KAWARTHA LAKES-Today the Government of Canada announced it has banned the testing of cosmetic products on animals.
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.
“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.” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Health.
The government says the practice of testing cosmetics on animals has significantly decreased worldwide and was rarely conducted in Canada. By implementing these changes, Canada is 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.
“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.” stated Michael Bernard, Deputy Director Humane Society International/Canada.
