Find the various licences and permits you might need for your agri-food business.
A producer licence must be obtained from the New Brunswick Farm Products Commission. An application for a licence must be completed and sent to the commission. Plans for the facility must be then sent to the appropriate provincial health inspector. When the plans are approved, the Department of Health will inspect the farm to confirm that the farm meets the regulatory requirements. Also, the Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick (DFNB) requires the bulk tank be calibrated by an approved calibrator. DFNB will inspect the driveway to ensure that trucks can make it in and out of the farm. Once the farm is approved, the commission will issue the licence.
Once a producer is licensed, he or she must maintain the premises and sanitation requirements as well as meet the raw milk quality standards as laid out in the milk quality regulations. Inspections by the Department of Health take place annually or as required should issues arise. Failure to meet requirements may result in monetary penalties or suspension/revocation of a licence.
This licence from the commission is not to be confused with the requirement of the dairy farmer to also possess a quota or permission to purchase quota, which is a requirement by DFNB.
To buy or apply non-domestic agricultural pesticides in New Brunswick, you need a Pesticide Applicator Certificate from the Department of Environment and Local Government. For details, visit:
A licence is required to store 2,000 litres or more of petroleum products. (See Petroleum Product Storage and Handling Regulation for more details).
Keeping one colony or more of honeybees requires an annual Certificate of Registration to Keep Bees obtained from the Provincial Apiarist of New Brunswick by May 31 of each year. For details, visit:
It is important to note that inter-provincial movement of honey bees or the importation of bees also require import permits. Be sure to contact the Provincial Apiarist for the latest requirements.
The building, locating, relocating, demolishing, altering or replacing of a building or structure in an unincorporated area requires a development and building permit available at your local regional service commission.
Municipalities also require building permits for the same activities. Contact your local municipality for details as to where to apply.
Electrical wiring permits authorize contractors to carry out electrical installations.
New Brunswick-licensed electrical contractors and sign installer contractors are required to obtain a wiring permit for electrical construction involving more than 10 outlets or five kw of load.
A plan review is required for electrical installations in excess of 400 amps at 120/240 volts, 200 amps at 120/208 volts, 100 amps at 347/600 volts and for any installations having a voltage exceeding 600 volts.
Permits must be obtained before construction begins and before a utility power connection is made. Working without a permit will result in a special inspection fee in addition to the cost of the permit. There are some permit exemptions for owners of establishments where their operation requires frequent alterations performed by permanently employed electricians.
Plumbing permits are required for the construction of all plumbing systems and must be obtained before construction begins.
Plumbing permits are issued to New Brunswick-licensed plumbing contractors or to homeowners performing work on their own premises (provincial permits only, homeowner permits are not available within the municipal jurisdictions of Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John). Homeowners will be required to prove their competence in the plumbing trade.
Provincial inspections are carried out on an audit basis according to risk priority. Specific requests for inspections are subject to availability and may be subject to special inspection fees. The cities of Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John issue plumbing permits to cover work in their jurisdictions and carry out their own inspections.
Plumbing plan approvals are required for plumbing installations having more than 30 fixtures. A plumbing permit must be purchased by a plumbing contractor before starting the installation, extension, alteration, renewal or repair of a plumbing system.
Properties that do not have access to municipal wastewater services require an on-site sewage disposal system to help protect water resources from becoming contaminated and to avoid creating public health hazards. A conventional on-site sewage disposal system typically consists of a septic tank and a subsurface disposal field.
Property owners who need to install, construct, repair and/or replace an on-site sewage disposal system must obtain an approval by having a licensed installer submit an application to the local Health Protection Branch of the Department of Health. Public Health inspectors will then assess these applications to ensure they are in accordance with the On-site Sewage Disposal System Regulation and New Brunswick Technical Guidelines for On-site Sewage Disposal Systems. The design and location of the system and the property’s soil conditions are evaluated to determine if sewage can be effectively treated to limit the spread of communicable diseases.
Licensed installers may proceed with the installation, construction, repair and/or replacement of an on-site sewage disposal system only when the application has been assessed and approved by a Public Health Inspector.
Once the on-site sewage disposal system has been installed it must also be available for inspection and approval by a Public Health inspector prior to covering. On-site sewage disposal systems that have not been installed according to the approved application or those that fail to meet the requirements of the regulation must be corrected or modified and are subject to re-inspection.
Additional licences may be required under the various, regulations and policies listed below.
Depending on the commodity other specific licences may be required. For example:
Cheese producers’ licence – from the Department of Health.