CPMA Annual Convention & Trade Show - Toronto 2023

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building

Wednesday, April 26 - Thursday, April 27, 2023

The deadline to order for this Show has already expired

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Importing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables


As the official show carrier and customs broker, GES and ConsultExpo will provide assistance to exhibitors in the areas of transportation to and from the show site, as well as customs clearance services for exhibit materials and products. Please contact ConsultExpo for further details.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates importation of food and plant products for trade shows and exhibitions in Canada.

Please be aware that, like all countries, Canada has strict requirements for the importation of fruits and vegetables. The plant health requirements set by the CFIA are diverse and vary depending on the commodity and its origin. Some products are associated with elevated food safety risks and have specific import requirements to minimize potential hazards.

For information regarding the import requirements for various commodities, please see the CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). Please note that the information in AIRS is subject to change so industry is encouraged to check the website for the most up to date information as some codes may have changed. The importer of product being imported for this show must ensure that all the requirements stated on AIRS are met.

If AIRS states that a phytosanitary certificate is required, then the importer must obtain the certificate prior to export of the product from the originating country. It is possible that a permit may be issued under Section 43 of the Plant Protection Regulations for exhibitions/shows in Canada for products that are currently not authorized for import to Canada. In this case, an application for a permit must be submitted and the CFIA will assess the application and make a decision about whether a Section 43 permit is warranted based on the information provided. In some cases, the CFIA may reach out to the applicant to get additional details to support their decision making.

If a Permit to Import is required for a given commodity from a given origin, an application must be submitted to the Permit Office of the CFIA's Plant Health and Biosecurity Directorate. The permit application form can be found here: Application for Permit to Import Plants and Other Things Under the Plant Protection Act (CFIA/ACIA 5256).

Please note that the applicant for an import permit must be one of the following:
1. A Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
2. A person authorized under the laws of Canada to reside in Canada for a period of six months or more and who will have possession, care or control of the thing to be imported; or
3. In the case of a corporation with a place of business in Canada, the applicant must be an agent or officer of the corporation who resides in Canada.

The importer section of the application has a field requesting a produce license or DRC membership. This can be left blank if the importer is exempt, as noted above. It is the responsibility of the exhibitor to ensure that the above import requirements are met. Learn more about the permit application process.

Please note: For CPMA’s Convention and Trade Show, there is no longer a requirement to use a CFIA Letter of Exemption. The update to the end uses in CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) to include “Show or Exhibition” has removed the need for this letter, since this end use does not ask for a DRC membership or SFCR license. CPMA members are strongly encouraged to view CFIA’s AIRS to ensure that their product can be imported into Canada without a CFIA Letter of Exemption. It is also important to note that importers must still meet requirements regarding plant health or import permits when importing products under the end use “Show or Exhibition”.

Lastly, CPMA members are encouraged to read the CBSA Letter of Recognition carefully. If your event materials will be imported by a commercial carrier or courier service, a copy of the CBSA letter should also be attached to any shipping documents.