Chemical assessments and NHP fees

Summary#

This Canada Gazette issue (published May 13, 2023) contains several government notices from the Department of the Environment and the Department of Health, plus other federal updates. Key items: final screening assessments that flag the substances coumarin 1 (CAS RN 91-44-1) and PHMB (CAS RNs 32289-58-0 and 27083-27-8) for possible action under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999; a public consultation launched by Health Canada on proposed fees for natural health products; an Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada decision on local spectrum licensing (document SPB-001-23); and a posting of many federal appointment opportunities.

What it does#

• Environment and health screening assessments
  • Concludes that coumarin 1 meets CEPA health-related criteria and proposes adding it to Schedule 1; a proposed risk management approach is posted and a public comment period of 60 days will follow its publication.
  • Assesses four polymers (the “Other Polymers Group”) and finds DGEBA-DA resin, soya alkyd resin, and polyurethane-33 do not meet CEPA criteria for further action now.
  • Concludes that PHMB (two CAS RNs) does meet CEPA’s health-related criteria and proposes recommending it be added to Schedule 1; a proposed risk management approach for PHMB is posted with a 60-day comment window after publication.
• Health Canada consultation on fees for natural health products (NHPs)
  • Launches a 75-day public consultation (started May 12, 2023, ending July 26, 2023) on a proposal to introduce fees for NHP regulation.
  • Proposes three fee types: site licence (SL) fees, right to sell (RTS) fees, and pre-market evaluation fees.
  • Plans for fees to come into force on April 1, 2025, if adopted, with mitigation measures for small businesses.
• Spectrum licensing decision
  • Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada releases decision SPB-001-23 on a non-competitive local licensing framework covering the 3900–3980 MHz band and portions of the 26 GHz, 28 GHz, and 38 GHz bands.
• Appointments
  • The Privy Council Office posts numerous Governor-in-Council appointment opportunities and invites applications; each posting is open at least two weeks.

Who's affected#

• People and businesses linked to the flagged chemicals
  • Consumers who use cosmetics and cleaning products containing coumarin 1 (used in temporary hair dyes, nail polishes, makeup, cleaners).
  • Manufacturers, importers, and retailers of products that use PHMB (used as a preservative or antimicrobial in cosmetics, contact lens solutions, hand washes, some natural health products, and other goods).
• Natural health product sector
  • Companies that make, import, or sell natural health products will be affected by the proposed site licence, right to sell, and pre-market evaluation fees — especially small businesses (mitigation measures are proposed).
• Telecom and local network operators
  • Wireless carriers, local private network operators, municipalities, and businesses that use or plan to use spectrum in the 3900–3980 MHz, 26/28 GHz, or 38 GHz ranges.
• People interested in public service roles
  • Individuals qualified for boards, commissions, and chair positions listed by the Privy Council Office.

If a notice is unclear about who is affected, this summary notes that explicitly (for example, some details of the timing or exact regulatory steps for chemical controls will depend on future documents).

Why it matters#

• Public health and product availability
  • If coumarin 1 or PHMB are added to Schedule 1 and later regulated, some products may need reformulation, relabelling, or restrictions (especially sprayable or children’s products in PHMB’s case). That could affect what consumers can buy and what manufacturers must change.
• Cost and oversight for natural health products
  • Introducing fees for NHP regulation would shift part of program funding from taxpayers to industry. It could increase costs for producers and potentially affect small businesses and prices, but Health Canada says fees would support stronger oversight and more predictable service standards.
• Local telecom planning and services
  • The spectrum licensing decision sets how certain high-frequency bands can be licensed locally without competition. That affects the rollout of private 5G networks, campus networks, and other local wireless uses.
• Transparency and governance
  • The wide list of appointment opportunities is part of how federal boards and agencies are staffed. It matters for representation, the make-up of decision-making bodies, and public oversight.

Note: these actions include proposals and consultations (for example, the NHP fees are not final). The chemical assessments lead to recommendations and further risk-management steps; they do not themselves impose new rules yet.