On March 4th, 2022, the Government of Canada launched national consultations on mandatory labelling for chemicals in consumer products and better supply chain transparency. The consultations are open till April 1st, 2022 for comments and input from industry and stakeholders.
The Government of Canada proposes to enhance chemical ingredient transparency throughout the supply chain and to strengthen mandatory labelling for consumer goods such as cosmetics, cleaning products, household goods and flame retardants in upholstered furniture. These intentions were reiterated as part of the February 2022 announcement for Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act. The goal is to provide Canadians greater access to information about the substances to which they are exposed.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada have engaged Wood Canada Limited to lead the consultations in a policy lab format in order to address these complex challenges. The policy lab goes beyond what traditional consultations offer by bringing together experts and interested parties in broad discussions and focus groups and by using digital tools to explore and test potential solutions as they are being developed.
The consultations are open to all Canadians, including those from across different industry and product sectors and segments within the supply chain (for example, manufacturers, importers, formulators, distributors, retailers, purchasers, consumers, disposers, and recyclers), non-governmental organizations, civil society, Indigenous communities, consumer advocacy groups, and academia.
Please find the Notice to Interested Parties on the Consulting with Canadians webpage, and related information, on Wood Canada Limited’s virtual platform for the consultations.
Interested parties are invited to register to participate in the consultations by filling out a questionnaire on Wood Canada Limited’s virtual platform. Following your registration, you will receive more information on how to participate in future engagement activities.
Also, a questionnaire on labelling of chemicals in consumer products is also available on the virtual platform.
If you have any questions about the consultations, you can also contact the project team directly at policylab@woodplc.com.
For any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Substances Management Information Line:
Consumer and Hazardous Products Safety Directorate
Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch
Email: substances@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-800-567-1999 (within Canada) or 819-938-3232 (outside of Canada)