Question Period Note: MAPLE WASHING AND PRODUCT OF CANADA LABELLING GUIDELINES

Q1 – When can a “Product of Canada” claim be made?
Q2 - What other claims can be made to highlight Canadian content? Q3 – What is the Government of Canada doing about “maple washing” on foods that aren’t Canadian?

R.1 - “Product of Canada” is a voluntary claim that may be used when all or virtually all ingredients, processing, and labour used to make the food product are Canadian. This means that non-Canadian material is negligible (2% or less). R.2 - Other Canadian content claims include:
• "Made in Canada" with a qualifying statement, used when a product’s last substantial transformation occurs in Canada. For example, “Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients" on a pizza.
• Claims that describe the Canadian value added may also be used without further qualification. For example, "Roasted and blended in Canada" can be used to describe Canadian activities made to imported coffee beans.
• Claims that highlight Canadian ingredients. For example, a blueberry pie made with Canadian blueberries could include "Contains Canadian blueberries" on the label. R.3 - The Government of Canada is committed to protecting consumers from false or misleading claims. The misuse of a maple leaf or a Canadian content claim on a food label or in stores (often referred to as “maple washing”) is not permitted because it can mislead consumers.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently reminded businesses of their responsibilities and provided more guidance to support compliance.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency carries out various types of inspection activities to verify that companies and products meet regulatory requirements. When the Canadian Food Inspection Agency identifies non-compliance, they take appropriate action. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency encourages consumers to report products they believe are labelled in a false or misleading manner.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has created a quick reference guide for consumers on how to identify Canadian foods and to help them understand the different words or symbols they may find while grocery shopping.

Food labelling

Regulated parties, including those who import food, are responsible for complying with the food labelling requirements of the Food and Drug Act, the Food and Drug Regulations, the Safe Food for Canadians Act, and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. This means food labels must meet all requirements and must not be false, misleading or create an erroneous impression.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) provides guidance to industry to promote compliance with food labelling requirements under federal food laws. It also verifies compliance using a risk-based approach.

Current “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” guidelines

The "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" guidelines for food have been in effect since December 31, 2008.

A food product may use the claim "Product of Canada" when all or virtually all ingredients, processing, and labour are Canadian. This means that all or almost all ingredients are Canadian in origin and that non-Canadian material is negligible (2% or less). In the case of beef, the claim is acceptable if the feeder cattle have spent at least 60 days in Canada prior to slaughter in Canada.

A "Made in Canada" claim with a qualifying statement can be used on a food product when the last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada, even if some or all ingredients are from other countries. When the "Made in Canada" claim is used, it must also include a qualifying statement to indicate it is made in Canada from imported ingredients or a combination of imported and domestic ingredients. For example, "Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients" or "Made in Canada from imported ingredients".

Work on the “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” guidelines for food

The Government of Canada is committed to helping consumers Buy Canadian by increasing transparency and stringency in origin of product labelling so it is simple, clear, and easy to identify what is a truly Canadian product.

Maple washing is a recently popularized term used to describe the misleading marketing practice of presenting products as Canadian when they are not—or not entirely—Canadian in origin. The CFIA has received increased complaints regarding country of origin claims on food labels and advertisements, including issues related to the use of “Product of Canada”. The CFIA takes appropriate action to protect Canadians from misleading claims when non-compliance is found.

The Government of Canada has launched a Made in Canada campaign to raise awareness for consumers and to support Canadian businesses. The CFIA is supporting these efforts with a social media campaign, including a video produced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), focused on our quick reference guide to help Canadians understand labelling claims and identify Canadian food. These messages are visible on Service Canada screens in August and September 2025, and in an industry toolkit to promote labelling compliance, which was a collaboration between CFIA, AAFC and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). CFIA continues to communicate with industry to remind food businesses and retailers about the importance of accurately using of “Product of Canada”, “Made in Canada,” and other origin claims through a Notice to Industry. The CFIA also reminds consumers the CFIA follows up on complaints they submit to report labels they think are non-compliant.

• Canadians want to “Buy Canadian” and support our country and Canadian businesses.

• To do this, they rely on product labelling that is truthful and not misleading.

• The misuse of a maple leaf or a Canadian content claim on food labels or in stores is not permitted because it can mislead consumers.

• The use of "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" claims on foods is voluntary. When companies choose to use these claims, they must adhere to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s guidelines, which support industry compliance and prevent activities related to “maple washing.”