No, raw milk sales are prohibited in Canada under the Food and Drugs Act and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, with Health Canada citing risks of pathogens like E. coli and Listeria. Exemptions exist only for farm-gate sales in Alberta and Quebec, subject to provincial permits and rigorous testing. Federal agencies enforce compliance, and recent 2026 updates to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s guidelines tighten traceability requirements for dairy producers.
Key Regulations for Raw Milk in Canada
- Federal Ban: The Food and Drugs Act (Section B.08.002.1) explicitly prohibits the sale, advertisement, or import of raw milk for human consumption, classifying it as a “hazardous substance” due to microbial contamination risks.
- Provincial Exemptions: Alberta’s Public Health Act and Quebec’s Food Products Act permit limited raw milk sales under strict conditions, including on-farm retail licenses, weekly bacterial testing (≤10,000 CFU/mL), and mandatory pasteurization warnings.
- Enforcement Mechanisms: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and provincial health authorities conduct unannounced inspections, with penalties ranging from fines to criminal charges for violations. The 2026 CFIA directive mandates real-time temperature logging for dairy operations handling raw milk.