The transition period is over. Canada’s revised Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) are now fully in effect, and Canadian Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and labels for hazardous products must meet the amended requirements.
The amendments to the HPR came into force on December 15, 2022, introducing changes to hazard classification, labelling and Safety Data Sheet requirements in Canada for hazardous products used in Canadian workplaces.
Suppliers were provided with a three-year transition period to update their product classifications, labels and SDSs. That transition period ended on December 14, 2025.
If your Canadian SDSs have not yet been reviewed or updated, now is the time to identify potential compliance gaps and ensure your documentation meets the current Canadian HPR and WHMIS requirements.
What Changed Under Canada’s Hazardous Products Regulations?
Canada’s previous HPR requirements were primarily aligned with the fifth revised edition of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The amended HPR brings Canada into greater alignment with the seventh revised edition of the GHS, while incorporating certain provisions from the eighth revised edition.
These changes may affect:
- Hazard classifications
- Product labels
- Safety Data Sheet content and format
- Hazard communication requirements
Simply having an existing Canadian SDS may no longer be enough. Companies should review their Canadian SDS portfolios to determine whether product classifications, labels and Safety Data Sheets meet the current HPR requirements.
Companies selling chemical products in both Canada and the United States should also pay particular attention to these differences. Canadian and U.S. hazard communication requirements are not identical, so companies should not assume that an SDS prepared for the U.S. market will automatically meet Canadian HPR requirements.
The Canadian HPR Deadline Has Passed. What Now?
Affected Canadian SDSs and labels should have been brought into compliance with the amended HPR by the end of the transition period in December 2025.
However, we are still finding that some companies were unaware of the extent of the Canadian regulatory changes or did not realize that the amendments could affect their existing hazard classifications, labels and Safety Data Sheets.
If your organization missed the deadline, don’t fret, but don’t wait.
Now is the time to review your SDS portfolio, identify outdated documentation and bring affected SDSs and labels into compliance. Continuing to use outdated Canadian SDSs can create compliance gaps and additional challenges with customers, distributors and workplace users.
Need Help Updating Your Canadian SDSs?
Dell Tech is here to help.
Our team can review your Canadian Safety Data Sheet portfolio, identify areas requiring attention and update your documentation to align with the amended Hazardous Products Regulations and applicable GHS requirements.
Whether you have a handful of Safety Data Sheets that require updates or an entire product portfolio that needs to be reviewed, Dell Tech can help you determine what has changed, identify potential compliance gaps and bring your documentation up to date.
If you need assistance with Canadian SDS compliance, SDS reviews or Safety Data Sheet updates, contact Dell Tech today.
Blog Author
Kirsten Alcock
Kirsten is a seasoned regulatory affairs and hazard communication professional with more than 25 years of industry experience. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Western Ontario and is highly regarded for her expertise in authoring Safety Data Sheets and developing workplace and consumer labels that meet both Canadian and U.S. regulatory requirements.
