(Ottawa) September 18, 2023 — As Parliamentarians return to Ottawa this week, Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) calls for concrete measures aimed at bolstering innovation, promoting sustainability, and enhancing consumer well-being in the 2024 Federal Budget. FHCP’s budget recommendations align with our commitment to driving positive change aimed at eliminating barriers to economic growth, building resilient supply and ensuring Canadians have access to essential food, health, and consumer products they rely on every day.
Recommendation 1: Implement a Grocery Code of Conduct with an Inclusive Scope
In a highly consolidated grocery landscape, FHCP urges the government to continue its support for the advancement of a comprehensive Grocery Code of Conduct that includes all impacted products. This Code will foster fair and equitable business practices and fair competition that drives stability to the evolving retailer/supplier relationship, ultimately reinforcing consumer trust and confidence in a sector impacted by inflation and continued supply chain uncertainty.
Recommendation 2: Advance a Circular Economy in Canada
FHCP is actively engaged in discussions with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)regarding consideration of plastic packaging to establish guidelines for minimum recycled content and clear labelling standards to promote recyclability and composability. It is critical that all federal plastics measures are appropriately scoped and aligned with provincial initiatives and supported with strategic investments and partnerships.
Recommendation 3: Strengthen Manufacturing Competitiveness and Support Innovation
FHCP underscores the significance of addressing chronic labour shortages in the manufacturing sector. To address this challenge, FHCP endorses measures such as increasing the cap on Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW), establishing pathways to permanent residency for agri-food workers, and investing in employer led training initiatives. Additionally, FHCP emphasizes the need to incentivize manufacturing investments through tax credits and to build supply chain resiliency by implementing the recommendations from the National Supply Chain Task Force.
Recommendation 4: Prioritize the Self-Care Framework
FHCP continues to champion the implementation of a national Self-Care Strategy as a cost-effective supplement to the public healthcare system. Recognizing the potential benefits, FHCP continues to advocate for a consistent and risk-based framework for over-the-counter medications, natural health products, and cosmetics that make health claims such as sunscreens. FHCP is very concerned that Health Canada is advancing cost recovery without a detailed plan to fix the regulatory framework and is creating an unstable regulatory environment for companies operating in Canada. This could lead to product shortages as early as this Fall and drive manufacturing and jobs permanently out of Canada.
About FHCP
FHCP is the voice of Canada’s leading food, health, and consumer products manufacturers. Our industry employs more people than any other manufacturing sector in Canada, across businesses of all sizes that manufacture and distribute the safe, high-quality products at the heart of healthy homes, healthy communities, and a healthy Canada. Learn more at fhcp.ca
For more information, please contact:
Anthony Fuchs
Vice President, Communications
anthony.fuchs@fhcp.ca
416-648-8808