Food and Drugs Act

Marginal note:Powers of inspectors

• 23 (1) Subject to subsection (1.1), an inspector may at any reasonable time enter any place where the inspector believes on reasonable grounds any article to which this Act or the regulations apply is manufactured, prepared, preserved, packaged or stored, and may

  • (a) examine any such article and take samples thereof, and examine anything that the inspector believes on reasonable grounds is used or capable of being used for that manufacture, preparation, preservation, packaging or storing;

  • (a.1) enter any conveyance that the inspector believes on reasonable grounds is used to carry any article to which section 6 or 6.1 applies and examine any such article found therein and take samples thereof;

  • (b) open and examine any receptacle or package that the inspector believes on reasonable grounds contains any article to which this Act or the regulations apply;

  • (c) examine and make copies of, or extracts from, any books, documents or other records found in any place referred to in this subsection that the inspector believes on reasonable grounds contain any information relevant to the enforcement of this Act with respect to any article to which this Act or the regulations apply; and

  • (d) seize and detain for such time as may be necessary any article by means of or in relation to which the inspector believes on reasonable grounds any provision of this Act or the regulations has been contravened.

• Marginal note:Warrant required to enter dwelling-house

  (1.1) Where any place mentioned in subsection (1) is a dwelling-house, an inspector may not enter that dwelling-house without the consent of the occupant except under the authority of a warrant issued under subsection (1.2).

• Marginal note:Authority to issue warrant

  (1.2) Where on ex parte application a justice of the peace is satisfied by information on oath

  • (a) that the conditions for entry described in subsection (1) exist in relation to a dwelling-house,

  • (b) that entry to the dwelling-house is necessary for any purpose relating to the administration or enforcement of this Act, and

  • (c) that entry to the dwelling-house has been refused or that there are reasonable grounds for believing that entry thereto will be refused,

  the justice of the peace may issue a warrant under his hand authorizing the inspector named therein to enter that dwelling-house subject to such conditions as may be specified in the warrant.

• Marginal note:Use of force

  (1.3) In executing a warrant issued under subsection (1.2), the inspector named therein shall not use force unless the inspector is accompanied by a peace officer and the use of force has been specifically authorized in the warrant.

• Definition of article to which this Act or the regulations apply

  (2) In subsection (1), article to which this Act or the regulations apply includes

  • (a) any food, drug, cosmetic or device;

  • (b) anything used for the manufacture, preparation, preservation, packaging or storing thereof; and

  • (c) any labelling or advertising material.

• Marginal note:Assistance and information to be given inspector

  (3) The owner or person in charge of a place entered by an inspector pursuant to subsection (1) and every person found therein shall give the inspector all reasonable assistance and furnish the inspector with any information he may reasonably require.