Canada Organic Regime (COR)

Canada Organic Regime (COR)

Under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), any food, seed or animal feed that is labelled as organic must be regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Under Part 13 of the SFCR, products must be certified as organic according to the Canadian Organic Standards. The SFCR also outlines the organic certification system known as the Canada Organic Regime. Canada Organic Regime regulates all parties involved in the certification of organic products (including operators, certification bodies and conformity verification bodies) and verifies that all applicable regulatory requirements, standards and guidance documents are being met.

GCL International’s accredited scope for COR includes:

• Organic Production Systems: General Principles and Management Standards(CAN/CGSB-32.310 – 2020)
• Organic Production Systems: Permitted substances lists(CAN/CGSB-32.311 – 2020)
• Organic Production Systems: Aquaculture – General principles, management standards and permitted substances lists(CAN/CGSB-32.312 – 2018)

You can apply online for the COR Certification. We will use the application details to produce a quotation.

Once the quotation has been accepted, return a signed copy of the quotation and our Scheme Rules.

The following documents are supplied prior to the initial certification:

• Briefing information about the COR Standard
• Standard and Operator handbook
• Organic System Plan

• Opening meeting
• On-site Audit
• Preparation of Audit Report (including Findings)
• Closing meeting

Following the completion of the inspection, a report detailing the findings is provided. Subject to the closure of any nonconformances or findings (if any), a Scope Certificate is issued.

Whenever the client wishes to have its artwork approved, the proposed artwork and Labelling Release form shall be submitted to GCL International Ltd. for approval.

• The certified client may request a Transaction Certificate if required by the Equivalency Agreement
•  Email a Transaction Certificate Request form and associated documents to us
• If approved, we issue the Transaction Certificate to the client

• For COR, GCL requires the holder of the certificate to submit the information specified in part 13 of the SFCR once annually beginning on the day the certificate is issued. The CB requires the holder of the certificate to submit their intention to maintain certification no later than six months prior to the end of that period
• GCL International will communicate with the client to plan for the reassessment and to determine if there have been any changes, such as to production units, subcontractors, recipes or new suppliers
• GCL inspects the operation annually to determine whether its certification should continue
• Following the completion of the assessment, a report detailing the findings is provided, subject to the closure of any non-conformances

• GCL Scheme Rules
• COR Operating Manual
• COR Standard
• List of Certified Operators
• Request Operator Handbook 
• Request Fee Structure