The Federal Government recently announced plans to make changes to "Product of Canada".

The guidelines currently state that 51% of production costs, including costs for the label and container, must be incurred in the country to be a "Product of Canada".

 

According to Bob Friesen, the President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the current guidelines were deceiving to the consumer, due to the fact that labour and labelling costs are included in the necessary 51%.

 

For example, Friesen says with a package of Apple Juice labelled "Product of Canada", the apple juice concentrate may come from another country, but since the costs to produce the container and label and the labour needed to add the water are incurred in Canada, it qualifies as a "Product of Canada".

 

Friesen adds that "Product of Canada" should not be confused with the U.S. Government's mandatory Country of Origin Labelling plan, which is opposed by the CFA.