Nova Scotia makes changes to temporary food permits

The government of Nova Scotia has made changes to temporary food permits, ahead of the summer season.

The changes will help make the application process quicker and easier for food vendors, a news release said.

The changes include:

• all information on temporary food permits now available in one online location
• the application form reduced by half and simplified to make it quicker and easier to complete
• clearer rules on who needs a permit
• an expanded list of exempted foods not needing a permit rewritten in plain language; available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese and Hindi
• one application that can be used to apply for temporary food permits for multiple events hosted by the same vendor or organization in the same calendar year; in the past, a separate application was required for every event.

Temporary food permits are required under Nova Scotia’s Food Safety Regulations for food prepared or served to the public for 14 days or less within a 60-day period per location, such as at a community festival or fair. The department issued more than 900 permits in 2024, with around half of them being for one-day events.

“Across Nova Scotia, food brings people together,” said Timothy Halman, minister of environment and climate change. “Festivals, fairs and other community events with food are also important fundraisers for community organizations and are usually run by volunteers. These changes support better client service and more efficient delivery of government services so that community groups don’t have to spend unnecessary hours on paperwork, while still giving the public confidence that the food served is safe.”

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