Vote Yes
An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Fertilizers Act, the Seeds Act, the Pest Control Products Act and the Food and Drugs Act
This bill streamlines approvals for agricultural inputs in Canada by recognizing approvals from at least two "trusted jurisdictions" and creating a 90-day path to provisional approvals for feeds, fertilizers, seeds, and pest control products. It preserves Canadian compliance by allowing final approval only after evaluation and by permitting conditions on provisional registrations, including workplace safety information for pest control products. It defines "trusted jurisdiction" by regulation to enable mutual recognition with comparable foreign regulators and sets default timelines to prevent bureaucratic delay. It also updates the Food and Drugs Act so the Minister can, by order, deem specified requirements met for a therapeutic product, a veterinary drug, or a specified class of food based on decisions or information from a foreign regulatory authority.
Overall, the bill accelerates safe access to modern agricultural inputs by leveraging trusted foreign approvals and clear timelines, supporting productivity, competitiveness, and investment. To protect Canadians and the environment while avoiding new red tape, Builders should embed risk‑based guardrails and transparent criteria for designating trusted jurisdictions and managing provisional approvals.
Will the government publish the science-based criteria, the initial list of "trusted jurisdictions," and data-sharing agreements before designations are made, to ensure transparent and accountable reliance on foreign approvals?
How will Health Canada, the PMRA, and the CFIA meet the 90-day provisional approval deadline without weakening risk assessments, especially for pest control products where Canadian ecosystems and pollinator risks may differ from those in approving jurisdictions?
Does clause 19 expand deeming orders under the Food and Drugs Act to human therapeutic products and specified classes of food, and if so, what safeguards, public reporting, and time limits will be in place to protect safety while avoiding bureaucratic delay?
Faster access to modern agricultural inputs can lower costs, raise yields, and enhance overall economic output while retaining safety conditions.
Mutual recognition with trusted jurisdictions and 90-day provisional approvals reduce duplicative reviews and timelines.
Quicker adoption of seeds, fertilizers, and pest control products improves farm productivity and competitiveness against peers.
No direct export measures, though improved efficiency may indirectly strengthen export capacity.
Lower barriers and predictable timelines incentivize companies to introduce innovative products and invest in the Canadian market.
Leveraging trusted foreign decisions can reduce regulatory duplication and costs if agencies are resourced to meet the 90-day clock.
No tax changes are proposed.
A cross-Act reform covering feeds, fertilizers, seeds, pest control products, and the Food and Drugs Act suggests broad, system-level impact.
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