A new licence is required prior to beginning the operations of a dairy plant including:
When a facility is being licensed for the first time.
When an existing licensed plant is transferred to a new owner (transfer of ownership) An "Application for a Permit to Construct or Alter a Building Intended for Use as a Dairy Plant – For New Applicants" must be submitted at the same time as an “Application for a Licence for the Operation of a Plant”. Note, the licence will not be issued until the plant is complete and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has confirmed, through inspection, that it meets all applicable regulations under the Milk Act (Ontario).
Dairy plant licences must be renewed annually. An application for a licence for the operation of a dairy plant must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the expiry date on an existing licence (s. 95( 4), Regulation 761 - Milk and Milk Products under the Milk Act). If you have recently made any of the following changes to your operation, an application for an Amended licence for the operation of a dairy plant must also be submitted: changes to the classes or subclasses of cow's milk processed at the plant; changes to the species of animal ( cow or goat) that produce the milk processed at the plant; or changes to the type of plant operated.
Prior to beginning alterations to an existing dairy plant, an "Application for a Permit to Construct or Alter a Building Intended for Use as a Dairy Plant - for Existing Licensed Plants" must be completed and submitted and approved by the Director. This application must demonstrate, through drawings and other information as necessary, that the alterations to the plant will meet the regulatory requirements under the Milk Act (Ontario). In some cases an “Application for an Amended Licence for the Operation of a Dairy Plant” may also be required.
Prior to beginning construction of a new dairy plant an "Application for a Permit to Construct or Alter a Building Intended for Use as a Dairy Plant – for New Applicants" must be completed and submitted and approved by the Director. This application must demonstrate, through drawings and other information as necessary, that the plant will be built to meet the regulatory requirements under the Milk Act (Ontario).
An “Application for a Licence for the Operation of a Plant” must also be submitted with this permit application.
To facilitate FOI requests
A licensee of a provincially licensed meat plant may voluntarily surrender their meat plant licence if they no longer conduct regulated activities.
The licensee of a fish processing operation may consent to the revocation of their licence by a director if the operation no longer conducts regulated activities.
A non-shopkeeper distributor licence is required to sell or distribute fluid milk products if you sell more than 50% by volume of your fluid milk products wholesale and you:
• process fluid milk products
• buy fluid milk products wholesale, or
• operate a shop where you also sell some fluid milk products directly to consumers
Licences are issued for a period of up to three years and must be renewed before the expiry date stated on the licence.
The application for a meat plant licence includes the completion of a Business Profile. The Business Profile is to be completed by the licensee and reviewed by OMAFRA. It captures necessary information used to assess the types of regulated activities conducted by the operation and the level of inspection services required at the facility. It also requires updates and resubmission every three years and when any changes occur to any of the contained information.
Approved meat products packaged and labelled in a provincially licensed meat plant must ensure they are labelled with a meat inspection legend before they are shipped from the facility. The Statement of Compliance Form is completed by new meat plant licence applicants and existing clients to request a Director’s permission to reproduce the meat inspection legend.
