Organic Certification Bodies -- Canada

Because of the size of the country and the existing diversity of organic agriculture, at least three different nationally accredited certification organizations are needed. As it stands, there were more than 40 small certification organizations that certified producers and processors according to OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association) standards, IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) standards, or to a local provincial standard. With the rapid expansion of organic agriculture, at least 60 such organizations will be needed to cover the nation.

British Columbia

COABC (Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia) - COABC is the only government-approved body responsible for overseeing British Columbia’s Certified Organic Program and is designated to implement the program under the Food Choice and Quality Act. The following organizations come under the umbrella of COABC and are permitted to issue certification in the province of British Columbia.
BCARA (British Columbia Association for Regenerative Agriculture) - BCARA is the certifying body for the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland, and the Sunshine Coast regions.
BOPA (Boundary Organic Producers Association) - BOPA is the certifying body for the boundary area of the province – an area located just north of the US-Canada border in BC, and mainly encompasses the southern interior part of the province.
Demeter-International - Demeter is a world-wide biodynamic certification system used to verify production in over 60 countries. Foods grown must adhere to strict biodynamic agricultural standards and are then allowed to use the “Demeter certified” label. Biodynamic agriculture goes beyond the standard demands of organics by incorporating three additional principles: the farm is a sustainable ecosystem in itself, use of bio-dynamic preparations enhances the activities in the compost and the soil, and the dynamic forces of the sun, moon, planets, and constellations on plants ultimately nourish humans physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Biodynamics is the oldest non-chemical agricultural movement, predating the organic agriculture movement by some twenty years and has now spread throughout the world. In BC, contact Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Society of British Columbia.)
FVOPA (Fraser Valley Organic Producers' Association) - FVOPA is the certifying body for the Fraser Valley region of the province.
IOPA (Islands Organic Producers Association) - IOPA is the certifying body for organic growers and producers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
KOGS (Kootenay Organic Growers' Society) - KOGS is the certifying body for the Kootenay region of the province.
LEOGA (Living Earth Organic Growers' Association) - LEOGA is the certifying body for the South Okanagan and Similkameen regions of the province.
NOOA (North Okanagan Organic Association) - NOOA is the certifying body whose area encompasses Kelowna north to the Shuswap and east from Cache Creek and Pritchard to Lumby and Edgewood. However, they have been known to certify farms as far away as Invermere.
PACS (Pacific Agricultural Certification Society) - PACS administers the BC Certified Organic Program and provides organic certification according to an ISO (International Standards Organisation) Guide 65 standard which is acceptable to all jurisdictions. They not only certify farmers in BC but in the Yukon as well.
SOOPA (Similkameen Okanagan Organic Producers Association) - SOOPA is another organization of the Simillkameen-Okanagan region that shares responsibility with LEOGA.
STOPA (Shuswap Thompson Organic Producers Association) - STOPA is the certifying body for the Thompson-Shuswap area of the provice.

Alberta

AOPA (Alberta Organic Producers Association)
Global Organic Alliance - Contact in Alberta at (403-485-6493)
Green Life Organic Alliance - Contact in Alberta at (780-731-2331)
OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada
Quality Certification Bureau Inc.

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Québec

CAAQ (Conseil des appellations agroalimentaires du Québec) - CAAQ is the official provincial authority for managing and monitoring reserved agri-food appellations in Quebec. CAAQ grants two types of approval: accreditation and recognition of conformity. Accreditation is granted only to those agencies that carry out certification activities in the Province of Québec. Conformity recognition is a simpler procedure that includes certifying products that come from both outside and within Québec. Under CAAQ, other organizations are permitted to issue certification in the province of Quebec.
Canadian Organic Certification Co-operative

Atlantic Canada

This region includes Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Laborador. Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province in Atlantic Canada that does not have an organic agricultural specialist on staff.

Maritime Certified Organic Growers
Nova Scotia Organic Growers Association
Organic Crop Improvement Association
OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada
Garantie Bio-Écocert

Yukon

PACS (Pacific Agricultural Certification Society) - PACS administers the BC and the Yukon Certified Organic Program and provides organic certification according to ISO (International Standards Organisation) standards. Currently, there are three certified farmers in the Yukon (see GOOFY [Growers of Organic Food Yukon])