Five GM fish added to Domestic List

Summary#

Order 2021-112-15-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List (SOR/2021-266) adds five genetically modified fish entries to Canada’s Domestic Substances List. The order was registered on December 21, 2021 and published in the Canada Gazette on January 5, 2022. As a result, those five organisms are no longer subject to pre‑market notification under the relevant new‑substances rules.

What it does#

• Adds five living organisms to Part 7 of the Domestic Substances List. The entries (listed by their CANs) are:
  • 19555-3 — a genetically modified Danio rerio (descended from Yellow Zebra 0) with inserts for a yellow fluorescent protein.
  • 19556-4 — a genetically modified Danio rerio (descended from Blue Zebra 0) with inserts for blue fluorescent proteins.
  • 19557-5 — a genetically modified Danio rerio (descended from Purple Zebra 0) with inserts for a far‑red fluorescent protein.
  • 19558-6 — a genetically modified Betta splendens (descended from Orange Betta 0) with inserts for green and yellow fluorescent proteins.
  • 19559-7 — a genetically modified Betta splendens (descended from Green Betta 0) with multiple inserts for a green fluorescent protein.
• Because these organisms have been added to the Domestic Substances List, they are no longer subject to the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) for pre‑market notification and assessment under the process that applies to “new to Canada” organisms.

Who's affected#

• Researchers, laboratories and institutions that work with genetically modified fish.
• Importers, breeders or suppliers who bring these specific lines into Canada.
• Federal regulators monitoring new organisms under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
• The public and local communities near facilities that rear or import such fish may notice changes if activity increases.
• The source document does not detail intended uses, commercial plans, or who specifically manufactured or imported these organisms, so the full list of affected businesses or groups is not clear.

Why it matters#

• Removing these five entries from the new‑substances notification pathway makes it administratively easier for the named organisms to be handled, imported or used in Canada (for example in research or breeding), because the specific pre‑notification requirements no longer apply.
• This is an administrative step, not a safety endorsement: the government says the required information was assessed before the additions. It does not exempt the organisms from other laws or regulations that might apply (for example, animal health, transport, or provincial rules).
• Details about how these organisms will be used or whether they will be released into the environment are not provided in the order, so practical impacts in any specific community or industry depend on actions by the holders or users of the organisms.