Add “P” Flag to 220 Polymers

Summary#

The Government published a notice of intent (Canada Gazette, Part I) on February 14, 2026 to add the letter "P" to the Domestic Substances List entries for 220 polymers. The change signals that the forms of those polymers that were previously assessed meet the reduced regulatory requirement (RRR) criteria, and it means other forms that do not meet RRR would generally need to be notified and assessed before being made or imported into Canada. Public comments are open for 120 days.

What it does#

• Adds the letter "P" to identifiers on the Domestic Substances List for a group of polymers.
• The addition makes clear that the DSL entry covers only the polymer forms that met the RRR criteria when assessed.
• If a company intends to manufacture or import a form of one of these polymers that does NOT meet the RRR criteria and does so above the regulatory thresholds, they must submit the required information under the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) so federal officials can assess it first.
• The change comes from a Proposed Order 2026-66-11-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List and targets substances that were originally added to the DSL before the letter "P" was introduced in 2003.
• This is a notice-and-comment step. The amendment is not in force until a final order is published in Canada Gazette, Part II.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers and importers of polymers and plastics in Canada.
• Chemical companies, formulators and distributors who work with the specific polymers listed (the proposed order includes the identifiers and masked names).
• Compliance, regulatory and customs teams that determine whether a substance on the DSL requires a notification.
• Environmental and public health stakeholders who follow new-substance notifications.
• It is unclear from the notice whether any specific downstream consumer products or small businesses will be directly affected; effects depend on whether they handle non‑RRR forms of the listed polymers.

Why it matters#

• It clarifies regulatory status. Companies can no longer assume every form of a polymer on the DSL is free of notification requirements — only the RRR forms covered by the added "P" are.
• For firms planning to make or import non‑RRR forms, this likely means they must submit information and wait for an assessment before proceeding. That can affect supply plans, timing, and costs.
• For the public, it gives Environment and Climate Change Canada a clearer way to review polymer forms that might pose higher risks before they enter the Canadian market.
• If you care about a particular polymer on the list or plan to use or sell such materials, you can comment during the 120‑day public comment period. Contact details and the full list of identifiers are in the Gazette notice.