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Selling consumer products in Canada

In Canada, most consumer products fall under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, administered by Health Canada: they must not be a danger to health or safety, and incidents are reported within two days. Prepackaged non-food products carry a bilingual identity, metric net quantity and dealer details under the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Product safety
Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (Health Canada)
Packaging and labelling
Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (Competition Bureau)
Label language
English and French; dealer identity in either
Incidents
Reported to Health Canada within two days
Records
Kept six years, in Canada
"Product of Canada"
98% Canadian content and last substantial transformation in Canada

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a consumer product under the CCPSA, or excluded, such as food, cosmetics or drugs? Read more
  2. 2Is it on the prohibited list, or covered by a product-specific regulation? Read more
  3. 3Does the label show identity and net quantity on the principal display panel, in English and French? Read more
  4. 4Is the dealer's name and principal place of business on the label? Read more
  5. 5Are supply records kept, and is there a process for incident reports? Read more
  6. 6Do origin claims meet the Competition Bureau's thresholds? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

General product safety

The CCPSA's scope and prohibitions.

  • The Act applies to consumer products except those in Schedule 1, which include food, cosmetics, drugs, natural health products, pest control products, feeds and vehicles.
  • No manufacturer or importer may manufacture, import, advertise or sell a consumer product that is a danger to human health or safety, or that is under a recall order or a voluntary recall for safety reasons (section 7).
  • Products in Schedule 2, such as baby walkers on wheels and lawn darts with elongated tips, may not be manufactured, imported, advertised or sold, and products must meet any regulations that apply to them (sections 5 and 6).
  • Packaging or labelling that is false, misleading or deceptive about safety, or about safety certification or compliance with a standard, is prohibited (section 9).
  • Product-specific regulations cover items such as cribs, candles, corded window coverings, mattresses and children's jewellery; toys, electronics, textiles, cleaning products and kitchenware have their own guides here.

How we help: Compliant Always records which regulations apply to each product, and keeps the test reports and risk evidence behind each, dated. Ask about this

Records, incidents and recalls

What businesses keep and report.

  • Anyone who manufactures, imports, advertises, sells or tests a consumer product for commercial purposes keeps documents naming who supplied and who received it; retailers also record where and when they sold it (section 13).
  • Documents are kept six years after the end of the year they relate to, at a place of business in Canada, and given to the Minister on written request.
  • An incident covers serious harm or its likelihood, a dangerous defect, inadequate labels or instructions, and a recall abroad or by a province; manufacturers, importers and sellers report it within two days (section 14).
  • The manufacturer, or the importer where the manufacturer is outside Canada, sends a written report within 10 days.
  • Health Canada can order tests and studies, and order a recall or other measures for products it believes are a danger (sections 12, 31 and 32).

How we help: Compliant Always ties supplier and customer records to each product and lot, so the two-day incident information is drawn from the record. Ask about this

Packaging and labelling

The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act for prepackaged non-food products.

  • The principal display panel shows the net quantity and the product's identity by common or generic name or function (section 12, CPLR).
  • Net quantity is declared in metric units, or by count where prescribed, clearly and prominently on the principal display panel (section 4, CPLA).
  • The identity and principal place of business of the person the product was made for or by appears anywhere except the bottom of the container (section 13, CPLR).
  • Information is shown in English and French, except the dealer's identity; local, specialty and test market products, and greeting cards, books, talking toys and language games, have exemptions (section 6, CPLR).
  • False or misleading representations, and containers that might mislead about quality or quantity, are prohibited (sections 7 and 9, CPLA). Prepackaged textile articles and drugs are exempt from the Act.

How we help: Compliant Always reads your label against the CPLA particulars in both languages and keeps the current label version with the product and lot. Ask about this

Origin claims

"Product of Canada", "Made in Canada" and import marking.

  • Country of origin marking is not a CPLA requirement; the Canada Border Services Agency requires it on specific goods.
  • For non-food products, "Product of Canada" needs the last substantial transformation in Canada and at least 98% of total direct costs incurred in Canada.
  • "Made in Canada" needs the last substantial transformation in Canada and at least 51% of total direct costs incurred in Canada, with a qualifying statement such as "Made in Canada with imported parts".
  • Imported products may show a Canadian dealer preceded by "imported by/importé par" or "imported for/importé pour".

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the cost breakdown and supplier origin statements behind any origin claim with the product. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ManufacturerSafety, compliance with product regulations, records and the written incident report.Test reports and technical documents kept with each product and lot.
ImporterSafety of what it imports, records, and the written report where the manufacturer is abroad.Suppliers' documents read and dated before goods arrive.
Dealer named on the labelBilingual identity, net quantity and truthful representations under the CPLA.Label versions checked against the particulars, in one place.
Retailer and online sellerSupplier records, where and when it sold the product, and incident reporting.Supplier documents ready when Health Canada asks.

Provinces and territories

The federal Acts and regulations in these guides apply across Canada. Provincial regulations may add labelling requirements for products sold within a province, and Quebec has additional requirements on the use of French on products marketed there.

Alcohol is largely provincial: provincial and territorial liquor boards set their own requirements, and liquor imported into a province is consigned to the provincial body authorised to sell it.

Questions businesses ask

What is the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act?
The federal law, in force since 20 June 2011 and administered by Health Canada, that prohibits consumer products that are a danger to health or safety and sets duties for records, incident reporting, tests and recalls.
Which products does the CCPSA not cover?
Products in Schedule 1, including food, cosmetics, drugs and natural health products, medical devices, pest control products, feeds, fertilisers, vehicles and firearms. These are regulated under other laws.
Do I have to report a product safety incident in Canada?
Yes. Manufacturers, importers and sellers give Health Canada, and their supplier, the information they have within two days of becoming aware of an incident. The manufacturer, or importer if the manufacturer is abroad, reports in writing within 10 days.
How long must consumer product records be kept in Canada?
Six years after the end of the year they relate to, at a place of business in Canada, and provided to the Minister on written request (section 13, CCPSA).
Do product labels have to be in French and English?
Under the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations, required information is shown in both official languages, except the dealer's name and principal place of business, which may be in either. Some products are exempt.
What must be on the principal display panel of a non-food product?
The net quantity, in metric units or by count as prescribed, and the product's identity by its common or generic name or its function, in English and French.
Who enforces packaging and labelling for non-food products?
The Competition Bureau administers and enforces the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act for non-food products. The CFIA does so for food.
When can I say "Product of Canada" on a non-food product?
When the last substantial transformation happened in Canada and at least 98% of total direct costs of producing or manufacturing it were incurred in Canada, under the Competition Bureau's guidelines.
When can I say "Made in Canada"?
When the last substantial transformation happened in Canada and at least 51% of total direct costs were incurred in Canada, with a qualifying statement indicating imported content.
Is country of origin required on consumer products in Canada?
Not by the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act. The Canada Border Services Agency requires country of origin marking on specific goods.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Canada?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including Canada's federal rules and the bilingual labelling they share. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Canada and what your paperwork needs to show.

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