Posts

Posted by Bob Kirke July 12th, 2024

The Gateway to Europe program is a full-service solution designed to support Canadian companies looking to expand their market presence in Europe. Tailored specifically for small to medium-sized apparel companies, this initiative aims to streamline the complexities of entering the European market, providing a comprehensive suite of services to ensure seamless business operations.   A successful start   In June 2024, we successfully hosted a webinar in collaboration with the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF), introducing the Gateway to Europe program to Canadian …

Posted by Bob Kirke July 9th, 2024

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has launched a significant consultation process to review a proposed roadmap for addressing plastic waste and pollution from the textile and apparel sector.  Companies should note that synthetic fibres are considered plastic, and are the focus of this discussion. The consultation was launched on July 4, 2024 and ECCC will host a webinar on the subject July 15, 2024. As a department ECCC has an ambitious goal of zero plastic waste – where plastics (including …

Posted by Bob Kirke July 8th, 2024

The Canadian government recently introduced changes to the Competition Act which will have a substantial impact on sustainability claims made by Canadian companies. These changes will force many companies to revisit how they promote their products in terms of sustainability in light of the substantial penalties that can be levied by the Competition Bureau.     The impact of the legislative changes are as follows: They place important restrictions on how companies can promote their company or their products as sustainable; …

Posted by Bob Kirke June 13th, 2024

CAF president Elliot Lifson awarded the Order of Quebec. The Canadian Apparel Federation is happy to advise that our association's president Elliot Lifson has been awarded the National Order of Quebec and was presented with that honour on Jne 20th. The honour recognizes Mr. Lifson's tireless efforts to represent and promote the apparel industry over many years.  It acknowledges his involvement in numerous industry organizations, including the Canadian Apparel Federation, Vêtement Québec and MMODE, as well as his philanthropic activities …

Posted by CAF May 7th, 2024

On April 30, 2024 the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, appointed an interim Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) to take over from Sheri Meyerhoffer, upon the completion of her five-year term.   Mr. Masud Husain has been named interim CORE (for 12 months beginning May 21, 2024). Mr. Husain served in Canada’s foreign service for 30 years in several key posts.    His term will coincide with a previously announced mandate review …

Posted by CAF April 18th, 2024

Budget 2024 - summary On April 16, 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, presented the government’s budget. The budget was heavily focused on measures to address the ongoing housing crisis. A number of tax measures were introduced, including substantial changes to capital gains and new tax credits (i.e. New Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses). These are outlined in the summaries below: Richter Miller Thomson EY  PWC KPMG Davies Ward Last year’s Budget contained a …

Posted by Bob Kirke March 28th, 2024

The European union is moving forward with human rights due diligence legislation and an import prohibition on goods made from forced Labour. Details below. Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D): In 2022, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. (CS3D).  The aim of this Directive is to foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour and to anchor human rights and environmental considerations in companies’ operations and corporate governance. The new rules will ensure that businesses …

Posted by Bob Kirke March 27th, 2024

  United Kingdom (UK) has pulled out of negotiations with Canada for a permanent free trade agreement, post-Brexit. Duty-free treatment for most goods will continue under temporary arrangements, yet several crucial provisions will be lost. For instance, the "origin quotas" will be eliminated as of March 31, 2024.    Origin quotas apply to a small number of apparel products and allow Canadian firms to manufacture apparel using third-country fabrics and still access the UK market duty-free.  The product most impacted …

Posted by Bob Kirke March 27th, 2024

The federal government has announced a review of the watchdog it created in 2019 to review the conduct of Canadian companies operating abroad.  Starting this year, over a six-month period, the government said it will assess the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise’s “effectiveness and progress to date.” In an article on the review, a government spokesperson indicated that the review would take account of the various measures to address modern slavery and supply-chain legislation recently adopted by the federal government. The …

Posted by Bob Kirke March 21st, 2024

On March 19, 2024 new import requirements took effect that impact organic textile products shipped into the USA. The USDA published the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule on January 19, 2023, which requires the use of electronic NOP Import Certificates for organic agricultural products imported into the U.S. The use of the NOP Import Certificate was mandatory as of March 19, 2024. Implementing the NOP Import Certificate involves close collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), organic certifiers, …