Closed
Veterinary Drugs Directorate (Federal)
Health Canada asked for feedback on updating how it ranks antibiotics used in farm animals. Why does this matter? Some antibiotics are critical for treating human infections. When they're overused in livestock, bacteria can become resistant—making...
Why This Matters: Ever taken antibiotics for a serious infection? Their effectiveness depends partly on how they're used in agriculture. Overuse in farm animals breeds resistant bacteria that can spread to humans. This ranking system helps decide which antibiotics get restricted in livestock—protecting the drugs you...
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada proposed adding three chemicals used to make fentanyl—plus the muscle relaxant carisoprodol—to Canada's controlled substances list. Why? Controlling these chemicals would make it harder to produce illegal fentanyl in Canada and abroad...
Why This Matters: The opioid crisis has touched communities across Canada. Fentanyl is behind most overdose deaths. This proposal targets the chemicals used to make it illegally. If you work with industrial chemicals or know someone affected by the overdose crisis, this decision matters.
Regulations & Permits
Health & Safety
Justice & Rights
Closed
Environment and Climate Change Canada (Federal)
A company wants to bring gene-edited pigs to Canada that can't catch PRRS, a devastating virus that kills piglets and costs farmers millions. The pigs had a tiny piece of their DNA removed—no foreign genes added—so the virus can't latch on. The...
Why This Matters: Eat pork? This could affect what ends up on your plate. PRRS costs the global pork industry billions annually and there's no effective treatment. If approved, these disease-resistant pigs could mean healthier herds, fewer antibiotics, and potentially more stable pork prices. But some Canadians have...
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Environment & Climate
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors (AB)
Alberta asked residents about two road safety issues: mandatory helmets for off-highway vehicles on public land, and tougher penalties for drivers going more than 50 km/h over the speed limit. The survey ran in September 2016 and informed changes to...
Why This Matters: Ride an ATV, dirt bike, or snowmobile on public land? This consultation shaped whether you need a helmet. Drive fast on Alberta highways? The penalties for extreme speeding may have changed based on this feedback. Over 21 Albertans died annually from OHV crashes, with 41% from head injuries.
Legislation
Health & Safety
Transportation
Closed
Ministry of Seniors (AB)
Alberta asked the public to help create a clearer definition of elder abuse. The old definition was too vague and applied inconsistently across the province. This engagement shaped a new 5-year strategy to prevent and address elder abuse, released...
Why This Matters: Do you have aging parents or grandparents? This affects how Alberta protects them. A clearer definition means service providers can better spot abuse and help seniors get the support they need. It also helps families understand what counts as abuse.
Policy & Studies
Health & Safety
Justice & Rights
Closed
Ministry of Health (AB)
Alberta gathered feedback on its Mental Health Act after a court ruled parts of it violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The consultation asked how to balance protecting people with serious mental illness and the public while respecting the...
Why This Matters: Know someone struggling with serious mental illness? This law affects when and how they can be held in hospital against their will. It also determines what rights they have if detained—and who gets to make treatment decisions for them.
Legislation
Health & Safety
Justice & Rights
Closed
Pest Management Regulatory Agency (Federal)
Health Canada is reviewing DEET—the active ingredient in most bug sprays. The verdict? It's still safe to use. But the agency wants to update product labels to meet current standards and add a warning about rare skin reactions like itching or rashes.
Why This Matters: Use bug spray in the summer? You're probably using DEET. It's in 201 products sold in Canada and has been around since 1957. This review confirms it's safe but proposes clearer labels. If you've ever had a skin reaction to repellent, the new warnings could help you make better choices.
Regulations & Permits
Environment & Climate
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of the Solicitor General (ON)
When someone dies unexpectedly in Ontario, an autopsy may be performed. Right now, tissue samples can only be kept to investigate the death itself. The province wants to change that. Under this proposal, DNA samples could be stored for up to 50...
Why This Matters: Lost a family member suddenly? This could help you years later. If a genetic heart condition caused their death, testing their stored DNA could reveal whether you carry the same risk. Families would also have the right to say no—samples can be destroyed on request.
Regulations & Permits
Health & Safety
Justice & Rights
Closed
Pest Management Regulatory Agency (Federal)
Health Canada wants to approve two new pest control products made from cold-pressed orange oil. They'd be used on greenhouse and field crops to fight fungal diseases and insect pests. The agency says the products are safe for health and the...
Why This Matters: Care about what's sprayed on your food? This decision affects what pesticides farmers can use on crops you eat. Orange oil is a natural alternative to synthetic chemicals. If you have opinions on organic farming or food safety, this is your chance to weigh in.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Health (AB)
Alberta asked whether people making low-risk foods at home—like baked goods, jams, and pickles—should face fewer regulations when selling them. The goal was to cut red tape for small food entrepreneurs while still protecting public health. This...
Why This Matters: Love your neighbour's homemade jam? Want to sell your famous cookies at the farmers' market? This was about making it easier for home cooks to turn their kitchen creations into small businesses. It also affects what local foods you can buy directly from your community.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Economy & Jobs
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Community and Social Services (AB)
Alberta asked families how to improve the Family Support for Children with Disabilities program while keeping it sustainable. The program helps families access counselling, respite care, child care, and developmental supports. This consultation ran...
Why This Matters: If you're raising a child with a disability in Alberta, this program might be your lifeline. It covers respite care so you can take a break, child care costs, and therapy services. The government was looking at how to keep these supports available as demand grows.
Policy & Studies
Finance & Consumer
Health & Safety
Closed
Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General (AB)
Alberta asked victim advocacy groups and service organizations how to improve support for crime victims. The old system was inconsistent—some areas had good services, others didn't. A working group of MLAs gathered recommendations that led to a new...
Why This Matters: Been a victim of crime in Alberta? The support you got depended heavily on where you lived. This engagement shaped a new program that aims to give every victim access to a local navigator—no matter which town or detachment they're near.
Policy & Studies
Health & Safety
Justice & Rights
Closed
Primary and Preventative Health Services (AB)
Alberta is modernizing the Institutions Regulation, which sets safety and maintenance standards for child and adult care facilities. The government wants to shift from prescriptive rules to an outcomes-based approach, giving operators more...
Why This Matters: Have a parent in a care home? A child in daycare? These rules affect the safety standards those facilities must meet. The shift to outcomes-based regulation could mean more flexibility for operators—but also less specific requirements to point to if something goes wrong.
Regulations & Permits
Health & Safety
Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada wants to cut red tape for companies that import medical devices like pacemakers, hip implants, and diagnostic equipment. Right now, both foreign sellers and Canadian importers need separate licenses—a requirement other countries don't...
Why This Matters: Medical devices affect everyone—from the pacemaker in your grandmother's chest to the COVID test at your pharmacy. When licensing rules are too complicated, some companies skip Canada entirely. That can mean fewer choices and longer waits for the devices you need. Better tracking also helps catch...
Regulations & Permits
Health & Safety
Closed
Health Canada (Federal)
Health Canada wants to let energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages contain up to 30% juice, up from the current 25% limit. The caffeine levels would stay the same. These drinks still couldn't call themselves "juice" on the label.
Why This Matters: Ever grab an energy drink thinking it's healthier because it has juice? This rule change could mean more juice in those drinks. The catch: they still can't market themselves as juice products, so you won't be fooled into thinking they're health drinks.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety
Closed
Veterinary Drugs Directorate (Federal)
Health Canada asked whether to update the maximum amounts of veterinary drug residues allowed in meat, milk, and eggs. These limits determine how much medication can remain in food from treated animals while still being safe to eat. The consultation...
Why This Matters: Eat meat, eggs, or dairy? These rules affect what's in your food. When farm animals get sick, they're treated with medications. This consultation was about how much of those drugs can safely remain in the food you buy at the grocery store.
Regulations & Permits
Agriculture & Food
Health & Safety