Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada asked what nutritional standards should apply to infant formula, baby food, meal replacements, and medical foods. The rules haven't been updated in decades. New regulations based on this feedback are expected in 2026.
Why This Matters: Have a baby? Use meal replacement shakes? Need gluten-free food? This shapes what's actually in those products. The rules for infant formula and special diet foods are being rewritten for the first time in years.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada wants to allow caffeine in gummy candies—the same way it's already allowed in chocolate bars and energy gums. The catch? Any product with more than 56 mg of caffeine per serving would need a new warning label telling you not to mix it...
Why This Matters: Grab a caffeinated gummy before your workout? This could make that legal. But if you're a parent, pay attention—these products would need warnings about kids under 14. And if you're someone who already drinks coffee, the new labels would remind you not to double up.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (AB)
Alberta asked residents how to support the growing local food industry. The government wanted input on defining 'local food,' creating a Local Food Week, and setting standards for organic products sold within the province. This consultation led to...
Why This Matters: Shop at farmers' markets? Care about knowing where your food comes from? This shaped how Alberta defines and promotes local food. The $1 billion local food industry affects farmers, vendors, and anyone who buys Alberta-grown products.
Legislation
Agriculture & Food
Economy & Jobs
Closed
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (AB)
Alberta developed a voluntary labelling program to help shoppers identify products made in the province. The government gathered feedback on label design and criteria from January to February 2022. The program is now administered by the Alberta Food...
Why This Matters: Shop at Alberta grocery stores? This label helps you spot local products faster. Supporting local means more jobs stay in the province. It's also a way to know where your food actually comes from.
Policy & Studies
Agriculture & Food
Economy & Jobs
Closed
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (ON)
Stanton Bros. wants to expand their biogas plant near Middlesex Centre to process more organic waste. They're asking to increase their annual intake from 60,000 to 80,000 cubic metres of off-farm waste. The facility turns food scraps and...
Why This Matters: Live near Twelve Mile Road in Middlesex Centre? This expansion could mean more truck traffic and potential odours. The facility processes organic waste into renewable energy—good for the environment, but neighbours may have concerns about the increased activity.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Closed
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (ON)
Small food businesses like ice cream shops currently can't use delivery apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash without getting a full dairy plant licence. Why? An old rule says milk products must stay "under their control" until they reach you. Ontario...
Why This Matters: Love ordering ice cream or artisan cheese to your door? This could mean more local shops on your favourite delivery apps. Small business owners who make dairy treats from already-pasteurized ingredients would save time and money by skipping the full dairy plant licensing process.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Economy & Jobs
Closed
Alberta Health (AB)
After an E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares in 2023, Alberta is rethinking food safety rules. The government wants to know if restaurants should display inspection grades—like the letter grades you see in some cities. They're also considering a...
Why This Matters: Eat out? Order takeout? This affects you. Inspection grades would let you see how clean a restaurant's kitchen is before you order. Parents with kids in daycare should pay attention too—this started because of a serious outbreak that made children sick.
Policy & Studies
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada wants to change how it approves infant formula and medical foods for babies. Right now, all products go through the same review process. The proposal would create three tiers based on risk—lower-risk products could skip pre-market...
Why This Matters: Have a baby or planning to? This affects what formula and specialized infant foods make it to store shelves. Parents of infants with special dietary needs—like premature babies needing human milk fortifiers—could see faster access to new products. But the trade-off is less government review upfront...
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Federal)
The emerald ash borer has killed millions of ash trees across North America and continues to spread. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency asked Canadians how to update regulations controlling the movement of ash wood products. The agency favored...
Why This Matters: Got a cottage? Like camping? This affects you. Moving firewood is one of the main ways this beetle spreads. New rules could change where you can take wood and what you can burn. Ash trees are common in backyards, parks, and forests across Eastern Canada—and they're dying fast.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Closed
Ministry of Affordability and Utilities (AB)
Alberta asked stakeholders how to balance renewable energy projects with protecting farmland. The government wants to keep productive agricultural land available for food production while still allowing solar and wind development. This engagement...
Why This Matters: Own farmland in Alberta? This could affect what you can do with it. Live in a rural area? You might see more solar panels and wind turbines—or fewer, depending on the rules. Food prices could be affected if productive farmland gets converted to energy production.
Policy & Studies
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Natural Resources
Closed
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (ON)
A greenhouse operation in Niagara-on-the-Lake wants approval for a new stormwater management pond. The pond would collect rainwater from greenhouse roofs and release it into a municipal drain that flows to Lake Ontario. The province says the...
Why This Matters: Live near Concession 7 Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake? This pond would discharge into the Bergman Municipal Drain right next door. If you rely on local water sources or farm nearby, you might want to weigh in.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Closed
Department of Environment (PE)
Prince Edward Island asked residents whether farmers should get more access to groundwater for irrigation. The province released a discussion document proposing new rules under the Water Act. Public comments focused heavily on concerns about nitrate...
Why This Matters: Get your drinking water from a well? PEI's groundwater already has nitrate contamination problems, especially in potato-growing areas. This decision affects whether more water gets pumped out for irrigation. Some residents worry it could make drinking water quality worse.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas (AB)
Alberta asked residents how to improve water availability as the province grows. The two-phase engagement gathered ideas on updating the Water Act. Feedback shaped Bill 7, which aims to streamline permits, allow rainwater collection, and make it...
Why This Matters: Water touches everything in Alberta—your tap, your farm, your job. Population growth and climate variability are straining the system. This engagement shaped new rules that could affect how you collect rainwater, how businesses access water, and whether water can be moved to drought-hit areas.
Legislation
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Natural Resources
Closed
Treasury Board and Finance (AB)
Alberta asked farmers and commercial fuel users whether to stop using red-dyed fuel for tax exemptions. Right now, dyed fuel signals you're eligible for a lower tax rate. The proposal would have applied the discount to regular clear fuel instead...
Why This Matters: If you're a farmer or run a business that uses tax-exempt fuel, this could have changed how you buy and track your fuel. The current system with dyed fuel stays in place, so no changes to your routine.
Policy & Studies
Agriculture & Food
Finance & Consumer
Closed
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (AB)
Alberta asked whether to tighten rules for on-farm slaughter operations. These licences let farmers slaughter animals for customers who buy them live—but the meat can't be sold in stores. The government says some operations are slaughtering far more...
Why This Matters: Buy meat directly from a local farm? This affects you. The government wants to crack down on operations that may be skirting food safety rules. For small farmers, stricter limits could mean less income. For consumers, it's about knowing your food is safe.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (AB)
Alberta gathered input on whether to require recycling of farm plastics like baler twine, grain bags, and silage wrap. Right now, recycling these materials is voluntary and limited. A regulatory approach would make producers responsible for managing...
Why This Matters: If you're a farmer or rancher, you know the headache of dealing with used grain bags and baler twine. There's nowhere good to put them. This could mean proper recycling options finally come to rural Alberta—but it might also add costs that get passed along.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate