News

2025 FALL HYBRID SPEAKER’S EVENING

We are thrilled to host another hybrid event for our members and general public! For those who wish to participate virtually, we are broadcasting (live streaming) our seminar through Zoom.

THEME
Microbial Risks in Low Water Activity Foods & PFAS in Food Systems

SPEAKERS
Sandeep Tamber, Research Scientist, Head of Salmonella Research Laboratory, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada
Mathew Coady, Environmental Scientist and Risk Assessor, SLR Consulting Canada Ltd

DETAILS
Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 pm PT
In-person Location: Langara Clubhouse (this is the Langara Golf Course - 6706 Alberta St, Vancouver, BC)*
*Parking is free for guests
Virtual Option: via Zoom - registrants will be sent a Zoom link 1-2 days before the actual event

REGISTRATION & DINNER
Register here: https://www.bcfoodprotection.ca/event-6392658
Early bird deadline is October 28! Register today to take advantage of our early bird rate!
Dinner will be provided for in-person attendees.

Hello BCFPA Student Members,

This year's application for the BCFPA Scholarship Award is now open!

Details of the application process, forms, and the essay topic can be found here: https://www.bcfoodprotection.ca/Scholarships

If you know any students who might be interested in applying, please let them know of this scholarship! Good luck!

The BC Food Protection Association would like to present the Summer Webinar Series!

You are invited to attend our educational Summer Webinar Series through the Zoom platform! 

Webinar #1:

Predict and Prevent: Selected Risk Modelling Activities at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Risk modelling helps us predict food safety threats before they reach your table. Learn how CFIA keeps your food safe!

Team Members (Presenters):
Ashwani Tiwari, DVM PhD, Senior Veterinary Specialist
Cory Lindgren, PhD, Science Leader
Justin Falardeau, PhD, Science Specialist
Christina Sparr, BSc, Science Specialist

Date: Monday, June 23, 2025
Time: 5:30-6:30 pm PT
Registration: Free for BCFPA Members
Register Here: https://www.bcfoodprotection.ca/event-6215682
Location: via Zoom*
*The Zoom link will be available in a separate email closer to the event date to those who have registered for the webinar event.

Information about the Team: Advanced Data Analytics and Risk Modelling team within the Food Science Advice and Intelligence Division of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Summary:
Selected Risk Modelling Activities at the CFIA
1. Risk Model to Support the Development of Canadian Performance Standards for Salmonella in Poultry
2. Food Import Risk Explorer (FIRE) model: Ranking risk at the food-hazard-country or origin level.
3. FishNet: Machine learning model to estimate risk at the shipment level.

Registration Rates:
Free for BCFPA Members
$10 for Non-Members
$5 for Non-Members (Students)

Hello all,

Please pass this IAFP message along to your colleagues:

IAFP Offers Open Access to Webinars During June 2025!
World Food Safety Day is June 7, 2025. 

In recognition of this day to increase awareness about food safety, IAFP will provide open access from June 1–30, 2025, to all recorded webinars in the IAFP archives for non-Members.

IAFP non-Members can browse the webinar archives on our website where more than 100 webinars dating back to 2009 are located (log-in not required). One of the many benefits of IAFP Membership is access to the Association's free webinars, which are sponsored by the IAFP Foundation.

 

Hello everyone,

Food Safety Summit is offering FREE registration to everyone to attend some of their virtual sessions.

The Food Safety Summit is a solution-based conference and expo designed to meet the educational and informational needs of the entire food industry. The Summit provides a 3-day comprehensive educational program to learn from subject matter experts and trainers, exchange ideas, and find solutions to your current job challenges.

Date: May 13-15, 2025

Registration and event page: https://www.food-safety.com/events/category/422

Details: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/04/food-safety-summit-offering-key-sessions-via-live-streaming-for-free/

Want to learn how to bridge the gap between academia and the professional world?

Join the SPDG Professional Communication Workshop and learn how to elevate your resume, ace interviews, and communicate more professionally.

This hands-on session led by David Karkut, M.A., an experienced business communication professor, will help you move from campus to the workplace.

Date: April 3, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: UBC, SCRF 209
Free RSVP:  https://shorturl.at/Bh8Bo
Snacks Provided | Bring Your Own Laptop

Take advantage of this opportunity to refine your communication skills and build valuable connections!

Click here to view the poster!

We would like to invite you to our Virtual Annual General Meeting on March 11, 2025. Details of our event are listed below. We hope to see you there!

BCFPA 2024 Virtual Annual General Meeting

Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Time: 5:00-6:30 pm
Location: Zoom (Virtual)
Registration: Free for BCFPA members
Register link: https://www.bcfoodprotection.ca/event-6083484

We highly encourage you to register and participate at our AGM and listen to your BCFPA board members as they go through last year's 2024 AGM Report and other business. We are accepting nominations to run in our 2025 Executive Board. If you are interested in volunteering, please send us an email! We are always looking for volunteers!

We are also inviting Manpreet Singh, Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia; IAFP President-Elect, to talk about “Managing Risks in Poultry Processing”.

Schedule:
5:00-5:05 pm - Opening Remarks
5:05-5:20 pm - IAFP Presentation
5:20-6:00 pm - Speaker: Manpreet Singh – “Managing Risks in Poultry Processing”
6:00-6:10 pm - Q&A
6:10-6:25 pm - AGM Business
6:25-6:30 pm - Closing Remarks

Hello everyone,

We have updated our Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy is meant to explain how we gather, utilize, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you access and use our website.

You can visit our Policy page to learn more. Click here: https://www.bcfoodprotection.ca/Privacy-Policy

Hi everyone,

The recording of the presentation below can now be found on our BCFPA Youtube channel! We were able to edit out some parts of the video recording at the beginning that had to do with some technical difficulties so thank you for your patience as we figured that out.

Unfortunately we had forgotten to hit that record button so we were not able to record Tim Green's insightful presentation on clams. We apologize for that.

BCFPA Hybrid Fall Speaker's Evening
November 25, 2024, at the Langara Clubhouse in Vancouver, BC
THEME: Importance of Shellfish Food Safety for First Nations’ Food Security
TOPIC: Prioritizing Indigenous Shellfish Needs at BCCDC Within a One Health Context
SPEAKER 1: Lorraine McIntyre
SPEAKER 2: Jennifer Kopetzk
RECORDING: https://youtu.be/_uvJu94RiVY

Dr. Siyun Wang from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems in UBC will present a webinar on “Multidrug-resistance pathogens in foods” hosted by National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (NCCEH).

This webinar is free for everyone.

Date: Dec 12, 2024
Time: 12:00-1:00 PM PT
Details: https://ncceh.ca/events/upcoming-webinars/multidrug-resistance-pathogens-foods