In BC, all slaughterhouses are either federally registered meat plants with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or are provincially licensed with the BC Ministry of Agriculture by region.
Provincially licensed meat plants are found throughout the province including in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Kootenays and the Okanagan, as well as the North.
Slaughterhouses that are federally registered are permitted to export their product to outside the province. Slaughterhouses which are provincially licensed are only permitted to sell their product within the province.
An important aspect of ensuring meat is safe to consume is how meat is transported after the slaughterhouse. This applies to anyone who handles, transports, distributes and stores meat products and carcasses destined for public sale and human consumption. This includes owners and operators of food premises, such as licensed slaughter facilities, butcher shops, food retailers and those who transport meat products to any of these facilities.
