Recent and upcoming activity in Canada’s regulatory sphere
Health Canada has several initiatives in progress to address current and future regulatory matters pertaining to the chemical industry. Below is a summary of activity and their associated deadlines:
1) Input for upcoming United Nations committee meeting
The 42nd session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) is to be held on July 6-8, 2022. In preparation for the meeting, Health Canada has requested written comments from Canadian stakeholders on the working documents and other informal documents by June 17, 2022 for their consideration. Two of the topics up for discussion include the classification of skin sensitizers using animal studies and the amendment of the manual of tests and criteria for GHS. The working and informal documents for the meeting can be read here.
2) Regulatory Cooperation discussions
In an effort to improve Canada’s regulatory system, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Regulatory Affairs Sector is piloting an interactive online platform called Let’s Talk Federal Regulations, wherein organizations and individuals alike can provide comments on regulatory topics. The primary objectives of this initiative are to modernize Canada’s regulatory system, discuss regulatory barriers that hamper economic growth and innovation, and discuss ways to cooperate with other jurisdictions to reduce regulatory barriers to trade, among others. Comments are welcomed until June 27, 2022.
3) Consultations on Supply Chain Transparency
Earlier this year, Health Canada asked for input regarding the mandatory labelling of consumer chemicals products with respect to better transparency in the supply chain. The comment period closed April 1st, and workshops were held over the last couple weeks to discuss topics of concern that were expressed by multiple stakeholders. More information and further meetings to be announced.
Other regulatory news and upcoming deadlines can be viewed on Health Canada’s news page.
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