Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal

Welcome to the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal!

The Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal (Tribunal) is an independent tribunal established by the Government of Canada to provide impartial reviews of notices of violation issued by federal agencies regulating agriculture and food.

Federal agencies, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), use Administrative Monetary Penalties as part of their escalating scale of enforcement providing an expeditious, non-punitive means to promote regulatory compliance.

You can specify to the Tribunal whether you would like to proceed with a request for review by oral hearing or by written submissions to deal with your claim.

Authorized Locations for Tribunal Hearings

There is no legislation, regulation or rule which sets out exactly how the Tribunal determines the choice of venue for an oral hearing. However, section 6(2) of the Canada Agricultural Products Act states that "the Tribunal may sit at such places in Canada as may be specified by the Governor in Council." Ninety-six such locations have been selected. Past practice of the Tribunal has been for the Tribunal to set down hearings in locations that, where feasible, accommodate the applicant. An applicant should not be discouraged or prevented from having an oral hearing due to excessive costs of travel.

User Guide for Self-Represented Litigants

Litigants before the Tribunal without legal training often encounter difficulties managing the various stages of a case, including what to set out in their initial request for review document to how to present their case at an oral hearing.

Internships at the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal

The small team at the Tribunal welcomes eager students seeking a real-life experience in a functioning administrative tribunal environment to work alongside the Chairperson and Tribunal staff, assisting in completing research assignments, special projects and other daily office duties pertaining to the operation of the Tribunal.