Statement by Michael Bourque, President and CEO, Fertilizer Canada
“Fertilizer Canada welcomes the introduction of Bill S-7, the Cutting Red Tape for All Canadians Act. Reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens is essential to improving Canada’s competitiveness, encouraging investment and supporting innovation across all sectors of the Canadian economy.
“We are particularly pleased to see proposed changes that would allow Canada to recognize trusted foreign regulatory systems for fertilizer products. Fertilizer Canada has advocated for a more streamlined, science-based approach to fertilizer product approvals for several years, including through private members’ legislation previously introduced by Members of Parliament Kody Blois and David Bexte. These changes have the potential to reduce approval timelines and provide Canadian farmers with faster access to innovative fertilizer products while maintaining important safety protections.
“While this legislation represents positive progress, further opportunities remain to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens. This includes the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s bulk fertilizer labelling requirements, which could impose significant costs on the agricultural supply chain without demonstrated improvements to safety or traceability.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the government to advance practical regulatory reforms that reduce costs, improve efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness of Canada’s fertilizer industry.”
