OTTAWA, ON, April 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada's natural health product (NHP) industry is under siege. Health Canada's reckless cost recovery plan is forcing safe, trusted Canadian products off store shelves — and opening the floodgates to a full-scale American takeover of a critical Canadian industry. The message from Canadian businesses is clear: either stop this policy or watch the Canadian NHP industry collapse.
"Health Canada is hitting Canadian businesses with excessive fees and red tape. Small and medium-sized businesses, the backbone of our industry, are being pushed to the brink. Meanwhile, U.S. brands, which aren't subject to Canadian regulations or fees, are flooding the market online and replacing trusted Canadian products with ones that don't meet the same standards," says Aaron Skelton, President and CEO of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA).
Canadian regulations are essential to protecting the health and safety of consumers, but they must support Canadian businesses, not destroy them. Instead, Health Canada is using regulation as a weapon, turning Canadian compliance into a liability while allowing foreign products to dominate. Cost recovery is making it impossible for Canadian small and medium-sized businesses to survive, while giving American multinationals an unfair advantage.
Unlike Canadian companies, American brands can bypass Canada's rules and enter the market with minimal scrutiny. Worse still, recent changes within the US FDA raise serious concerns about the lack of post-market oversight and the safety of imported products. Without a strong, supported domestic industry, Canadians will be left with unregulated alternatives and no trusted, homegrown options.
"We need smart, pro-Canadian regulation that supports innovation, ensures safety, and keeps Canadian companies competitive," said Skelton. "But Health Canada's cost recovery scheme does the opposite — it punishes Canadian businesses, gives US companies a free pass, and puts decades of Canadian progress at risk."
CHFA is calling on all federal parties to commit to protecting Canadian health and well-being by protecting Canadian NHPs. Stand up for Canadian businesses — stop the cost recovery plan before it's too late.
About CHFA: The Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) is Canada's largest trade association dedicated to natural, organic, and wellness products. As a national not-for-profit association, our members include manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and importers committed to getting more healthy living products into the hands of more Canadians. Visit chfa.ca for more info.
SOURCE Canadian Health Food Association
Lynsey Walker, (416) 500 1426, [email protected]
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