Consumers, like the province of Quebec, are placing increasing importance on the traceability, origin and quality of food.
In the context of building construction, renovation or expansion, any agri-food company must be able to maintain the quality of its production, while meeting the constantly evolving requirements and standards of mass distribution and food safety.
Before starting an agri-food construction project, it is first necessary to comply with the obligation to produce safe and good quality food. The regulations impose specific production and storage conditions on industries. In Quebec, agri-food companies are themselves actors in the new legislation on food traceability and quality.
When it comes to an agri-food construction project, a plant or warehouse expansion, or an agri-food building renovation, food safety standards are a must. With regard to regulations, it becomes important to manage and develop the performance of products, services and the organization: maintaining production while carrying out an agri-food construction project is a challenge that many companies face.
A general contractor in agro-industrial construction must be able to ensure the continuity of a plant’s production chain, whether in the context of renovation or expansion work. Solutions exist to guarantee the maintenance and quality of the production line, such as the “Work, Time & Materials” service, offered by some contractors, allowing to make available the material resources and the required workforce in this context.
Transparency on risk management in the areas of food quality, hygiene and safety is more than necessary. Many standards exist in Quebec: they provide guarantees on foodstuffs and on the systems put in place to control the hygiene and quality of products. Thus, the choice of your agri-food constructor is based on different inevitable aspects, when it comes to respecting the standards and regulations in this field.
An agri-food construction contractor must have different training, as well as respect the recognized standards.
HACCP
Food safety represents a real challenge for all companies operating in this field. To meet the needs of the industry in terms of agri-food construction, HACCP accreditation aims to know, define and prevent all kinds of dangers concerning food safety.
Risk analysis, control of critical points, prevention of food safety: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ensures that your production complies with regulations.
Thus, entrusting an agri-food construction project to a general contractor who respects HACCP standards means guaranteeing the compliance of production with the requirements related to your industry.
SQFI
The “Safe Quality Food Institute” (SQFI) is responsible for verifying the systems in place for the control of food safety. SQFI certification, recognized by GFSI, guarantees control in compliance with assessment standards, while adding a quality component that other certifications do not have.
Choosing a contractor in agri-food or agro-industrial construction who respects SQFI standards means ensuring the quality of the production chain, in addition to food safety. Thus, in the context of your agri-food construction, renovation or expansion work, your contractor will know how to guarantee the quality of production that your company has initially implemented, according to the strictest standards of your industry.
GFSI
The “Global Food Safety Initiative” is one of the key players in the agri-food industry whose role is to optimally define a constant improvement in food safety management systems.
Your agri-food construction company must comply with the standards dictated by GFSI in order to guarantee safety in your daily production, from the beginning to the end of the work carried out in your agri-food / agro-industrial plant or building.
CTAQ
The Conseil de la Transformation Alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ) is an institution that represents and defends the interests of its members, with the aim of guaranteeing the sustainability of the food processing sector in Quebec.
By selecting a general contractor who is a member of CTAQ, you ensure their expertise in the food industry, in all fields: bakery, water, maple industry, micro-distillery, poultry, etc. Your CTAQ member agri-food constructor will know how to meet your specific requirements and constraints related to your industry sector.
ISN
The ISN network collects information concerning safety standards and the performance of construction companies, and then submits it to suppliers or other companies. The objective is to facilitate the connection between constructors, their stakeholders and their clients, by simplifying the communication of the information necessary for the realization of any type of project (insurance documents, certifications, safety programs and standards, etc.).
Cognibox
Your agri-food construction contractor must ensure the qualification of its subcontractors in order to reduce risks and improve health and safety performance. By working with Cognibox, your general contractor proves the quality and competence of its workforce, which is selected to specifically meet your requirements.
Complyworks
This system allows your agro-industrial constructor to manage the compliance of its workforce, subcontractors and workplaces.
Coupled with Cognibox, the Complyworks solution ensures that the contractor selected for your agri-food construction, renovation or expansion work will provide you with an expert workforce, trained and capable of setting up a safe and compliant construction environment with the strict regulations of this field.
Streamlining operations saves time and money.
Thanks to the expertise of this qualified workforce, you ensure that your constructor’s intervention will be effective and thus, that the work can start quickly, while respecting all the imposed constraints.
It is therefore essential to carefully choose your contractor according to the certifications they respect, and their training programs. Some agri-food and agro-industrial construction companies comply with all of these trainings and certifications. In Quebec, Frare Gallant, a general contractor in Laval, is the leader in agri-food and agro-industrial construction. The company does everything possible to offer the best solutions adapted to your needs. Thanks to a team of experts with multiple talents, it successfully carries out your construction, renovation and expansion projects.