It’s a new era for manufacturers, importers & retailers in Canada. With Royal Assent, the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) came into force on June 20, 2011. Everyone making or selling consumer products for the Canadian market should be mindful of these new laws requiring “incidents” to be reported to Health Canada upon “becoming aware” of them.
The Canadian legislation does not mirror the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), although the new CCPSA is admittedly designed to bring Canada’s consumer product safety system into line with their key trading partners. Consumer products, defined broadly and including children’s toys, household products and sporting goods, are regulated by the CCPSA. Motor vehicles, food, drugs and animals continue to be regulated by other Canadian laws.
Health Canada endeavors to be a “user friendly” administrator, so its website is packed with much useful information about the new law and how to comply. In general, they note that key provisions of the CCPSA include:
- reporting of incidents, with “early warning”
- maintaining records/paperwork
- reporting or obtaining information on product safety
- packaging and labeling
- enforcement of prohibitions related to manufacture, importation, sale or advertisement of consumer products that could pose an unreasonable danger to the health or safety of Canadians
Among the guidance currently provided, you may wish to access the Guidance on Mandatory Incident Reporting and the Guidance on Preparing and Maintaining Documents.
Yet, this is new ground for Health Canada. As it reports, Health Canada is “preparing to implement the Act and is consulting Canadians as guidance is developed that will assist industry in complying with the new requirements.” So, there will be a bit of “wait & see” as the CCPSA evolves…
