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Appendix C - Progress to date as reported by the organizations

Progress to date as reported by the organizations
	In progress	Completed	Recommendations of this report
Policies
Public Health Agency of Canada	Following the 2008 outbreak, listeriosis has been included in the new set of diseases to be reported to PHAC. All provinces and territories have agreed to implement notification as soon as possible. They are at different stages of implementation since making adjustments to reporting and notification systems takes time. Once all jurisdictions have completed the necessary steps, all future listeriosis cases in Canada will be reported to the Canadian Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, most likely before the end of 2009.
Health Canada		In September 2008, Health Canada, under the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, issued Interim Market Authorizations to allow the use of sodium acetate and sodium diacetate for meat, poultry, and fish products to help slow the growth of Listeria.	See recommendation 12
	In March 2009, Health Canada published the Regulatory Modernization Strategy for Food and Nutrition, which articulates its role in food safety and nutrition, and outlines a vision and plan to modernize the regulatory system. The plan will be completed in summer 2009.
		Health Canada has taken a number of steps to further standardize the Health Risk Assessment request process. It has revised its Standard Operating Procedures from a 24-hours to an 8-hour turnaround time for anticipated Health Risk 1 requests (the most severe risk which could lead to widespread human impact or death); increased capacity and training; established a central logging and tracking system; identified a single point of contact for microbiology, nutrition, and chemical safety issues; and made arrangements to ensure response 24/7 in emergency situations.
	Health Canada's 2004 Listeria policy is undergoing revision to be finalized by March 2010 to reflect the latest knowledge and scientific advances in the field. Controls and inspection practices, use of additives and technologies that can inhibit the growth of Listeria, and the needs of vulnerable populations are being considered.		See recommendation 11
Surveillance and Laboratories
*Surveillance*
Public Health Agency of Canada		The Public Health Agency of Canada has acted to improve the capacity of PulseNet by training and certifying personnel in a number of provincial and federal laboratories across Canada.
		Since the outbreak, the PHAC's National Microbiology Laboratory has trained and certified one laboratory person in the province of Alberta and two in Ontario. Four additional CFIA laboratory personnel have also been certified. NML has increased its own number of certified laboratory personnel from three to seven.>	See recommendation 35
	PHAC is also working on the development of another surveillance instrument tool - Panorama.		See recommendation 22
Laboratories
Health Canada	Health Canada is working to increase surge capacity in its lab testing functions, like the Listeria Reference Centre. This means ensuring that there are enough people to meet demand in urgent situations. It is enhancing its laboratory capacity by increasing training and cross-training of laboratory technicians. Already, three individuals are in the process of being certified for Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) testing, and the current E. coli technician has been cross-trained to test for Listeria.
Public Health Agency of Canada		The PHAC's National Microbiology Laboratory has taken action to improve its own laboratory capacity. In addition to increasing the Lab's number of certified personnel in Listeria genetic fingerprinting, NML has doubled its PFGE equipment in the PulseNet Canada Lab and has formalized back-up PFGE units.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency		Investments have been made in new equipment for the CFIA's laboratories to expand their testing capacity.
		The CFIA, with HC and the PHAC, have developed a standard template for use by F/P/T food safety partners. The template includes all the required information for sampling. CFIA has also developed training material for inspectors on sampling.	See recommendation 35
		The CFIA has improved its communications with HC and the PHAC laboratories and introducing a screening method for Listeria monocytogenes in meat which allows for the reporting of negative results in only five days.	See recommendation 36
		In conjunction with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) a forum has been established to promptly share CFIA requirements with private accredited labs through information bulletins.
Foodborne Emergency Preparedness and Response
Among federal organizations
	The PHAC, HC and the CFIA are critically assessing the Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response Protocol (FIORP) in light of the recent event, to present a proposal to their provincial and territorial counterparts.	Consistent communication among the CFIA, the PHAC and HC is taking place through regular senior management meetings between Assistant Deputy Ministers in each organization.	See recommendation 24
Health Canada		Health Canada has set up a single point of contact for the rapid flow of information among partners and has increased Health Canada's email capacity for key operational personnel.
	Health Canada continues to work with the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health to develop key health advice on listeriosis for at risk groups and caregivers.	Health Canada has enhanced risk communications to the public through wider distribution of communications products to stakeholders that can assist with disseminating information to at-risk populations.
Public Health Agency of Canada		The PHAC has made progress in clarifying the scope of Health Canada's and the CFIA's involvement in the Agency's Emergency Operations Centre during outbreaks.	See recommendation 28
		The PHAC's Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response is improving clarity regarding the purpose of calls, who should be attending them, and how to communicate discussions and decisions. Templates and standard operating procedures have been developed.	See recommendation 24
Canadian Food Inspection Agency	The CFIA is updating its Food Emergency Response Manual with respect to roles and responsibilities and has enhanced decision-making for non-routine cases.	The criteria and process for identifying and managing high-profile incidents has been reviewed and revamped. The CFIA will now use its emergency response structure to manage high-profile issues, including significant food safety incidents.	See recommendation 28
		The Office of Emergency Management has provided incident command system training for staff involved in food safety incidents, with ongoing sessions planned.
Among food safety partners
Canadian Food Inspection Agency		The CFIA is working to increase provincial/territorial awareness of its roles and responsibilities when responding to foodborne illness outbreaks. For instance, The CFIA is part of the Ontario Multi-Agency Foodborne Outbreak/Food Recall Working Group, established to improve multi-jurisdictional coordination and response to health hazards and foodborne outbreaks.	See recommendation 38
Food Safety
Canadian Food Inspection Agency		The Meat Hygiene Manual of Procedures and the Compliance Verification System (CVS) have been updated to reflect that in September 2008: an industry advisory notification was issued for the proper cleaning and sanitation of slicing equipment; and inspection procedures were strengthened and inspection tasks were added: review company records of finished product and environmental test results on a daily basis; review cleaning and sanitation programs to control bacteria and other foodborne diseases; analyze trends in positive environmental test results; and increase the frequency of on-site inspections.	See recommendations 16 to 20
		As of April 2009, the section of the Meat Hygiene Manual of Procedures on Listeria was updated: Meat processors must implement food contact surface testing programs in accordance with the prescribed requirements; Meat processors must perform trend analysis on their test results; Plant operators must notify the CFIA immediately of any Listeria positive food contact surface area test results; As of April 2009, the CFIA had implemented a food contact surface testing plan in meat processing plants.	See recommendation 15
	The CFIA has requested from its Academic Advisory Panel to provide advice on emerging and changing risks in the food production system.
	The CFIA has begun the process of evaluating meat inspection programs for imports for the control of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat products.
Maple Leaf Foods		Maple Leaf Foods has implemented all of the requirements under the CFIA's Corrective Action Plan as well as the Agency's new policies. In several instances, the company has activated measures that go beyond the minimum requirements in an effort to prevent a reoccurrence of the events of the summer of 2008.	See recommendations 1 to 6
		Maple Leaf Foods has improved food safety in all of its ready-to-eat plants by taking four essential steps. It has developed comprehensive Enhanced Food Safety Protocols; improved daily sanitization procedures, such as machinery disassembly and deep cleaning of slicing equipment; implemented a more rigorous environmental testing regimen; required that all employees entering their plants wear shrouds, masks, aprons and sleeves; improved the physical infrastructure of buildings; created the position of Chief Food Safety Officer; established a Maple Leaf Foods Food Safety Council comprising leading international experts in food safety, microbiology, and public health; and increased collaboration with government and industry to improve food safety across the industry.	See recommendations 1 to 6
		The company's Food Safety First program - probably the most important part of its post-outbreak food safety enhancement - consists of a four-part cycle: 1)Interpret; 2) Remediate; 3) Act; and 4) Audit	See recommendation 2
Canadian Meat Council	The Canadian Meat Council is leading the Industry Listeria Working Group which is working on the development of a best practices document that reflects revisions of the CFIA's Listeria control measures for ready-to-eat meat products.		See recommendation 3