Posts

Posted by Bob Kirke July 22nd, 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.  tc) to bring complaints to the Competition Bureau on these issues. On July 22, 2024, the Competition Bureau launched a public consultation to seek comments from the …

Posted by Bob Kirke July 15th, 2024

On July 27, 2024 the Canadian government launched a data collection effort on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) substances and products containing that class of chemicals PFAS substances are found in many industrial and consumer products, including textiles/apparel. In apparel products, these substances are found in water-repellent and stain-repellent finishes, among other uses.  Historically, the largest user of the substances has been outerwear with durable water-repellent finishes.  However, as the background document from AFIRM (below) demonstrates:  PFAS are found in …

Posted by Bob Kirke July 12th, 2024

The Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF) has selected a new supplier of payroll services for our members.  Wagepoint is a small-but-mighty fintech company on a mission to simplify payroll. Their online software was created just for small businesses, automating the most “ugh” parts of payroll – like calculating wages and reporting on taxes – so that companies can get back to doing, well, literally anything else. Backed by the world’s friendliest team, Wagepoint is always supportive, never stuffy and refreshingly human. …

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 …