Health Canada Announces the End of Cosmetic Animal Testing in Canada
We are very pleased to post the news release below that came out today from Health Canada. Special thanks to all of you who submitted letters, signed petitions and did other advocacy work in support of having the government of Canada make good on this election promise.
News release
The Government of Canada is taking action to ban cosmetic animal testing while ensuring the continued protection of human health and safety of all Canadians.
June 27, 2023 | Toronto, Ontario | Health Canada
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada has banned the cruel and unnecessary testing of cosmetic products on animals in Canada, representing a major step forward in supporting animal welfare by reducing our reliance on animal testing, while ensuring health and safety.
With the passing of Bill C-47, Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1, the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) has been amended to ban cosmetic animal testing. The new legislative changes mean that in Canada, companies will no longer be allowed to test cosmetic products on animals or sell their cosmetics that rely on animal testing data to establish safety.
The practice of testing cosmetics on animals has significantly decreased worldwide and was rarely conducted in Canada. By implementing these changes, Canada is aligning with the global shift toward ethical cosmetic testing by joining other countries, including all European Union countries, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, that have already taken measures to prohibit cosmetic animal testing.
Beyond cosmetics, Health Canada is working with the international scientific and regulatory community to develop, validate and implement effective alternatives to animal testing. This includes providing continued leadership and contributions to the work of various committees and organizations, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods (ICATM).
Quotes
“Protecting animals, now and in the future, is something that many Canadians have been calling for, and something we can all celebrate. We are proud to move forward with this measure, and to assure Canadians that the products they buy are cruelty-free. We will keep working with experts and international partners to explore safe, cruelty-free alternatives so no more animals suffer and die due to cosmetic testing.”
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Canada’s Minister of Health
“With the passage of these historic measures to ban cosmetics animal testing and trade, Canada is getting a cruelty-free makeover. We are so thrilled that our government has listened to the millions of Canadians who want the products they buy to be cruelty-free. This legislation truly shows the great things that can happen when government, industry, the non-profit sector and the public work together to create a better future. Canadian consumers can finally rest assured that the cosmetics they purchase have not come as a result of animal suffering—and that is something we can all feel good about.”
Michael Bernard, Deputy Director
Humane Society International/Canada
“Industry and animal protection advocates have worked together over the last several years to advance a cosmetics animal testing ban in Canada. Since this issue was first raised in Parliament through a Private Member’s Bill in the Senate in 2015, our group has met frequently to build a collaborative relationship and to align on the principles with Health Canada while ensuring the ban works within the Canadian regulatory framework. We are very pleased to see the government pass this long overdue legislation.”
Darren Praznik, President and CEO
Cosmetics Alliance Canada
“Animal Alliance supporters thank Minister Duclos and Health Canada staff for making the cosmetics animal testing ban a reality. Canada will join the growing number of countries worldwide that have ended such practices and the government will fulfill its promise to introduce legislation to end cosmetics testing on animals as soon as 2023.”
Liz White, Director
Animal Alliance of Canada
“Cruelty Free International applauds the Canadian Government for taking action to fulfil the wishes of the vast majority of Canadian citizens who supported a ban on animal testing for cosmetics. This has been a unifying issue that has earned cross-party support in Canada and will match the progress we are seeing around the world as consumers, companies, regulators and advocates come together to achieve a common goal of ensuring that animals won’t suffer for the sake of cosmetics anywhere.”
Monica Engebretson, Head of Public Affairs North America,
Cruelty Free International
“As a company that has been campaigning to bring animal testing for cosmetics to an end since our inception over 25 years ago, today we join all of the stakeholders in celebrating this important moment for the global movement. By heeding the call of people across Canada, Minister Duclos and Health Canada are putting Canada on the right side of history by banning this outdated practice. We’re proud to have partnered with Humane Society International for over a decade and through customer responses to our in-shop campaigning, we know that the voice of the majority has been heard.”
Brandi Halls, Chief Ethics Officer
Lush Cosmetics North America
“Since the launch of The Body Shop’s first against animal testing initiative in 1989 and our campaigns that have followed, we’re thrilled to finally see this effort materialize in Canada. We applaud Minister Duclos and Health Canada for bringing forth this legislation and thank all who have made this change possible, notably our partners at Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop’s passionate retail teams and activist customers, who delivered over 625,000 signatures to Parliament Hill in 2018 calling for this change.”
Hilary Lloyd, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility
The Body Shop North America
Quick facts
- Through Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1, amendments to the Food and Drugs Act to ban the testing of cosmetics on animals in Canada received Royal Assent June 22, 2023, with a coming into force date of December 22, 2023.
