What it's called
Canadian rules, US rules and everyday search all use different words for the same box on the package. CFIA label requirements, CFIA labelling requirements, food label requirements in Canada: they all point at one set of rules, the Food and Drug Regulations plus the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. American sources write "CFIA labeling requirements" with one L; Canada uses two.
- Nutrition Facts table is the correct Canadian term, and the one CFIA uses.
- Nutrition facts label and nutrition label are what most people say and search for. If someone asks you for a Canada nutrition facts label, or a Canadian nutrition facts label, they mean this table.
- Labelling is the Canadian spelling. Labeling is American. Official guidance uses "labelling".
Canadian food labels carry more than the nutrition table. An ingredient list, allergen declaration, bilingual common name and net quantity all sit under the same regulations. Format has its own rules too: CFIA sets figure sizes by available display surface, so nutrition label size requirements depend on your package, not your preference.
Who needs a nutrition facts table in Canada
Unlike the United States, Canada has no general small business exemption based on revenue or employee count. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforces nutrition labelling under the Food and Drug Regulations. Exemptions are product-based or venue-based, not size-based.
Foods always exempt
These products never need a Nutrition Facts table:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits without added ingredients (including combinations like salads without dressing)
- Individual portions intended solely for restaurant service (e.g. creamers served with coffee)
- Milk in refillable glass containers
- Products with an available display surface less than 15 cm² (e.g. small individually wrapped candies)
Foods usually exempt (may lose exemption)
If you make a nutrient content claim (e.g. "low sodium") or a health claim, or if your label or advertising refers to energy or nutrients at all, you lose the exemption and must display a Nutrition Facts table. Otherwise, these products are usually exempt:
- Products where all nutrients can be expressed as "0" (e.g. spices, vinegar, some bottled waters)
- Beverages with alcohol content over 0.5%
- Raw single-ingredient meat, poultry, fish, or seafood (fresh or frozen)
- Products sold only in the retail establishment where they are prepared and processed from ingredients
- Products sold only at a roadside stand, craft show, flea market, fair, farmers' market, or sugar bush by the person who prepared and processed them
- Individual servings sold for immediate consumption that have not been subjected to special packaging to extend durable life
- Products sold only in the retail establishment where packaged, labelled by sticker, with an available display surface less than 200 cm²
Cottage food and farmers market edge cases
The exemption for products sold at farmers markets, craft shows, fairs, and similar venues applies only when the vendor is the person who prepared and processed the product. If you resell products made by someone else, or if a larger company sells at these venues, the exemption does not apply. If you sell the same product through other channels (e.g. online, to retailers, or at a different location), you generally need a Nutrition Facts table for those sales.
What happens if you don't comply
The CFIA can issue stop-sale orders, require product recalls, and refuse entry to non-compliant products at the border. Enforcement is not limited to large companies. Any product found non-compliant during an inspection or border check can be affected. Correcting a labelling issue after the fact is straightforward. Dealing with a recall or a detained shipment is not.
Know you need a table? Nutrifax builds one from your recipe in about 10 minutes, in the CFIA format, with an audit report that shows the calculation. Start free →
How to generate your label
Generating a label with the Nutrifax nutrition label generator takes about 10 minutes if you have your recipe and ingredient weights ready.
Nutrifax calculates nutrition from Health Canada's Canadian Nutrient File (CNF), the government's own food composition database. Each ingredient is matched to a CNF food and measure, and the nutrients are summed from CNF values. Nutrifax then applies the Canadian rounding rules and outputs a Nutrition Facts table in the CFIA format, in English, French, or bilingual. An audit report documents the calculation path (ingredient, measure, and nutrient contribution) so you can show your work to a retailer or an inspector.
Two things the software cannot do for you. A blank in the source dataset is not a zero, and Nutrifax does not invent a value to fill the gap. And it cannot see your finished package. Confirm the serving size, the allergen statement, and the final label against current regulations for your product.
What the label must include
The Nutrition Facts table must follow the format prescribed in the Food and Drug Regulations. Health Canada's Directory of Nutrition Facts Table Formats (incorporated by reference) defines the graphic and technical requirements. Use it as your source for layout, type size, and structure.
Core nutrients
The table must declare, in this order:
- Serving of stated size
- Calories
- Fat (with Saturated + Trans as sub-items)
- Carbohydrate (with Fibre and Sugars as sub-items)
- Protein
- Cholesterol
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Iron
Additional nutrients may be declared in the bottom section. All amounts must use the rounding rules set out in the regulations. Refer to CFIA guidance for the exact rounding tables.
Bilingual requirements
Mandatory information on prepackaged foods sold in Canada must appear in both official languages (English and French). The Nutrition Facts table is mandatory information, so it must be bilingual for products sold across Canada. You may use a single bilingual table or separate English and French tables; both must be of equal size and prominence.
Products sold only in Quebec are subject to Quebec's language laws, which require French on all products marketed in the province. English may be optional for Quebec-only sales depending on the context; the Office québécois de la langue française publishes the provincial rules.
Format rules
The table must use a single non-decorative sans serif font (e.g. Helvetica, Arial). Rules, spacing, type size, and leading are prescribed. The table must appear on one continuous surface of the package, be visible under customary conditions of sale, and be oriented consistently with other label information. Refer to the CFIA Compendium of Templates and the Directory of Nutrition Facts Table Formats for exact specifications.
Serving size rules
Serving size is determined using Health Canada's Table of Reference Amounts for Food. Each food category has a reference amount (RA) representing the amount typically consumed in one eating occasion. For multiple-serving products, the serving of stated size must be based on the reference amount for that category.
The table specifies how to declare the serving: metric measure (grams or millilitres), household measure (cups, tablespoons, slices), or both, depending on the product type. For bakery products, the rules vary by format (sliced bread, unsliced loaf, tray with cut marks, etc.). If your product does not clearly fit an existing category, Health Canada recommends contacting the Food and Nutrition Directorate to discuss an appropriate reference amount.
Common mistakes small producers make
Rounding errors
Canadian rounding rules differ from American rules. Values must be rounded according to the tables in the Food and Drug Regulations. Using FDA rounding or ad hoc rounding can produce non-compliant values.
Using American label formats
The US Nutrition Facts panel has a different layout, nutrient order, and Daily Value basis. A US panel is not a Canadian table with the spelling changed, and a label designed for the FDA is not compliant in Canada. Use a format from the Directory of Nutrition Facts Table Formats.
Missing bilingual text
If you sell outside your immediate local area, your label must include both English and French. Omitting one language is a common compliance failure.
Wrong serving size
Using an arbitrary serving (e.g. "1 cookie" when the reference amount for that category is different) or failing to match the reference amount for your product category can make the entire table non-compliant.
Related pages
Sources and reference links
Disclaimer
Educational content only; not legal advice. Confirm the final label against current regulations for your product and jurisdiction.