Food Safety Activities
A list of various food safety-related measures and activities was presented to survey respondents in both waves and they were asked to note the ones that apply to their company. The most popular food safety activities include documenting standard operating procedures on food safety, establishing a traceability program and internal training programs on food safety. Each of these was noted by over three-quarters of businesses in both waves. Additionally, 60% of businesses have preventive controls in place, which are outlined in a written plan.
Over two thirds of businesses not exclusively in retail (68%) have a high understanding of the food safety regulations that apply to their foods. This is a lower rating compared to that observed in Wave 1 (78%).
Survey respondents were provided with three potential challenges that food businesses might encounter and then asked to select the one that, from their perspective, would be the biggest challenge. Just over two in five food businesses (45%) selected traceability of food products as the biggest food safety challenge. This was followed by written preventive controls (30%), and 16% selected licencing.
Contact with CFIA
Over 7 in 10 (73%) businesses that are not exclusively in retail have had some sort of contact with CFIA over the past 12 months. The most common interaction with CFIA over the past 12 months was looking for information about food safety regulations or requirements on the CFIA’s website (57%) while 42% claim to have been inspected, 34% contacted CFIA directly for information or technical advice on food safety regulations or regulatory interpretation, or requested a permission, licence, registration, or certificate from CFIA, and 33% contacted CFIA for information on (rather than requesting) a permission licence or certificate.
Businesses having contacted CFIA over the past 12 months most often did so through CFIA website (63%), followed by contacting CFIA by phone (48%), or by email (48%). A smaller proportion contacted CFIA in person (21%) and only a few did so via social media (1%). These results suggest that businesses in general are using multiple channels to contact CFIA.
Businesses were asked to rate the extent of helpfulness of the website when contacting CFIA for information. Half find the website very helpful.
Website users were asked to suggest what could be done to CFIA’s inspection.gc.ca site to improve it. The main items identified for improvement are to make it easier to navigate and more user-friendly (21%), and to provide clearer information (17%).
Respondents were also asked to rate the helpfulness of email, phone and in-person service received when contacting CFIA for information. Nearly three quarters (75%) of those who contacted CFIA by phone found the support very useful and an additional 20% found it somewhat useful. Nearly two thirds (64%) of those who used email to contact CFIA found it very useful, and 28% somewhat useful. Of those who contacted CFIA in person, 54% found the information very useful and 15% found it somewhat useful. However, 30% did not know how to rate the service received.
Businesses were asked to indicate their preferred method to request and receive regulatory information from CFIA. The preferred method to receive this information is by email, as indicated by 78% of respondents, followed by 47% of respondents indicating to prefer this information by phone. A little over one third of respondents (35%) prefer a live customer service-based chat on the CFIA website, while just over a quarter (27%) prefer using a chatbot (27%). Less than a fifth prefer social media (15%), mail (7%), or in-person service (4%).
When asked the preferred method to receive CFIA services, 74% of businesses prefer to receive them by email, 52% on the CFIA website, 25% prefer to go to a CFIA office and receive them in person, and less than one fifth prefer to receive them by fax (17%), mail (10%), on social media (8%), or by phone (6%).
General Impressions of CFIA
Roughly half of businesses strongly agree that CFIA is fair when inspecting food businesses (54%), that it is easy to understand the information CFIA provides food businesses (52%), and that it provides enough information to meet regulatory obligations (48%). Agreement drops slightly to 40% when asked if CFIA is efficient in its operations. Between 8% and 15% of businesses did not know enough about CFIA to be able to rate them across these five dimensions and about one in ten seem to disagree with each evaluation criteria.
My CFIA
The survey also examined awareness and likelihood to use the new digital service developed for convenient service delivery My CFIA.
Nearly half of respondents (44%) are aware of the My CFIA portal, from which 32% have used it. Both awareness and usage are significantly higher in Wave 2 than in Wave 1. Awareness increased from 26% to 44%, and usage more than doubled from 14% to 32%.
Among the 32% of businesses that have used My CFIA, 68% did so to request a new licence, 44% to register their business, 32% to renew their licence, 28% to obtain a permit, 15% to obtain an export certificate, and 10% only to enroll without using any other portal features.
Overall, satisfaction with the portal is positive, nearly half of users (46%) are very satisfied and 38% are somewhat satisfied. Satisfaction in Wave 1 was much lower, likely due to the higher number of respondents who had only enrolled and had not had the opportunity to experience the services that are now available.
According to participants who provided a lower satisfaction score for My CFIA, the most common reason was that the design was not user-friendly.
The study explored the likely use of My CFIA in the future. a little over, half (53%) of all businesses, not only in retail, are very likely to use My CFIA in the future and another 26% are somewhat likely.
Compliance Burden
Results reveal that over a quarter (28%) of businesses find the paperwork associated with food regulations very burdensome while one quarter (25%) find it not very burdensome.
Nearly one in three (29%) strongly agree that CFIA takes the needs of businesses into account when developing new information products, and a similar proportion (26%) strongly agrees that over the past 12 months they have spent less time searching for food safety information.
Overall Satisfaction with CFIA
Over two in five respondents (45%) felt very satisfied with the overall service received from CFIA in the past 12 months. Another 33% were somewhat satisfied and roughly one in 10 were not very satisfied. An important proportion (13%) did not provide a rating, probably because they had not interacted with CFIA over the past 12 months or they never interact with CFIA.
Finding Food Safety Information
Roughly one in three respondents (34%) indicated they do not have any challenges when it comes to finding information on food safety regulations or requirements. The main challenges for businesses when it comes to finding food safety information are the lack of clear information (15%), too much information (11%), and the CFIA website not being easy to navigate (11%). Other common challenges included time-consuming researching information, lack of notifications or updates, among others.
When asked specifically to identify the topics about which information was difficult to find, nearly half (48%) of all respondents felt there was no topic in particular that proved challenging. Some topics identified included new regulations or changes to rules (16%), labelling (9%), and food products (6%).
Methodology
All research work was conducted in accordance with the professional standards established by the Government of Canada Public Opinion Research Standards, as follows:
- The survey consisted of two national telephone surveys with businesses in the food industry in Canada based on a selected list of North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes provided by CFIA. The sample frames were selected from a list of businesses from InfoCanada, a common and reputable list provider in the industry.
- Quorus designed the survey instruments in English in conjunction with CFIA Project Authority. Quorus translated the client-approved English versions of the survey. Respondents had the choice to complete the interview in English or French.
- The survey was conducted following the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research – Telephone Surveys. Quorus informed respondents of their rights under the Privacy and Access to Information Acts and ensured that those rights were protected throughout the research process.
- The approved final questionnaires were programmed for computer-based telephone data collection. For Wave 2, a total of 700 businesses participated in the survey, from which 200 were “Retail Only”. As for Wave 1, 670 businesses participated in the survey, from which 300 were “Retail Only”. Most of the results in this report are based on businesses that are not exclusively retailers (Wave 2, n=500; Wave 1, n=370) as the key target audience are food businesses that import or prepare food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial boundaries.
- Data collection for Wave 2 occurred between February 4, 2019, and March 1, 2019. Wave 1 data collection occurred between October 24 and November 9, 2018.
- The margin of error of this sample size is +/- 3.8%, 19 times out of 20. The data was weighted according to the population counts per industry vertical and province as per InfoCanada information.
- This study saw a response rate of 14% across the entire sample in Wave 1 and of 17% in Wave 2.
Supplier Name: Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
Contract number: 39903-190299/001/CY
Contract Award Date: August 7, 2018
Contract Amount (including HST): $112,926.55
For more information, please contact Canada Food Inspection Agency at: cfia.enquiries-demandederenseignements.acia@canada.ca
Methodology
All research work was conducted in accordance with the professional standards established by the Government of Canada Public Opinion Research Standards, as follows:
- The survey consisted of two national telephone surveys with businesses in the food industry in Canada based on a selected list of North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes provided by CFIA. The sample frames were selected from a list of businesses from InfoCanada, a common and reputable list provider in the industry.
Targeted Industries with NAICS CodesAgriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)
11121101
Potato Farming
11231001
Chicken Egg Production
11121901
Other Vegetable (Except Potato) & Melon Farming
11233001
Turkey Production
11133101
Apple Orchards
11251901
Other Aquaculture
11133103
Apple Orchards
11251903
Other Aquaculture
11133104
Apple Orchards
11251904
Other Aquaculture
11133402
Berry (Except Strawberry) Farming
11292001
Horse & Other Equine Production
11133902
Other Noncitrus Fruit Farming
11293002
Fur-Bearing Animal & Rabbit Production
11141101
Mushroom Production
11293004
Fur-Bearing Animal & Rabbit Production
11141902
Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover
11299001
All Other Animal Production
11199801
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11299002
All Other Animal Production
11199803
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11299003
All Other Animal Production
11199804
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11299007
All Other Animal Production
11199806
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11299013
All Other Animal Production
11199807
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11299017
All Other Animal Production
11199808
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11421001
Hunting & Trapping
11199809
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11421004
Hunting & Trapping
11199810
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11421005
Hunting & Trapping
11199811
All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming
11421006
Hunting & Trapping
11212001
Dairy Cattle & Milk Production
11421009
Hunting & Trapping
11212002
Dairy Cattle & Milk Production
Manufacturing (31)
31121102
Flour Milling
31161501
Poultry Processing
31121106
Flour Milling
31171001
Seafood Product Preparation & Packaging
31121107
Flour Milling
31171003
Seafood Product Preparation & Packaging
31121301
Malt Manufacturing
31171004
Seafood Product Preparation & Packaging
31122402
Soybean & Other Oilseed Processing
31171007
Seafood Product Preparation & Packaging
31122501
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31171008
Seafood Product Preparation & Packaging
31122505
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31181101
Retail Bakeries
31122508
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31181102
Retail Bakeries
31122511
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31181103
Retail Bakeries
31122512
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31181104
Retail Bakeries
31122516
Fats & Oils Refining & Blending
31181105
Retail Bakeries
31123001
Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing
31181202
Commercial Bakeries
31131401
Cane Sugar Manufacturing
31182101
Cookie & Cracker Manufacturing
31131403
Cane Sugar Manufacturing
31182403
Dry Pasta Dough/Flour Mixes Mfg-Purchased Flour
31135101
Chocolate/Confectionery Mfg From Cacao Beans
31182404
Dry Pasta Dough/Flour Mixes Mfg-Purchased Flour
31135201
Confectionery Mfg From Purchased Chocolate
31191102
Roasted Nuts & Peanut Butter Manufacturing
31141102
Frozen Fruit Juice & Vegetable Manufacturing
31191901
Other Snack Food Manufacturing
31141202
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
31191905
Other Snack Food Manufacturing
31141203
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
31191906
Other Snack Food Manufacturing
31141204
Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing
31192001
Coffee & Tea Manufacturing
31142101
Fruit & Vegetable Canning
31192002
Coffee & Tea Manufacturing
31142103
Fruit & Vegetable Canning
31194101
Mayonnaise Dressing & Other Prepared Sauce Mfg
31142104
Fruit & Vegetable Canning
31194103
Mayonnaise Dressing & Other Prepared Sauce Mfg
31142106
Fruit & Vegetable Canning
31194202
Spice & Extract Manufacturing
31142107
Fruit & Vegetable Canning
31194203
Spice & Extract Manufacturing
31142303
Dried & Dehydrated Food Manufacturing
31199901
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31151201
Creamery Better Manufacturing
31199902
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31151301
Cheese Manufacturing
31199905
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31151402
Dry Condensed & Evaporated Dairy Products Mfg
31199906
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31152001
Ice Cream & Frozen Dessert Manufacturing
31199908
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161101
Animal (Except Poultry) Slaughtering
31199910
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161102
Animal (Except Poultry) Slaughtering
31199913
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161103
Animal (Except Poultry) Slaughtering
31199917
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161104
Animal (Except Poultry) Slaughtering
31199919
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161202
Meat Processed Form Carcasses
31199920
All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
31161205
Meat Processed Form Carcasses
31211101
Soft Drink Manufacturing
31161207
Meat Processed Form Carcasses
31211102
Soft Drink Manufacturing
31161301
Rendering & Meat Byproduct Processing
31211103
Soft Drink Manufacturing
31161302
Rendering & Meat Byproduct Processing
Wholesale Trade (42)
42441003
General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
42449010
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42441004
General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
42449011
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42441005
General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
42449013
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442001
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449015
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442002
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449017
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442003
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449018
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442004
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449019
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442005
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449022
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442006
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449024
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42442007
Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
42449026
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42443009
Dairy Product (Exc Dried Or Canned) Mrchnt Whlsrs
42449027
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42443010
Dairy Product (Exc Dried Or Canned) Mrchnt Whlsrs
42449030
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42443012
Dairy Product (Exc Dried Or Canned) Mrchnt Whlsrs
42449032
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42443013
Dairy Product (Exc Dried Or Canned) Mrchnt Whlsrs
42449033
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42444001
Poultry & Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449034
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42444002
Poultry & Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449035
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42444003
Poultry & Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449037
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42445002
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
42449042
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42445004
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
42449044
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42445008
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
42449046
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42445010
Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
42449047
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42446001
Fish & Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
42449050
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42446002
Fish & Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
42449055
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42447002
Meat & Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449056
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42447005
Meat & Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449057
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42447006
Meat & Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers
42449061
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42448007
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
42449064
Other Grocery & Relate Products Merchant Whlsrs
42448008
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
42451002
Grain & Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers
42448009
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
42451005
Grain & Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers
42448010
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
42459003
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
42448011
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
42459005
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
42449002
Other Grocery & Related Products Merchant Whlsrs
42459007
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
42449003
Other Grocery & Related Products Merchant Whlsrs
42459008
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
42449005
Other Grocery & Related Products Merchant Whlsrs
42459010
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
42449006
Other Grocery & Related Products Merchant Whlsrs
42459017
Other Farm Products Raw Merchant Whlsrs
Retail Trade (44)
44511001
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529902
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511002
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529903
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511003
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529905
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511005
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529906
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511006
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529907
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511007
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529909
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44511008
Supermarkets/Other Grocery (Exc Convenience) Strs
44529910
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44512001
Convenience Stores
44529911
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521001
Meat Markets
44529912
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521003
Meat Markets
44529914
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521004
Meat Markets
44529915
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521006
Meat Markets
44529917
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521009
Meat Markets
44529918
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521010
Meat Markets
44529920
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44521012
Meat Markets
44529921
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44522003
Fish & Seafood Markets
44529923
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44522004
Fish & Seafood Markets
44529924
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44523001
Fruit & Vegetable Markets
44529927
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44523003
Fruit & Vegetable Markets
44529929
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44523005
Fruit & Vegetable Markets
44529930
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44523006
Fruit & Vegetable Markets
44529932
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44529202
Confectionery & Nut Stores
44529934
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44529204
Confectionery & Nut Stores
44529936
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44529205
Confectionery & Nut Stores
44529938
All Other Specialty Food Stores
44529206
Confectionery & Nut Stores
- Quorus designed the survey instruments in English in conjunction with the CFIA Project Authority. Together, Quorus and CFIA ensured the research objectives were addressed, that plain language was used, and that the questionnaires flowed easily for respondents. Quorus collaborated with CFIA to then finalize the survey instruments for each wave. Quorus translated the client-approved English versions of the survey. Respondents had the choice to complete the interview in English or French.
- Quorus informed respondents of their rights under the Privacy and Access to Information Acts and ensured that those rights were protected throughout the research process. This included: informing participants of the purpose of the research; identifying both the sponsoring department or agency and research supplier at the end of the interview; informing participants that the study will be made available to the public in 6 months after field completion through Library and Archives Canada, informing participants that their participation in the study was voluntary, and that the information provided would be administered according to the requirements of the Privacy Act.
- The approved final questionnaires were programmed for computer-based telephone data collection.
- For Wave 2, a total of 700 businesses participated in the survey, from which 200 were “Retail Only”. As for Wave 1, 670 businesses participated in the survey, from which 300 were “Retail Only”. Most of the results in this report are based on businesses that are not exclusively retailers (Wave 2, n=500; Wave 1, n=370), as the key target audience are food businesses that import or prepare food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial boundaries. These are businesses in the food industry that may or may not have a retail function.
- Data collection for Wave 2 occurred between February 4th, 2019 and March 1, 2019. Wave 1 data collection occurred between October 24 and November 9, 2018.
- In Wave 2, “Retail Only” participants completed a 14-minute questionnaire, while all other businesses completed an 18-minute questionnaire. For Wave 1, “Retail Only” participants completed a 5-minute questionnaire, while all other businesses completed an 18 to 20-minute interview.
- The survey was conducted following the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research – Telephone Surveys.
- For this study, a quota for “Retail Only” businesses was established to minimize the dominance of this segment in the overall sample. Data was monitored also to ensure that multiple locations from the same franchises were overrepresented in the sample.
- The margin of error of this sample size is +/- 3.8%, 19 times out of 20. The research findings can be extrapolated to the broader audience considering the margin of error associated with this sample size. The margins of error for the results in this study will vary based on a variety of factors. For instance, results for sub-groups with smaller sample sizes will have a higher margin of error. As well, the margin of error is typically highest for questions where 50% of respondents answered one way and 50% answered another way. The margin of error typically decreases as the percent for a particular response approaches 0% or 100%.
- The data was weighted according to the population counts per industry vertical and province as per InfoCanada information.
- This study saw a response rate of 14% across the entire sample in Wave 1 and of 17% in Wave 2.
Wave 2 - Dialing Disposition Report
|
Total Numbers Attempted |
6872 |
|
Out-of-scope - Invalid |
647 |
|
Unresolved (U) |
1955 |
|
No answer/Answering machine |
1955 |
|
In-scope - Non-responding (IS) |
1248 |
|
Language barrier |
92 |
|
Incapable of completing (ill/deceased) |
167 |
|
Callback (Respondent not available) |
1382 |
|
Total Asked |
2096 |
|
Refusal |
958 |
|
Termination |
56 |
|
In-scope - Responding units (R) |
926 |
|
Completed Interview |
700 |
|
NQ - Quota Full |
272 |
|
NQ - (INT32) Business is not Related to Food Business |
27 |
|
Refusal Rate |
48.38 |
|
Response Rate |
17.47 |
|
Incidence |
75.59 |
Wave 1 - Dialing Disposition Report
|
Total Numbers Attempted |
7314 |
|
Out-of-scope - Invalid |
594 |
|
Unresolved (U) |
3376 |
|
No answer/Answering machine |
3376 |
|
In-scope - Non-responding (IS) |
1248 |
|
Language barrier |
81 |
|
Incapable of completing (ill/deceased) |
99 |
|
Callback (Respondent not available) |
1068 |
|
Total Asked |
2096 |
|
Refusal |
1127 |
|
Termination |
43 |
|
In-scope - Responding units (R) |
926 |
|
Completed Interview |
670 |
|
NQ - Quota Full |
191 |
|
NQ - (INT32) Business is not Related to Food Business |
65 |
|
Refusal Rate |
55.82 |
|
Response Rate |
13.78 |
|
Incidence |
72.35 |
Appendices
Wave 2 - Questionnaires
2019 Survey Questionnaire - English
[Programing instructions are in blue font and in square brackets]
[Interviewer instructions are in black font and square brackets and not read]
Introduction
Hello/Bonjour [pause… In Quebec Bonjour/Hello], the Government of Canada is conducting a research survey with businesses in Canada. I am hoping to speak with the person in your company who is most responsible for food safety of the food products that your business sells or produces. Please note this is not a sales call, this important research will help the Government understand Industry’s views on food safety practices and regulations
This could be the owner of the company or a manager who oversees the sale of food products, food safety manager or quality assurance manager. Are you the right person to speak with? [IF NO: Can you please direct me to the correct person?]
[Repeat from Beginning if Transferred]
[Once Correct Person Identified]
Would you prefer that I continue in English or French? Préférez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais?
[Note: if at this point the respondent prefers to respond in French then the interviewer must be able to either proceed with the interview in French or read the following statement: “Je vous remercie. Quelqu’un vous rappellera bientôt pour mener le sondage en français.”]
My name is _____ calling from Quorus Consulting, the company hired to do the survey.
The survey will take approximately 12 minutes to complete. Please note that your participation is voluntary, confidential and anonymous and we can call back at a better time if you prefer.
To begin, I would like to confirm some information about your business...
S1. [RECORD from sample - not asked] Province/territory
S1A. [RECORD from sample - not asked]
Full 8-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
S2. Which of the following categories best describes your business? [READ LIST]
| 11) Agriculture | 1 |
| 31) Processor or Manufacturer | 2 |
| 42) Wholesaler or distributor | 3 |
| 44) Retailer | 4 |
| Other (please specify)______________ | 77 |
S3. Which of the following activities apply to your business [Read List - Select all that Apply]?
| Import food products | 1 |
| Export food products or prepare, process, treat, manufacture or preserve food for export | 2 |
| Prepare, process, treat, manufacture or preserve food to be sent across provincial or territorial boundaries | 3 |
| Grade, label or package food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial boundaries | 4 |
| Grow fruit, vegetables or grains for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial boundaries | 5 |
| Send or convey food products across provincial or territorial boundaries (wholesaler/ distributors) | 6 |
| Sell food products at retail directly to consumers | 7 |
| Produce organic food [interviewer note: includes organic meats, dairy, etc.] | 8 |
| None of the above | 9 |
S3A. [IF NONE OF THE ABOVE IN S3: Ask] What would you say is your company’s main business activity?
[IF Business is Related to Food Business Recode S3 and Continue, Otherwise Thank and Terminate]
S3B1. [Ask S3B1 IF S3=1] Which regions do you currently import from [Read List - Select all that Apply]?
| United States | 1 |
| Central America / Caribbean | 2 |
| South America | 3 |
| Africa | 4 |
| Western Europe | 5 |
| Eastern Europe | 6 |
| Middle East | 7 |
| Asia (Pacific) | 8 |
| China | 9 |
| India | 10 |
| Australia | 11 |
S3B2. [Ask S3B2 IF S3=2] Which regions do you currently export from [Read List - Select all that Apply]?
| United States | 1 |
| Central America / Caribbean | 2 |
| South America | 3 |
| Africa | 4 |
| Western Europe | 5 |
| Eastern Europe | 6 |
| Middle East | 7 |
| Asia (Pacific) | 8 |
| China | 9 |
| India | 10 |
| Australia | 11 |
[Flag as “Retail Only” if Only Selected “G” at S3]
S5. Which of the following best represents the number of people including yourself your company employs in Canada? If you are a franchisee, please only consider your location. [READ LIST] [Just total number of employees is acceptable including part-time and casual]
| 1 – [Self-employed] | 1 |
| 2-4 employees | 2 |
| 5-10 employees | 3 |
| 11-99 employees | 4 |
| 100-499 employees | 5 |
| 500 employees or more | 6 |
|
Don’t know [do not read] |
8 |
|
Refused [do not read] |
9 |
S6. And which of the following reflects the approximate size of your business by gross annual revenue for your Canadian operations? Again, if you are a franchisee, please only consider your location. [Read List] [If Refuse: Just as a reminder, please understand that we use this information for classification purposes only and do not record or share the identity of any company participating in the study.]
| $30,000 or less per year | 1 |
| Between $30,000 and less than $100,000 per year | 2 |
| Between $100,000 and less than $500,000 per year | 3 |
| Between $500,000 and less than $1 million per year | 4 |
| Between $1 million and less than $5 million per year | 5 |
| $5 million or more per year | 6 |
|
Don’t know [do not read] |
8 |
|
Refused [do not read] |
9 |
S7. Would you classify your company as Indigenous owned or operated?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
|
Don’t know / Not Sure [do not read, prompt if necessary] |
9 |
Food Safety Activities
A1. If your business was subject to a CFIA inspection today, how confident are you that you would meet food safety regulations and requirements? Please rate your view on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 means not at all confident and 7 means very confident.
| 1 – Not at all confident |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very confident |
|
9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
A2. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that answer.
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
A3. Which of the following activities, if any, applies at your company: [READ LIST - Select all that apply] - [Randomize]?
| [SKIP IF retail-only] Has written/documented standard operating procedures on food safety. | 1 |
| [SKIP IF retail-only] Has preventive controls in place, but not written or documented in a plan | 2 |
| [SKIP IF retail-only] Has preventive controls in place, which are outlined in a written plan such as a HACCP based plan, QMP or other program [if asked: HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and QMP = Quality Management Program] | 3 |
| Has a traceability program established [IF NEEDED: written records that trace all food one step back and one step forward, as applicable] | 4 |
| [SKIP IF retail-only] Uses a food safety or quality control certification system such as GFSI, ISO or QMP [If asked: GFSI = Global Food Safety Initiative; ISO = International Organization for Standardization and QMP = Quality Management Program] | 5 |
| [SKIP IF retail-only] Has a food licence or registration with CFIA | 6 |
| Regularly sends staff on food safety training | 7 |
| Has an internal training program on food safety | 8 |
| None of the above | 9 |
Awareness of CFIA and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
B1. On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means not at all familiar and 7 means very familiar, how familiar would you say that you are with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, also known as the CFIA?
| 1 – Not at all familiar |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very familiar |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
B1a. Over the past three to four weeks, have you seen, read or heard any advertising from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 - SKIP to B2 |
B1b. Thinking specifically about the ad or ads that come to mind, what do you remember about the ads? [do not read]
| Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) specific mention | 1 |
| Safe food or new regulations /rules general mention | 2 |
| Other CFIA program | 3 |
| Other (Record) _____________________________ | 7 |
B2. [ASK if not Mentioned at B1b] Have you heard, seen or read anything about the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, which introduces new requirements for food safety and came into force January 15, 2019?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know / Not Sure [do not read, prompt if necessary] | 9 |
B2a. [IF B1b=1 OR B2=YES] Where did you hear, see or read about the regulations?
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
B3. On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all clearly” and 7 means “very clearly”, how well do you feel that you understand the food safety regulations that apply to your business?
| 1 – Not at all clearly |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very clearly |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
B7. [SKIP IF retail-only] From your perspective which of the following three key food safety elements would be the biggest challenge for food businesses? Would it be…
[Randomize 1-3] [Read 1-3]
| Licencing | 1 |
| Written preventive controls | 2 |
| Traceability of food products | 3 |
| Other – Please specify: _________________ | 77 |
Contact with CFIA
I’m now going to ask you about any contact you have had with the CFIA in the last year.
C1a. I will read several statements. Please tell me which activities apply to you or your business over the last 12 months. [select all that apply, remind respondent of time frame as necessary]
| Looked for information about food safety regulations or requirements on the CFIA’s website | 1 |
| Contacted the CFIA directly for information or technical advice on food safety regulations or regulatory interpretation, not including permissions, licences, registrations or certifications. | 2 |
| Contacted the CFIA for information [not requesting] on a permission, licence or certificate | 3 |
| Requested a permission, licence, registration, or certificate from the CFIA | 4 |
| Have been inspected by the CFIA within the past 12 months | 5 |
| Initiated a product recall either voluntary or ordered | 6 |
| Searched for operational guidance using the Guidance Finder | 7 |
| I have not looked for information from or had any personal contact with the CFIA over the last 12 months | 8 |
| Don’t know/Refused [do not read] | 9 |
[Ask C1 If any Interaction with CFIA at C1A (1-4)]
C1. You stated that you contacted the CFIA for information or a service. How did you access or request the service or information from the CFIA? Was it… [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| In person at a CFIA office | 1 |
| Over the phone | 2 |
| On the CFIA website | 3 |
| 4 | |
| Social media | 5 |
| Webinar | 6 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
C1b. [ASK if Website Used at C1] To what extent was the information the CFIA’s website useful in helping you find the information you were looking for? Use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all helpful” and 7 means “very helpful”.
| 1 – Not at all helpful |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very helpful |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
C1c. [ASK if Website Used at C1] How could the CFIA improve their website?
C1d. [ASK if Email Used at C1] To what extent was the information provided by email useful in helping you find the information you were looking for? Use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all helpful” and 7 means “very helpful”.
| 1 – Not at all helpful |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very helpful |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
C1e. [ASK if Phone Used at C1] To what extent was the information provided by phone useful in helping you find the information you were looking for? Use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all helpful” and 7 means “very helpful”.
| 1 – Not at all helpful |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very helpful |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
C1f. [ASK if “In Person” at C1] To what extent was the information obtained in person at a CFIA office useful in helping you find the information you were looking for? Use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “not at all helpful” and 7 means “very helpful”.
| 1 – Not at all helpful |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very helpful |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
C1g. How would you prefer to request and receive regulatory information from the CFIA? [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| Using a chatbot – an interactive chat with computer-activated responses on the CFIA website | 1 |
| A live customer service-based chat on the CFIA website | 2 |
| Over the phone | 3 |
| By Email | 4 |
| On Social media | 5 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
C1h. How would you prefer to request and receive CFIA services, such as food licences or export certificates? [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| On the CFIA website | 1 |
| By Email | 2 |
| On Social media | 3 |
| By fax | 4 |
| In person at a CFIA office | 5 |
| Other (please specify): ______________________________________________ | 77 |
C2. On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “do not agree at all” and 7 means “strongly agree”, based on your general impressions of the CFIA, how would you rate the following statements about the CFIA? [Rotate Statements]
| 1 Do not agree at all | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Strongly agree | Don’t know [do not read] | |
| a) The CFIA is fair when inspecting food businesses. | ||||||||
| b) It is easy to understand the information the CFIA provides food businesses. | ||||||||
| c) The CFIA provides enough information to meet your regulatory obligations. | ||||||||
| d) Information from the CFIA arrives in a timely manner. |
My CFIA
F1. Have you ever heard, seen or read anything about CFIA’s online portal called “My CFIA?”
| Yes, I used it [Prompt for use if yes] | 1 |
| Yes, but never used it | 2 |
| No | 3 |
| Don’t know/Refused [do not read] | 9 |
[IF F1= ‘Yes, i used it” Ask F1A to F2a]
F1a. Have you ever used the portal for a… [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| New licence request | 1 |
| Licence renewal | 2 |
| Permit | 3 |
| Export certificate | 4 |
| Registration | 5 |
| Only enrolled | 6 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
F2. Please rate your overall level of satisfaction with “My CFIA” on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means not at all satisfied and 7 means very satisfied.
| 1 – Not at all satisfied |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very satisfied |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
F2a. Please expand on why you provide that rating?
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
F3. [If F1= yes, do not read statement]: My CFIA is a web portal that provides clients with secure access to a growing number of CFIA services online. It is a convenient and secure way to do business with the CFIA. My CFIA can be used to manage and track service requests online, including permissions such as licences, permits, registrations and export certificates. You can find it at inspection.gc.ca/mycfia (Francais: inspection.gc.ca/monacia)
How likely would you be to use “My CFIA” in the future on a scale of 1-7 where 1 is not at all likely and 7 is very likely?
| 1 – Not at all likely |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very likely |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
F4. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that score
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
Compliance Burden
G1. On a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is not at all burdensome and 7 is very burdensome, how burdensome is the paper work associated with the food regulations in Canada? [IF NEEDED: “Burdensome” is defined as unnecessary and undue compliance burden – that is, the time and resources spent by business to demonstrate compliance with the federal government regulations.]
| 1 – Not at all burdensome |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very burdensome |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
[SKIP IF retail-only] With respect to your business, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements. Please use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “do not agree at all” and 7 means “strongly agree”.
G1A. Over the past 12 months, I’ve needed to spend less time searching for food safety information I require.
| 1 – Do not agree at all |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Strongly agree |
| 8 - I do not search for food safety information [do not read] |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G1B. [SKIP IF retail-only] The CFIA takes the needs of businesses into account when developing new regulatory information products.
| 1 – Do not agree at all |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Strongly agree |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G2. Thinking about the overall service received from the CFIA in the last 12 months, rate your overall satisfaction. Use a scale from 1-7 where 1 is not at all satisfied and 7 is very satisfied.
| 1 – Not at all satisfied |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very satisfied |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G3. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that score.
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
G4. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge in finding information on food safety regulations or requirements? [Probe for how they get information, - the type of information is asked next at G4a. – do not read, Select Only One]
| Website is not user-friendly / difficult to navigate | 1 |
| Lack of clear information / difficult to understand | 2 |
| Lack of notifications / updates | 3 |
| Too much information / high volume of information | 4 |
| Lack of contact with customer service / not responsive | 5 |
| Research / finding information is too time-consuming | 6 |
| Other (please specify): ______________ | 7 |
| None / No challenges | 88 |
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
G4a. What were some of the food safety topics you felt were difficult to get clear information on?
| None in particular | 98 |
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
That concludes the interview. On behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency thank you very much for your participation in this research. If you are interested in learning more about the CFIA and food safety please consult inspection.gc.ca/SafeFood. The CFIA Toolkit for Businesses has informative digital tools that can answer whether or not you need a licence and the required timelines, whether or not you need a written preventive control plan, and also outlines any traceability requirements that may apply to your business.
Wave 1 - Questionnaires
2018-19 Survey Questionnaire - English
[Programing instructions are in blue font and in square brackets]
[Interviewer instructions are in black font and square brackets and not read]
Introduction
Hello/Bonjour [pause… In Quebec Bonjour/Hello], the Government of Canada is conducting a research survey with businesses in Canada. I am hoping to speak with the person in your company who is most responsible for food safety of the food products that your business sells or produces. Please note this is not a sales call, this important research will help the Government understand Industry’s views on food safety practices and regulations
This could be the owner of the company or a manager who oversees the sale of food products, food safety manager or quality assurance manager. Are you the right person to speak with? [IF NO: Can you please direct me to the correct person?]
[Repeat from Beginning if Transferred]
[Once Correct Person Identified]
Would you prefer that I continue in English or French? Préférez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais?
[Note: if at this point the respondent prefers to respond in French then the interviewer must be able to either proceed with the interview in French or read the following statement: “Je vous remercie. Quelqu’un vous rappellera bientôt pour mener le sondage en français.”]
My name is _____ calling from Quorus Consulting, the company hired to do the survey.
The survey will take approximately 12 minutes to complete. Please note that your participation is voluntary, confidential and anonymous and we can call back at a better time if you prefer.
To begin, I would like to confirm some information about your business...
S1. [RECORD from sample - not asked] Province/territory
S1A. [RECORD from sample - not asked]
Full 8-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
S2. Which of the following categories best describes your business? [READ LIST]
| 11) Agriculture | 1 |
| 31) Processor or Manufacturer | 2 |
| 42) Wholesaler or distributor | 3 |
| 44) Retailer | 4 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
S3. Which of the following activities apply to your business [Read List - Select all that Apply]?
| Import food products | 1 |
| Export food products or prepare food for export | 2 |
| Prepare, process, treat, manufacture or preserve food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial borders | 3 |
| Grade, label or package food for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial borders | 4 |
| Grow fruit, vegetables or grains for export or to be sent across provincial or territorial borders | 5 |
| Send or convey food products across provincial or territorial borders (wholesaler/ distributors) | 6 |
| Sell food products at retail directly to consumers | 7 |
| Produce organic food [interviewer note: includes organic meats, dairy, etc.] | 8 |
| None of the above | 9 |
S3A. [If None of the Above in S3: Ask] What would you say is your company’s main business activity?
[If Business is Related to Food Business Recode S3 and Continue, Otherwise Thank and Terminate]
[Flag as “Retail Only” if Only Selected “G” AT S3]
[Ask S4 and S4A and S4B for Retail Only Company]
S4. Do you have a process in place that will allow you to trace back your food to the company that supplied it?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Not sure | 3 |
S4A. Have you heard of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Not sure | 3 |
S4B. Do you know that the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations that come into force January 15, 2019 require most food companies to be able to trace where their food products were purchased?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
S5. Which of the following best represents the number of people including yourself your company employs in Canada? If you are a franchisee, please only consider your location. [READ LIST] [Just total number of employees is acceptable including part-time and casual]
| 1 – [Self-employed] | 1 |
| 2-4 employees | 2 |
| 5-10 employees | 3 |
| 11-99 employees | 4 |
| 100-499 employees | 5 |
| 500 employees or more | 6 |
| Don’t know [do not read] | 8 |
| Refused [do not read] | 9 |
S6. And which of the following reflects the approximate size of your business by gross annual revenue for your Canadian operations? Again, if you are a franchisee, please only consider your location. [Read List] [If refuse: Just as a reminder, please understand that we use this information for classification purposes only and do not record or share the identity of any company participating in the study.]
| $30,000 or less per year | 1 |
| Between $30,000 and less than $100,000 per year | 2 |
| Between $100,000 and less than $500,000 per year | 3 |
| Between $500,000 and less than $1 million per year | 4 |
| Between $1 million and less than $5 million per year | 5 |
| $5 million or more per year | 6 |
| Don’t know [do not read] | 8 |
| Refused [do not read] | 9 |
S7. Would you classify your company as Indigenous owned or operated?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know / Not Sure [do not read, prompt if necessary] | 9 |
[Terminate if Retail Only quota target is reached - Target quota TBD after first ~200 interviews are completed]
Food Safety Activities
A1. Thinking about food safety in general, who do you think has the most responsibility to ensure the food sold in Canada is safe. Is it… [READ LIST]
[Randomize]
| The Federal government | 1 |
| The food industry | 2 |
| The Provincial government | 3 |
| Canadian Farmers | 4 |
| Consumers | 5 |
| Or someone else? (please specify) [don’t randomize]) ______________ | 77 |
| DK [don’t randomize] | 99 |
A2. On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means not at all and 7 means very clearly, how well do you feel that you understand the food safety regulations that apply to your foods?
| 1 – Not at all |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very clearly |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
A3. Which of the following activities, if any, applies at your company: [READ LIST - Select all that apply] - [Randomize]?
| Has written/documented standard operating procedures on food safety. | 1 |
| Has preventive controls in place, but not written or documented in a plan | 2 |
| Has preventive controls in place, which are outlined in a written plan such as a HACCP based plan, QMP or other program [if asked: HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and QMP = Quality Management Program] | 3 |
| Has a traceability program established [IF NEEDED: written records that trace all food one step back and one step forward, as applicable] | 4 |
| Uses a food safety or quality control certification system such as GFSI, ISO or QMP [If asked: GFSI = Global Food Safety Initiative; ISO = International Organization for Standardization and QMP = Quality Management Program] | 5 |
| Follows six sigma quality control | 6 |
| Regularly sends staff on food safety training | 7 |
| Has an internal training program on food safety | 8 |
| None of the above | 9 |
Awareness of CFIA and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
B1. On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means not at all familiar and 7 means very familiar, how familiar would you say that you are with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, also known as the CFIA?
| 1 – Not at all familiar |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very familiar |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
B2. Have you heard, seen or read anything about the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, which introduces new requirements for food safety and comes into force January 15, 2019?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know / Not Sure [do not read, prompt if necessary] | 9 |
B2A [IF B2=YES] Where did you hear, see or read about the regulations?
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
B3. As far as you know, do you think the new Safe Food for Canadians Regulations will apply to your business?
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Not Sure | 9 |
Were you aware that the proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations require most businesses regulated by CFIA to:
B4. Have a licence from the CFIA
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know | 9 |
B5. Have a written preventive control plan
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know | 9 |
B6. Have product traceability processes
| Yes | 1 |
| No | 2 |
| Don’t know | 9 |
B7. From your perspective which of the following three key food safety elements would be the biggest challenge for food businesses? Would it be…
[Randomize 1-3] [Read 1-3]
| Licencing | 1 |
| Written preventive controls | 2 |
| Traceability of food products | 3 |
| None of the above | 9 |
Contact with CFIA
I’m now going to ask you about any contact you have had with the CFIA in the last year.
C1a. I will read several statements. Please tell me which activities apply to you or your business over the last 12 months. [Select all that apply, remind respondent of time frame as necessary]
| Looked for information about food safety regulations or requirements on the CFIA’s website | 1 |
| Contacted the CFIA directly for information or technical advice on food safety regulations or regulatory interpretation, not including permissions, licences, registrations or certifications. | 2 |
| Contacted the CFIA for information [not requesting] on a permission, licence or certificate | 3 |
| Requested a permission, licence, registration, or certificate from the CFIA | 4 |
| Have been inspected by the CFIA within the past 12 months | 5 |
| Initiated a product recall either voluntary or ordered | 6 |
| I have not looked for information from or had any personal contact with the CFIA over the last 12 months | 7 |
| Don’t know/ Refused [do not read] | 9 |
[Ask C1 If any interaction with CFIA at C1a (1-4)]
C1. You stated that you contacted the CFIA for information or a service. How did you access or request the service or information from the CFIA? Was it… [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| In person | 1 |
| Over the phone | 2 |
| On the CFIA website | 3 |
| 4 | |
| Social media | 5 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
C2. On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “do not agree at all” and 7 means “strongly agree”, based on your general impressions of the CFIA, how would you rate the following statements about the CFIA? [Rotate Statements]
| 1 Do not agree at all | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Strongly agree | Don’t know [do not read] | |
| e) The CFIA is fair when inspecting food businesses. | ||||||||
| f) The CFIA is efficient in its operations. | ||||||||
| g) It is easy to understand the information the CFIA provides food businesses. | ||||||||
| h) The CFIA provides enough information to meet your regulatory obligations. | ||||||||
| i) Information from the CFIA arrives in a timely manner. |
My CFIA
F1. Have you ever heard, seen or read anything about CFIA’s online portal called “My CFIA?”
| Yes, I used it [prompt for use if yes] | 1 |
| Yes, but never used it | 2 |
| No | 3 |
| Don’t know/Refused [do not read] | 9 |
[IF F1=”Yes, i used it” Ask F1A to F2a]
F1A Have you ever used the portal for a… [Read List - Select all that Apply]
| New licence request | 1 |
| Licence renewal | 2 |
| Permit | 3 |
| Export certificate | 4 |
| Registration | 5 |
| Only enrolled | 6 |
| Other (please specify) ______________ | 77 |
F2. Please rate your overall level of satisfaction with “My CFIA” on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means not at all satisfied and 7 means very satisfied.
| 1 – Not at all satisfied |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very satisfied |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
F2a. Please expand on why you provide that rating?
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
F3. [IF F1= Yes, do not read Statement]: My CFIA’ is a web portal that provides clients with secure access to a growing number of CFIA services online. It is a convenient and secure way to do business with the CFIA. My CFIA can be used to manage and track service requests online, including permissions such as licences, permits, registrations and export certificates. You can find it at inspection.gc.ca/mycfia (Francais: inspection.gc.ca/monacia)
How likely would you be to use “My CFIA” in the future on a scale of 1-7 where 1 is not at all likely and 7 is very likely?
| 1 – Not at all likely |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very likely |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
F4. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that score
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
Compliance Burden
G1. On a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is not at all burdensome and 7 is very burdensome, how burdensome is the paper work associated with the food regulations in Canada? [IF NEEDED: “Burdensome” is defined as unnecessary and undue compliance burden – that is, the time and resources spent by business to demonstrate compliance with the federal government regulations.]
| 1 – Not at all burdensome |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very burdensome |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
With respect to your business, please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements. Please use a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means “do not agree at all” and 7 means “strongly agree”.
G1A. Over the past 12 months, I’ve needed to spend less time searching for food safety information I require.
| 1 – Do not agree at all |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Strongly agree |
| 8 - I do not search for food safety information [do not read] |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G1B. The CFIA takes the needs of businesses into account when developing new regulatory information products.
| 1 – Do not agree at all |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Strongly agree |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G2. Thinking about the overall service received from the CFIA in the last 12 months, rate your overall satisfaction. Use a scale from 1-7 where 1 is not at all satisfied and 7 is very satisfied.
| 1 – Not at all satisfied |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very satisfied |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
G3. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that score.
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
G4. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge in finding information on food safety regulations or requirements. [Probe for how they get information, - the type of information is asked next at G4a.]
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
G4a. What were some of the food safety topics you felt were difficult to get clear information on?
| None in particular | 98 |
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
G5. If your business was subject to a CFIA inspection today, how confident are you that you would meet food safety regulations and requirements? Please rate your view on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 means not at all confident and 7 means very confident.
G6. [IF Provided a Score From 1 to 7] Please expand on why you provided that answer.
| 1 – Not at all confident |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 – Very confident |
| 9 – Don’t know [do not read] |
| Don’t know / Refused | 99 |
That concludes the interview. On behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency thank you very much for your participation in this research. If you are interested in learning more about the CFIA and food safety please consult inspection.gc.ca/SafeFood. The CFIA toolkit for businesses has informative digital tools that can answer whether or not you need a licence and the required timelines, whether or not you need a written preventive control plan, and it outlines any traceability requirements that may apply to your business.