Owners of a large Barry’s Bay employer are asking Canadians to advocate for the natural health product industry, in light of new regulations they believe will hurt it.
Paul and Caitlin Rivett-Carnac, of St. Francis Herb Farm, say the federal government’s recent passing of Bill C-47 amends the Food and Drugs Act in ways that will make them pay added costs to get their products into stores.
Paul says the Bill makes his company pay larger fees to sell its products and new fees to apply to make new products. It’s also asked to write longer product labels.
“What we’re seeing here is additional requirements […] which we believe will ultimately lead to products leaving the market,” he says. “Canadians will have fewer products to choose from and more expensive products to choose from.”
St. Francis Herb Farm employs about 70 people and Paul says the new regulations limit its ability to grow more. He’s asking people to go to saveoursupplments.ca to learn more and sign a petition.
The owners invited Renfrew-Nipissing-Pemborke MP Cheryl Gallant and local media to their Lane Street location Thursday to hear about the issue.
Gallant said the Conservative Party opposes the new regulations, calling them “excessive.”
Federal government literature says the amendment will make natural health products held to the same standard as therapeutic products. The new rules mean there are more obligations on companies to publish information, such as results of clinical trials.