Current Status

  • Bill C-252, an Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children), successfully passed third reading in the House of Commons and was last debated on December 12th, 2024, at third reading in the Senate. However, the bill did not advance further as it died on the Order Paper when the 2025 federal election was called on March 23rd, 2025.
  • The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition is grateful that the federal government committed to addressing this issue in its 2015 and 2021 election platforms, the 2019 federal budget, and in four health minister mandate letters. We expected the draft regulations (Canada Gazette Part 1) to be introduced by June 2024, unfortunately, this deadline was not met. When asked if the Liberal Party of Canada would support measures that address the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages (those high in salt, sugar and saturated fats) aimed at children under the age of 13 in a Heart & Stroke election survey, the Liberal government committed “Yes, a Mark Carney Liberal government would support measures that address the marketing of unhealthy foods to young children.” After nearly a decade, the window to fulfill this final pillar of Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy is closing.