Canadian Organic Standards Requirements

In Canada, the organic standards become legally binding through Part 13 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR, SOR/2018-108). Part 13 requires anyone making an organic claim on interprovincially traded or imported food, feed or seed to be certified to the Canadian Organic Standards. It also sets fixed thresholds: 95% organic content to use the word "organic" or the Canada Organic logo, and 70% for a multi-ingredient product to be certified. I could not open the standards' own production and processing rules (for example on crops, livestock or processing), so I don't summarise them below.

Approach: I read the current consolidated SFCR Part 13 (current to 2026-09-21) and Schedule 9, then CFIA, Government of Canada Publications and provincial government pages. Government of Canada Publications showed an "archived" page in place of the PDFs of the standards, so I could open only their catalogue records.

1. The standards and current editions

• CAN/CGSB-32.310, Organic production systems: General principles and management standards. SFCR applies it "as amended from time to time" ^[1]. The current edition is 32.310-2026 (March 2026). It replaces the 2020 edition with Corrigendum No. 1 (publication record).
• CAN/CGSB-32.311, Permitted substances lists. The current edition is 32.311-2026 (March 2026), which replaces the 2020 edition with Corrigendum No. 1 (publication record).
• CAN/CGSB-32.312, Aquaculture: general principles, management standards and permitted substances lists. The current edition is 32.312-2023 (CFIA standards page).

2. When certification is mandatory

• Part 13 applies to a product with an organic claim that is traded between provinces or imported. It also applies to any product bearing the Canada Organic logo, wherever it is sold (CFIA organic products).
• Cannabis, cosmetics, pet food and natural health products are excluded and cannot be certified or carry the logo (same CFIA page).
• Feed and seed are prescribed food commodities for Part 13 ^[2].
• "Organic product" means a food commodity certified under s. 345(1), or one certified by an entity accredited by a foreign state that has an arrangement with CFIA under s. 357(1)(a)(ii) ^[3].
• CFIA states that the Canada Organic Regime "does not allow genetically engineered foods to be labelled as organic" (CFIA).

3. What operators must do

Applying for certification (s. 344) ^[4]

• Apply in writing to a certification body.
• The application must include:
  • the substances and materials used, and how they are used;
  • a detailed description of methods and control mechanisms that meet 32.310, or 32.312 for aquaculture;
  • for multi-ingredient products, the composition and the organic percentage.
• File within 12 months before the expected sale date. File at least 15 months before for:
  • maple products;
  • field crops and greenhouse crops in in-ground permanent soil;
  • wild crops;
  • aquaculture products with a production cycle of more than 12 months.

Certification decision (s. 345) ^[5]

• The certification body "must" do an on-site verification.
• It certifies the product only if:
  • the substances and materials are set out in, and used as described in, 32.310 or 32.311;
  • the methods meet the requirements and general principles of 32.310;
  • for a multi-ingredient product, at least 70% of the contents are organic.
• The certificate states whether the product is at least 70% or at least 95% organic.
• The organic percentage must be calculated as set out in 32.310 ^[6].

Ongoing obligations

• Resubmit the application information every 12 months, no later than six months before the period ends. The certification body then re-verifies on site ^[7].
• Keep the documents set out in 32.310 or 32.312 ^[8].
• Notify the certification body "immediately" of any change that could affect certification, and of any complaint about organic integrity ^[9].

Packers and labellers

• Packaging and labelling of interprovincial organic products may only be done by someone holding a certificate under s. 345 or s. 348 ^[10].
• A packing or labelling certificate is valid for 12 months ^[11].

Suspension and cancellation

• Certification "must" be suspended for:
  • non-permitted substances, or contact with them;
  • non-compliant methods;
  • organic content below 70%.
• Suspension follows a written report and a corrective-action period, which can be extended once ^[12].
• Certification is cancelled if corrective action is not taken within 30 days of suspension, or if organic claims are made while suspended ^[13].

4. Labelling and logo

Organic content thresholds

Organic content	What is allowed
≥95%	"organic", "biologique" and similar terms, plus the Canada Organic logo [14][15]
Certified, but under 95% (minimum 70%)	"X% organic ingredients": the percentage is rounded down, and the words must be the same height and prominence as the percentage [14]
Not certified	Organic ingredients may be identified only in the ingredient list (s. 353(3))

• CFIA does not allow "100% organic" or "made with organic ingredients" (CFIA organic claims).

Other mandatory label information ^[16]

• The name of the certification body.
• For multi-ingredient products, the organic ingredients identified in the ingredient list.
• For imports bearing the logo, "Product of [country]" or "Imported" near the logo.

Bilingual labelling

• The organic terms must appear in both official languages. Feed, seed and foods with bilingual exemptions under the Food and Drug Regulations are exceptions ^[17].

Logo specification (Schedule 9)

• Black on white or transparent, or in colour: green borders and hills (Pantone 368) and a red maple leaf (Pantone 186) ^[18].

5. Imports

• Imported products with organic claims must meet one of these:
  • certified under s. 345(1);
  • certified under an equivalency arrangement CFIA has with the exporting country;
  • from a country without an arrangement, certified by an entity accredited by a country that has one.
• The importer must produce the certificate on request and keep it for five years ^[19].

6. Certification bodies

• Certification bodies are assessed by a conformity verification body under ISO/IEC 17011 and must comply with ISO/IEC 17065 ^[20].
• Accreditation is valid for five years ^[21].

7. Provinces

• Products sold only within one province fall outside Part 13 unless they carry the logo. They must still not be false or misleading under the Food and Drugs Act and the Safe Food for Canadians Act (CFIA).
• Quebec: "biologique" is protected under the Act respecting Reserved Designations and Added-Value Claims. Every business that produces, processes, handles, labels, packs or sells organic products in bulk must be certified by a body accredited by CARTV (CARTV FAQ).
• British Columbia: I could not open the government's regulation page or guidance PDF, so I have not confirmed B.C.'s provincial requirements.

Not confirmed:

• The standards' own rules. If you can share the 32.310 or 32.311 text, I can go through specific clauses.
• The transition period. Industry sources say existing operators have a one-year grace period to move to the 2026 editions. The CFIA standards page I opened does not give a date, so I have not confirmed it.