Canada - Regulations Amending the Hazardous Products Regulations (GHS, Seventh Revised Edition)

​Canada Department of Health announced the amendment of the Hazardous Products Regulations

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), developed by the United Nations, is designed to standardize hazard classification and communication, such as labeling, for hazardous chemicals across various countries. A revised edition of the GHS is published every 2 years.

Canada implemented the 5^th revised edition of the GHS as the Hazardous Products Regulations on February 11, 2015. Under the authority of the Hazardous Products Act, Canada is proposing to amend the Hazardous Products Regulations to align with the 7^th revised edition of the GHS to the extent possible (which includes adopting the changes made in the 6^th and 7^th revised editions), provide greater clarity or additional precision to specific provisions, amend specific provisions to better reflect their original intent, and address administrative updates.

As a result of the proposed amendments to align the Hazardous Products Regulations with the 7^th revised edition of the GHS to the extent possible, the Hazardous Products Act requires amendments to Schedule 2, which lists the Physical Hazard Classes and Health Hazard Classes under the Hazardous Products Regulations. 

The proposed Schedule and regulatory amendments would support the Government of Canada in facilitating international trade through common labeling and other hazard communication requirements for workplace hazardous products; lowering costs for businesses and consumers by reducing the need for re-testing and re-classifying chemicals from, or for, different markets, as well as by reducing the need for preparing multiple sets of labels and safety data sheets for different markets; and increasing worker protection through adoption of a revised version of the globally recognized standard for communicating the hazards associated with workplace hazardous products.

Proposed date of adoption: Within 12 to 18 months of publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I.
Proposed date of entry into force: It is anticipated that a transition period of two years would begin on the date when the proposed amendments come into force. During the transition period, both the Hazardous Products Regulations (currently aligned with the 5th revised edition of the GHS) and the amendments aligning the Hazardous Products Regulations with the 7th revised edition of the GHS would be in use. At the end of the transition period, only the amended Hazardous Products Regulations aligned with the 7th revised edition of the GHS would be in use.

Final date for comments : 02/27/2021