Québec - CARTV Recognition

The Conseil des appellations reservées et des termes valorisants (CARTV), the competent authority for organic products on Québec territory, is responsible for applying provincial legislation that governs a field that goes beyond the scope of the Organic Products Regulations that become effective in Canada on 30 June 2009. When intended for sale on the Québec market, the following product categories must be certified by a body recognized by the CARTV:

  • Products resulting from organic aquaculture
  • Dietary supplements designated as organic
  • Cosmetic and personal care products including agricultural ingredients

The aim of the CARTV’s recognition sub-program, managed by the Committee on Accreditation for Evaluation of Quality (CAEQ), is the acceptance of the above-mentioned organic product categories in Québec.

What need does this sub-program address?

In accordance with the Internal Regulations Pertaining to Acceptance of Products Coming from Outside Québec, to certify organic products belonging to the above-mentioned categories and intended for sale on Québec territory, regardless of the product’s origin, certification bodies must be recognized by the CARTV.

Which organizations can apply?

All organizations certifying organic products belonging to the above-mentioned categories and intended for sale on Quebec territory, heedless of the product’s origin, can apply to the CAEQ for an assessment of their certification program in order to demonstrate its compliance with the requirements included in the CARTV’s Regulations pertaining to Recognition of Bodies Certifying Products from outside Québec.

CAEQ Role

Following an application for recognition submitted by a certification body, the CAEQ carries out a documentary review of the application file. If this assessment is satisfactory, the CAEQ will recommend that CARTV recognize the body’s program for the concerned product categories.

If a body has already been accredited by the CARTV to certify organic products for a scope not including products in any of the above categories, it can request an accreditation extension, thus allowing it to certify products from any one of these categories.

All applications for recognition or accreditation extension are processed by the CAEQ.

What are the actions of CAEQ?

In order to enable the certification body to demonstrate the compliance of its certification system with the CARTV’s requirements, the CAEQ will assess its certification program in order to recognize its compliance by the mean of a documentary review.

If the body uses a private standard (including aquaculture) to certify products, the CAEQ shall conduct a comparative analysis between the body’s standard against the standard approved by the CARTV to determine its level of equivalency, and where appropriate, prescribe the amendments needed to obtain equivalence.

How does CAEQ facilitate your task of requesting recognition?

The CARTV recognition sub-program can be combined with other services offered by the CAEQ in addition to its accreditation program.

Contact without delay Vincent Vilela or Denis Paul Bouffard who will present the procedure to follow and will guide you in submitting your application for the CARTV recognition.

Useful documents (PDF)