If you’re a food business owner in Canada, you may have recently received a reminder from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) about your responsibility to have a Preventive Control Plan (PCP) in place. If your first reaction was “Where do I even start?”, you’re definitely not alone.
Preventive Control Plans are often misunderstood, overlooked, or even copied from templates that don’t truly reflect how a food business operates. But if you’re reading this, you’re already ahead of the game — because you care about getting it right! You want your business to grow safely, legally, and with integrity.
Let’s break this down in plain English, so you can confidently begin crafting your PCP and stay on the good side of CFIA — and your customers.
What Is a Preventive Control Plan, Really?
A Preventive Control Plan (PCP) is a written document that outlines how your business identifies and controls risks that can affect food safety, labelling, and consumer protection. It’s like a blueprint or a “safety game plan” for how your food is made, handled, and monitored every day.
If you’re operating a food business in Canada that imports, exports, or distributes food across provinces, then a PCP is not optional — it’s required by law under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).
Think of your PCP as a printed blueprint that you follow to make sure you’re doing things right — cleaning properly, cooking or cooling food at the correct temperatures, labeling allergens clearly, managing your suppliers carefully, and keeping proper records to show it.
Why Did CFIA Send an Email About PCPs?
Recently, the CFIA sent out a fresh reminder to food businesses across the country: your Preventive Control Plan must be active, up-to-date, and based on your actual food operation. This message wasn’t random. It was a clear signal that the CFIA is tightening inspections and holding businesses more accountable.
Too many businesses have either:
- Never created a proper PCP,
- Have one that’s completely outdated,
- Or worse — they downloaded a one-size-fits-all template and never looked at it again.
If that sounds familiar, now is the perfect time to fix it. And no, you don’t need to be a food scientist or a regulatory expert. You just need to start — and get the right support along the way.
So, What Should a Preventive Control Plan Cover?
Your PCP should show how your business prevents problems before they happen. Here are the basic areas to focus on:
- Process Controls
These are the steps you take to make sure your food is cooked, cooled, packaged, or stored safely. If your food needs to be kept cold, how do you monitor that? If you cook your products, how do you make sure they reach the right temperature? - Allergen Management
This is about how you prevent allergen cross-contact and how you make sure your product labels clearly declare all allergens. This is critical — not just for compliance, but for saving lives. - Sanitation Procedures
What cleaning and disinfecting procedures are in place? How often do you clean food contact surfaces, tools, and equipment? Who’s in charge of making sure this gets done? - Supplier Controls
How do you choose your suppliers? Do you check if their products are safe and meet your standards? This is especially important if you buy raw ingredients or packaging that touches food. - Recall Plan
If something goes wrong, how quickly can you pull your product from the market? Your recall plan should describe how you track your products, who you notify, and how you document the recall process. - Recordkeeping
Your records are your evidence. They prove that your preventive steps are being followed. This includes logs, forms, training records, temperature charts, and cleaning schedules.
What’s the Role of HACCP in the Preventive Control Plans?
HACCP — which stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is like the backbone of any solid PCP. It’s a method used to identify potential hazards in your food production process and figure out how to control them before they cause harm.
Even if your facility doesn’t require full HACCP certification, you can still use its principles to build a strong PCP. This includes identifying risks, defining control points (like cooking or chilling), and establishing corrective actions if something goes wrong.
So, don’t think of HACCP as an extra burden. Think of it as your food safety GPS — it helps you stay on track.
Why Documentation Is More Powerful Than You Think?
Here’s the truth: most businesses don’t fail audits because they do things wrong. They fail because they can’t prove they’re doing things right.
Documentation shows CFIA that your team follows the plan consistently. If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen — at least not in the eyes of the inspector.
Start small. You don’t need fancy software or binders full of forms. Just keep your records in one place and make sure they’re filled out completely, signed, and reviewed regularly.
What About Training and Quality Assurance?
Having a Preventive Control Plan is step one. Making sure your team understands it and follows it daily is step two.
Invest in staff training. Teach your employees about good manufacturing practices (GMPs), allergen awareness, personal hygiene, and why their role matters to food safety. Make it part of your onboarding and refresh it regularly.
Also, if you have someone handling Quality Assurance in your facility, make sure they are empowered to speak up, audit your processes, and make improvements. Quality assurance isn’t just a title — it’s a critical role that helps your business stay safe and succeed.
What Happens If You Don’t Have a Proper PCP?
Failing to meet PCP requirements can lead to:
- Non-compliance notices from CFIA
- Product recalls or seizures
- Damage to your brand and customer trust
- Losing your license to operate
The risk isn’t worth it — especially when support is available to help you get compliant quickly.
Let SFPM Consulting Be Your Partner in Compliance
At SFPM Consulting Inc, we specialize in helping food businesses build and implement Preventive Control Plans that actually work. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter templates. We take the time to understand your unique operation — your product, your team, and your challenges — and build a plan that reflects your reality.
We also offer:
- Training for your staff
- Mock inspections to prepare for audits
- Ongoing support to keep your plan updated
Most importantly, we make the process human, supportive, and clear — because food safety doesn’t need to be scary or complicated.
Get Your Preventive Control Plan Today
Getting started with a Preventive Control Plan might feel overwhelming. But the truth is, the longer you wait, the riskier it gets. The CFIA has made it clear: every food business must take ownership of its food safety responsibilities.
Start with one step. Begin with one area. Ask for help if you need it. And build from there.
You’re not just protecting your business — you’re protecting your customers, your reputation, and your future.
Ready to Get Started?
Let’s talk about your food safety needs! We’ll help you grow — safely and confidently. Book a call with Felicia today to get started.