New‑substance waivers and list amendments

Summary#

This Canada Gazette issue (Part I, March 28, 2026) publishes a set of government notices. Key items include Order 2026-87-03-02 Amending the Non-domestic Substances List, a series of waivers letting some companies skip certain new‑substance test data, new levies for crude‑by‑rail and a possible ship‑source oil levy, a consultation on radio frequency allocations (SMSE-003-26) with comments due May 4, 2026, and bank charter and amalgamation notices effective April 1, 2026.

What it does#

• Order 2026-87-03-02 Amending the Non-domestic Substances List

  • Removes a few chemical identifiers from Part I and Part II of the Non‑domestic Substances List.
  • The Order takes effect on the day Order 2026-87-03-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List comes into force (that date is not given in this notice).

• Waivers of information requirements under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 for living organisms

  • The government granted waivers to a number of biotech and pharmaceutical companies so they do not have to provide some types of environmental or antibiotic-susceptibility test data when notifying new living organisms.
  • Examples named include Allogene Therapeutics, AstraZeneca Canada Inc., Gilead Sciences Canada Inc., Sanofi Pasteur Limited, and others. The Gazette lists all companies and the specific tests waived.

• Waivers of information requirements for chemical substances

  • Several chemical companies were allowed to skip particular test data (for example, hydrolysis rate, octanol/water partition coefficient, certain toxicity or mutagenicity tests).
  • Named firms include Dow Chemical Canada ULC, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, Allnex Canada Inc., and others.

• Transport levies

  • The levy on shipments of crude oil by rail is set at $2.16 per tonne for the year starting April 1, 2026.
  • For the Ship‑source Oil Pollution Fund, the notice says the levy would be 64.63 cents (per what unit the statute uses) if imposed during the fiscal year starting April 1, 2026.

• Spectrum consultation by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

  • Document SMSE-003-26 — Proposed Revisions to the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations (2026 Edition) is published.
  • Interested parties should submit comments by May 4, 2026.

• Banking and amalgamation notices from Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions

  • ABCU Credit Union Ltd. is continued as a bank effective April 1, 2026.
  • Innovation Federal Credit Union and ABCU Credit Union Ltd. are amalgamated and continued as Innovation Federal Credit Union, effective April 1, 2026, with an order authorizing it to commence business on that date.

• Appointment opportunities from the Privy Council Office

  • Several Governor in Council appointment competitions are open; one example deadline listed is April 8, 2026 for the Commissioner of Competition.

Who's affected#

• Chemical manufacturers and importers whose substances were moved between the Domestic and Non‑domestic Lists.
• Biotech and pharmaceutical companies named in the waivers (examples: Allogene Therapeutics, AstraZeneca Canada Inc., Gilead Sciences Canada Inc., Sanofi Pasteur Limited).
• Chemical companies named in the substance waivers (examples: Dow Chemical Canada ULC, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, Allnex Canada Inc.).
• Rail companies and shippers of crude oil — they will pay the $2.16 per tonne levy starting April 1, 2026.
• Marine operators and parties liable for ship-source incidents if the Ship‑source Oil Pollution Fund levy is reimposed.
• Telecom and spectrum stakeholders invited to comment on frequency allocation changes by May 4, 2026.
• Customers, members, and staff of ABCU Credit Union Ltd. and Innovation Federal Credit Union because of the bank continuance and amalgamation effective April 1, 2026.
• Canadians interested in public appointments listed by the Privy Council Office.

If you want the exact lists of companies or the precise test items waived, the Canada Gazette notice contains full tables of names and the specific information requirements that were waived.

Why it matters#

• Moving chemicals between official lists changes which regulatory pathway applies to those substances. That matters to companies that make or import the chemicals, and it can affect what information regulators hold about potential environmental risks. The Order only comes into force when the related Domestic Substances List order does.
• Waivers mean some safety or environmental test data will not be submitted with a new‑substance notice. The government says these waivers are decided case‑by‑case and are routine: roughly 300 regulatory declarations are submitted each year and around 100 waivers are granted annually. That context may matter to people tracking new biotech or chemical products and their environmental reviews.
• The $2.16 per tonne crude‑by‑rail levy is a concrete cost for shippers and could influence shipping choices or prices. The potential 64.63 cents levy for the Ship‑source Oil Pollution Fund is a factor for marine operators if reimposed.
• The spectrum consultation (SMSE-003-26) reflects upcoming changes to radio frequency rules after international meetings; interested businesses and researchers have until May 4, 2026 to comment.
• The bank continuance and amalgamation effective April 1, 2026 may change where customers deal with accounts or services and may affect how those institutions are regulated.

For full details, including the complete lists of companies and exact test-data items waived, see the full Canada Gazette notice.