The CanadaGAP program has a variety of certification options to satisfy the wide range of buyer expectations and to respond to different market requirements.
| If… | … then an operation should choose: |
|---|---|
| A customer is requiring a GFSI-recognized program… | Option B, C, or D, all of which have been formally benchmarked to and approved by GFSI.
Option B: Group certification Option C: Individual supplier involved in production, packing or storage. Option D: Individual repacking or wholesaling operation |
| A customer is requiring an annual audit but does NOT require a GFSI-recognized certificate… | An operation should choose:
|
| A customer accepts the four-year audit cycle and does not require a GFSI-recognized certificate… | An operation should choose:
Check with your customer whether one of these options is preferred over another. |
| An operation is repacking and wholesaling… | Either:
|
| An operation is involved in brokerage… | Option F. |
More detailed information on each of the options is available here.
The CanadaGAP Program has been designed to be as flexible and responsive as possible to developments within a dynamic industry. The certification options are tailored to respond to different market requirements and pressures, satisfy the expectations of a wide range of buyers both in Canada and internationally, and provide maximum benefit to Canadian suppliers by enabling them to gain access to markets regardless of customer demands. Operations should choose the option that meets their customer(s)’ requirements. If in doubt, operations should ask their buyer for clarification. More detailed information on each of the options is available here.
Both certification options have the following in common:
- Recognition from the Canadian Government Food Safety Program
- Four-year cycle – an on-site audit occurs at least once every 4 years (Year 1)
- In Years 2, 3 and 4, program participants must submit a declaration and self-assessment to their certification body
- Could be selected for a random audit in Years 2, 3, or 4 where participants are not automatically scheduled for on-site audits
- If selected for a random audit, the on-site audit replaces the self-assessment
In the following example, the first participant selects Option A1 and the second selects Option A2. Both start the four-year cycle at the same time, and both are selected for a random audit in Year 3. It is after this random audit that their audit cycles change: Option A1 continues into Year 4, while Option A2’s cycle is reset, with the random audit becoming their new Year 1. This is illustrated in the chart below:
| Option A1 | Option A2 | |||
| Year in cycle | Activity | Year in cycle | Activity | |
| 2020 | Year 1 | On-site audit | Year 1 | On-site audit |
| 2021 | Year 2 | Self-assessment | Year 2 | Self-assessment |
| 2022 | Year 3 | Random Audit | Year 1 | Random Audit |
| 2023 | Year 4 | Self-assessment | Year 2 | Self-assessment |
| 2024 | Year 1 | On-site audit | Year 3 | Self-assessment |
| 2025 | Year 2 | Self-assessment | Year 4 | Self-assessment |
| 2026 | Year 3 | Self-assessment | Year 1 | On-site audit |
The difference between A1 and A2 is the timing of the scheduled audit date. If an A2 program participant is selected for a random audit in Years 2, 3 or 4, the next scheduled audit will be extended to four years from the random audit date.