Commercial kitchen equipment in Canada usually needs two kinds of certification: a safety listing for Canada, such as CSA, cUL or cETLus, for electrical and gas equipment, and a sanitation listing, such as NSF, for food equipment. A plain UL, ETL or CE mark without the Canadian indicator does not show approval for use in Canada.
Key takeaways
- Safety and sanitation are separate certifications, and most commercial food equipment needs both.
- A small c beside a mark means it is certified to the Canadian standard and us means the United States; UL's newer mark prints CA and US instead.
- Electrical and gas equipment used in Canada is generally required to carry a mark from a certification body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.
- Health inspectors commonly look for NSF or an equivalent sanitation listing on food equipment; electrical and gas inspectors look for the Canadian safety mark.
- Check the data plate on the unit and the listing itself, not only the brochure.
Two separate questions: is it safe, and is it sanitary
Certification marks on commercial kitchen equipment answer two separate questions. A safety listing says the electrical or gas design has been tested against the Canadian standard for that type of appliance, so it should not shock, overheat or leak gas when installed correctly. A sanitation listing says the materials and construction can be cleaned properly and will not contaminate food.
The two are issued against different standards, often by different organizations, and one does not imply the other. A fryer can be safety-certified for Canada without a sanitation listing, and a stainless table can be sanitation-listed with no safety mark at all because it has no wiring or gas.
Different inspectors look at each. The electrical or gas inspector looks for the safety mark when the equipment is connected; the public health inspector looks at food equipment for a sanitation listing or construction that meets the same intent. Requirements are set by your province and your local authority, so treat this guide as help reading labels, not a statement of the rules where you are.
Safety marks for Canada: CSA, cUL, cETLus and others
In Canada, electrical equipment is generally required to be certified by a certification body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada before it is sold or connected, and gas appliances are generally required to be certified to the Canadian gas standards as well. Several organizations are accredited, so more than one mark is acceptable. Your province's electrical and gas safety authorities set the exact rules.
- CSA: the CSA Group's mark. A CSA mark on its own, or with c and us beside it, indicates certification for Canada; one with only us beside it covers the United States.
- cUL or cULus: UL's mark with the c indicating Canada; cULus covers both countries. A UL mark without the c is a United States listing. UL's newer Enhanced Mark uses two-letter country codes instead, CA for Canada and US for the United States, and the older c and us labels remain valid.
- cETL or cETLus: Intertek's ETL mark. As with UL, the c is what matters for Canada; ETL with only us covers the United States.
- Other accredited bodies: several other certification organizations are accredited in Canada and use a Canadian indicator with their own mark. Check the Standards Council of Canada's list if a mark is unfamiliar.
Sanitation marks: NSF and its equivalents
NSF International writes and certifies to the NSF/ANSI food equipment standards, which are split by equipment type. For example, NSF/ANSI 2 covers general food equipment such as tables and sinks, NSF/ANSI 3 covers commercial dishwashers, and NSF/ANSI 7 covers commercial refrigerators and freezers. They set requirements for smooth, cleanable, corrosion-resistant food-contact surfaces without crevices where food and bacteria collect.
NSF is not the only route. UL and Intertek also certify equipment to the NSF/ANSI sanitation standards under their own sanitation marks, and many health units accept these equivalents. If a piece of food equipment carries none of them, ask your health unit before buying; some will assess it on its construction, and some will not accept it.
Sanitation listings matter most on anything that touches food or sits in a food area: refrigeration, prep tables, slicers, mixers, ice machines, dishwashers, sinks and work tables. Smallwares such as cutting boards, food containers and utensils can carry them too.
Reading the c and us indicators
The small letters beside a mark are easy to misread. A c at the left, or below and to the left, means the product was evaluated to the Canadian standard; us at the right means the United States standard. A product with both is certified for both markets.
This matters because many models are built in more than one version. The same model may be sold in the United States with a US-only listing and in Canada with a Canadian listing, sometimes with different electrical components or gas controls. When comparing listings, check that the unit you are getting is the Canadian version.
- cULus, cETLus, CSA with c and us, or UL's newer mark with CA and US: certified for Canada and the United States.
- cUL, cETL, or UL's newer mark with CA: certified for Canada.
- UL, ETL, or CSA with only us: certified for the United States only.
- CE: a European conformity mark, not a Canadian approval.
Imported and European equipment
Many well-known pizza, pasta, bakery and combi ovens are designed in Europe, where products carry the CE mark and run on 230 volt, 50 hertz power. CE shows conformity with European rules; it is not an approval for use in Canada. Equipment sold for the Canadian market should carry a Canadian safety mark and be built for North American voltage and frequency.
Frequency matters as well as voltage. Motors, compressors and timers designed for 50 hertz can run at the wrong speed on Canada's 60 hertz supply, so a European-specification machine run through a transformer is not a substitute for the North American version.
A unit without Canadian certification can sometimes be approved on site through a special inspection or field evaluation by an accredited inspection body, but that takes time and money, may require modifications and is not certain to pass. It is far simpler to buy a model that already carries the Canadian mark.
Gas equipment and fuel type
Gas appliances are certified for a specific gas and input. The data plate states whether the unit is set up for natural gas or propane, its input in BTU per hour and the pressure it expects. Converting from one gas to the other generally has to be done by a licensed gas fitter using the manufacturer's conversion kit, with the conversion recorded on the unit.
Your province's gas and electrical safety authorities set who may install and connect equipment and what inspection follows. Ask your gas fitter and electrician which marks they need to see before they connect anything; they are the ones signing off the installation.
What inspectors look for, and how to check before you buy
Before an opening inspection, walk the kitchen the way an inspector will. Every connected appliance should carry a Canadian safety mark on its data plate, food equipment should carry a sanitation listing, and model and serial numbers should be readable. The data plate is usually on the back, inside a door or behind a kick panel. Keep the installation manuals and spec sheets together, because inspectors and service technicians both ask for them.
Residential appliances are a common problem. Most carry safety marks but not commercial sanitation listings, and many health units will not accept them in a commercial kitchen. The reverse applies too: most commercial equipment warranties are void if the unit is installed in a residential setting.
- Read the certification marks on the product's spec sheet and confirm they include the Canadian indicator.
- Look for a sanitation listing on the same sheet for anything that touches food.
- For gas equipment, confirm the gas type at order and whether a conversion kit exists for that model.
- If a mark is unfamiliar, search the certification body's online directory with the model number.
- Ask your inspector early if you are unsure about a specific piece.
Common questions
Is a UL mark accepted in Canada?
- A UL mark on its own is a United States listing. For Canada, look for cUL or cULus, where the small c shows the product was certified to the Canadian standard, or CA on UL's newer Enhanced Mark.
What does cETLus mean?
- It is Intertek's ETL mark with indicators for both countries: c means the product is certified to the Canadian standard and us means the United States standard. It is one of several Canadian safety marks issued by accredited certification bodies.
Does commercial kitchen equipment have to be NSF certified?
- Not always by NSF itself, but most health units expect food equipment to carry NSF or an equivalent sanitation listing, such as one from UL or Intertek. Requirements vary, so check with your local public health unit before buying anything without one.
Can I use European equipment with a CE mark in Canada?
- Not on the strength of the CE mark alone. It needs a Canadian safety mark and a North American electrical specification, or an approval on site through a special inspection, which is slower and not certain to pass.
Where do I find the certification marks on a unit?
- On the data plate or rating label, usually on the back, inside a door or behind a kick panel. It lists the model, serial number, electrical rating or gas input, and the certification marks.