OTTAWA—Canada will invest $75 million in its food-safety system to improve the government's ability to prevent, detect and respond to future foodborne-illness outbreaks.
"The government of Canada's highest priority is the safety of Canadians," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "We are making significant investments to hire more inspectors; update technologies and protocols; and, improve communication so that Canadians have the information they need to protect their families."
This investment builds on the government's 2008 commitment of $113 million for food safety. Already, the government has made significant changes to Canada's Listeria management strategy, including making environmental testing and reporting mandatory in ready-to-eat meat plants.