What are Meat Safety Regulations?

Meat Safety Regulations will help facilitate the availability of locally produced meat and meat products, from privately raised livestock, to NWT consumers through their production, distribution, and sale. The regulations will set out requirements for these activities to ensure that meat and meat products are handled and prepared using safe methods. This will be done by setting a minimum standard for meat premises, slaughtering, inspections, and training of operators.

The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that locally raised livestock processed for consumption in the NWT meets food safety requirements, that the meat and meat products are prepared using safe methods, that standards are met for humane slaughter of livestock, and the potential for food-borne illness is reduced.

Why are Meat Safety Regulations needed?

The Meat Safety Regulations will allow for privately raised livestock to be used for meat production and sales by removing legislative barriers that currently prevent residents from developing local meat production businesses. These regulations will also help advance the GNWT’s priority to increase food security through locally produced meat using safe methods.

At this time, a permit under the Food Establishment Safety Regulations is required to sell food, and that food must be liable to inspection unless otherwise exempted. There is no current mechanism to regulate meat production, distribution, and sale to the public.

The Meat Safety Regulations will require producers who are slaughtering livestock and selling meat or meat products to follow set safety standards, which in turn will provide the public access to locally produced meat that has followed these safety standards.

I want to raise, slaughter, and process animals just for my family to eat. Do I need a Meat Premises Permit?

Raising, slaughtering, and processing animals for personal and/or immediate family consumption will not require a Meat Premises Permit. This activity will be exempt from the Meat Safety Regulations.

I am a hunter. How will these Regulations affect me?

The harvesting and slaughter of wild game will not be regulated under the Meat Safety Regulations. These activities are regulated under other legislation (eg., NWT Wildlife Act).

The intention of these Regulations is to regulate the slaughter and handling of privately raised livestock in a pre-set location. The Regulations propose to allow for the handling of lawfully harvested and obtained, wild game in a meat premises provided certain conditions are met; specifically, that wild game is clean, the processed products are kept separate from other meat and are returned directly to the owner.

I am raising animals in my backyard. Do I need a Meat Premises Permit?

If you are intending to slaughter, sell, provide, or donate your meat to anyone other than yourself or family members, you will be required to obtain a Meat Premises Permit.

How do I know which permit I need to apply for? How much will it cost?

You will need to apply for the permit based on your intended frequency and duration of slaughtering and/or meat handling activities in one year:

• Annual Permit: Four months or more, but not more than one year.
• Seasonal Permit: Three weeks or more, but less than four months.
• Temporary Permit: Less than three weeks.

The proposed costs of permits will align with the costs of permits under other existing regulations. For example, Food Establishment Permits cost between $25.00 and $108.00 depending on the duration of the permit.

Are there different regulatory requirements for meat producers based on the size of the operation?

Permits will be issued based on the frequency of the activities not the size (eg., annual, seasonal, and temporary permits). Terms and conditions for a permit include an assessment of a number of factors, including but not limited to the size of the operation. For example, permit terms and conditions would be included that consider:

• Types and size of animals;
• Duration, frequency and volume of slaughter;
• Conditions of meat premises and where slaughtering takes place; and
• Whether a pre-slaughter and/or post-slaughter inspection, or slaughter supervision is needed for higher risk slaughtering activities.

The Department would review the application and place conditions on the permit to mitigate public health risk. This is similar to the approach currently in place for regulating food establishments under the Food Establishment Safety Regulations. Larger operations that slaughter and process a higher volume of animals would likely be required to have a pre- and post-slaughter inspection. Smaller scale operations may be required to provide notification prior to slaughtering. More details concerning the risk assessment of these and other operational parameters will be developed as part of developing program standards, guidelines, and policies.

I want to sell my own meat, but I want someone else to slaughter the animal first. Do I need a permit?

Yes, you will need either a Meat Premises Permit or Food Establishment Permit to handle the meat prior to sale, to ensure the meat is handled safely and is safe for others to eat.

A Food Establishment Permit is required if you intend to make value-added products such as ground meat, sausage, or other types of food products to sell.

Any NWT produced meat for sale must first be slaughtered under a Meat Premises Permit. The person slaughtering your animals must be trained, have this type of permit, and meet all requirements order for you to be able to legally sell the meat.

See Appendix A: Scenarios Where Meat Safety Regulations (MSR) Permit versus Food Establishment Safety Regulations (FESR) Permits Apply.

I want to sell NWT-raised meat at my food establishment. Do I need a permit?

If you have a Food Establishment Permit, you may sell NWT meat and meat products from privately raised livestock at your food establishment provided the animals have been slaughtered under a Meat Premises Permit, and requirements for standards and labelling of meat products are met.

I want to make and sell food products containing meat produced in the NWT. Do I need a Meat Premises Permit?

No, making and selling food products falls under the Food Establishment Safety Regulations, so you would need a Food Establishment Permit. A Food Establishment Permit is required to make and sell food products containing NWT meat. Any NWT privately owned animals used for meat and meat products for sale must first be slaughtered under a Meat Premises Permit.

I want to slaughter animals for others. Do I need a Meat Premises Permit?

Yes, if you will be slaughtering animals or handling the meat (i.e., cutting, wrapping, and packaging) for others you will be required to get a Meat Premises Permit.

I want to donate the meat from animals I raised. Do I need a Meat Premises Permit?

Yes, you will need a Meat Premises Permit to donate the meat from animals you raised. Meat is considered a high-risk food, which requires proper handling to be safe for humans to eat.

Can I slaughter NWT raised livestock and sell the meat and meat products across the border to Alberta or other Provinces or Territories?

The Meat Safety Regulations regulates the slaughter, handling, distribution, and sale within the NWT. Meat and meat products produced and slaughtered under the Meat Safety Regulations can be sold to other provinces and territories, subject to federal legislation and regulations. 

Will I need an inspection every time I intend to slaughter an animal raised in the NWT for food under the Meat Safety Regulations?

You will only need a meat inspection if it is a condition placed on your permit. A requirement for a pre- and/or post-slaughter meat inspection would be determined through the permit application process, and the risk assessment done at that time.

The Meat Safety Regulations will provide inspectors with the authority to inspect and hold or condemn animals and meat. Larger operations that are slaughtering and processing a higher volume of animals will be required to have a pre- and post-slaughter inspection. Smaller scale operations will have different requirements based on the specific risks associated with their specific operation. They may be required to provide notification prior to slaughtering.

The Public Health Act currently provides inspectors with the authority to inspect premises and investigate health hazards, diseases, or conditions to protect public health.

How do I know the meat I am buying is safe?

It is important to recognize that an inspection of a food premise, meat premise, or any product cannot guarantee safety of the product. A meat inspection program cannot guarantee meat or meat products are safe. As with food inspections, a particular meat product is not tested for safety. Safe food production, slaughter, and handling practices help reduce the risk of unsafe food. These include training and adherence to standard public health practices by the premises operator to minimize the risk of food becoming contaminated.

Individuals who want a Meat Premises Permit will be required to take approved training and adhere to standards including requirements for facilities, operation, equipment, cleaning, potable water use, record keeping, training, slaughter methods, labeling and recall procedures. They must provide enough information on their permit application that the public health inspector is confident that the operator of a meat premises is aware of their responsibilities and is able to meet required safety standards and provide meat to the public safely.

All NWT meat from privately raised livestock being sold will also require package labelling with identifiers for tracking and traceability purposes. If the meat is inspected, an inspection label will be placed on the meat packaging. If the meat is not inspected, the package labelling will need to clearly state the meat is not inspected.  

Food Establishments will also be required to inform customers if meat in their food products contains uninspected meat. This will ensure consumers can make an informed decision to eat the food products and are aware of potential risks.

Proposed standards and requirements for training will help ensure NWT producers are aware of and use safe methods for the slaughter, handling and butchering of their meat, regardless of whether the risk assessment identifies the requirement for a meat inspection.  Any operator who fails to comply with any requirements of the Public Health Act, its Regulations, and any orders issued under them may be subject to penalties which may include fines or imprisonment.

If, at any time, an inspector deems a product to be unsafe or a food-borne illness is linked to locally produced meat/products, a rapid investigation would be completed, and public health actions would be taken. Depending on the nature of the risk, notification to the general public or a targeted group could occur. 

When will the Regulation be drafted? When will it come into force?

Drafting of regulations will begin once input and engagement with the public and stakeholders is completed. The engagement will inform the development of the regulations.

The Meat Safety Regulations are expected to come into force during the spring/summer of 2023. Before the Regulations come into force, the Department must finalize the required regulations, operational standards, and procedures, and provide training. The Department will ensure the public and stakeholders are provided advance notice of when the regulations come into force. 

Can anyone provide feedback on the discussion paper?

Yes, anyone can provide feedback on the discussion paper. Feedback and questions may be directed to:

• Email: meatsafetyregs@gov.nt.ca
• Fax: 867-873-0204

Mail: ATTN: Comments on Proposed Meat Safety Regulations

          Policy, Legislation and Communications
          Department of Health and Social Services
          P.O Box 1320
          Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9