Media Releases

“Marketing is just washing over this country like a tidal wave, and we’re trying to give people swimming lessons.”

—Kelly D. Brownell, UConn Rudd Center

Coalition praises new bill to stop food and beverage marketing to kids

Bill C-252 undergoing second reading debate

Ottawa, ON – May 6, 2022 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition commends Patricia Lattanzio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, as she moves Bill C-252 to second reading today in the House of Commons. Private Member’s Bill C-252 aims to prohibit the marketing of food and beverages high in sugar, saturated fats or sodium to children under 13 years of age. Read more…

Sugary Drinks : Over-consumed, unnecessary and harmful

June 7, 2021 – Coalition Poids, The Childhood Obesity Foundation and Heart & Stroke call on all levels of government to follow the lead of Newfoundland and Labrador and introduce a sugary drinks levy that can be reinvested in prevention as a promising strategy to bring greater health and economic benefits. Read more…

Pediatricians urge Senate to pass children’s health bill: Bill S-228 will die if not passed by end of session

June 17, 2019 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition is calling attention to a communication to Senators in The Hill Times urging the Senate to pass Bill S-228 before the end of the current parliamentary session. Known as the Child Health Protection Act, the bill would restrict the marketing of foods and beverages high in sugar, salt and saturated fat to children 12 and under. The communication, an urgent plea to senators, was placed by the Canadian Paediatric Society (which is an endorsing organization of the Coalition) and the Pediatric Chairs of Canada. Read more…

Canadians served opportunity to have their say about healthy eating

July 30, 2017 -Heart & Stroke welcomes the recent announcement by Health Canada to launch two public consultations as part of its Healthy Eating Strategy. These consultations will allow Canadians to have input around two public policy areas that can significantly support them to be able to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families. Read more…

16 and Under Campaign

May 23, 2017 – To rally support for federal legislation intended to restrict food and beverage marketing to all children in Canada, Heart & Stroke’s next step in its fight against marketing to kids uses a new (and entirely fictional) advertising agency called “16 and Under” that exclusively creates ads targeting kids. Read more…

The food and beverage industry is marketing our children and youth to death

February 1, 2017 – New research reveals advertising restrictions urgently needed to protect kids and support parents. Read more…

Celebrity Chef and Health Experts Stir Up Excitement Around Childhood Obesity

October 7, 2016 – Jamie Oliver and Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition identify areas for immediate action. Read more…

Health coalition gives proposed legislation to protect children a gold star

September 28, 2016 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition applauds Senator Nancy Greene Raine for introducing legislation prohibiting food and beverage marketing to children. Read more…

Heart and Stroke Foundation applauds Senate committee recommendations

March 1, 2016 – The Heart and Stroke Foundation praises the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology for its comprehensive report on obesity and important nutrition policy recommendations that will have a real impact on the health of Canadians. Read more…

Health organizations tell food industry: pick on someone your own age

February 24, 2016 – Co-led by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Childhood Obesity Foundation, the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition says the time has come to protect children and to support parents to make healthy decisions for their families. Read more…

85% of Canadian parents want government to place limits on advertising unhealthy foods and beverages to children

May 9, 2013 – Approximately 20 health organizations have joined together in light of Canada Health Day 2013 to support of a policy statement calling for a restriction on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. Read more…

Other Stop M2K News

Open Letter: Federal Government Healthy Eating Strategy

The Hill Times

- An open letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed by the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Medical Association, Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada, Diabetes Canada and Heart & Stroke
- The letter congratulates Prime Minister for efforts on Healthy Eating Strategy and urging the federal government to complete the commitment to the federal Healthy Eating Strategy prior to the end of the government’s term. In particular, this letter focuses on the need for a “simple, clearly visible and easy to understand front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOP) is important to ensure consumers can quickly grasp nutrition information and to support them to make healthier choices”
- “This strategy will do much to help people living in Canada to eat healthy, reduce the incidence of diet-related disease/illness and consequently provide savings to the healthcare system and the economy”

Retweet Dietitians of Canada

Time Spent by children online linked to requests for junk food

Medicalxpress

United Kingdom researchers conducted a study that found that young children who spend more than half an hour a day online were almost twice as likely to pester their parents for junk food. The study, published on October 17, 2018, also found that “primary school children who spent more than three hours on the web were more than four times more likely to spend their pocket money on chocolate, crisps, sugary drinks”.

Canada’s artificial trans fats ban comes into effect

Health Canada announced earlier this week that it’s ban on artificial trans fats in food products is now in effect, as of Monday, September 17, 2018. Its is now illegal for Canadian food manufacturers to add artificial trans fats to any food sold in Canada. This includes imported foods as well as in any meals prepared in restaurants.

The ban targets partially hydrogenated oils, or PHOs, which are the main source of industrially produced trans fats in all foods sold in Canada. As noted by Manual Arango, Director of Health Policy & Advocacy at Heart & Stroke “Trans fats cause a three-fold increase in the risk of death from heart disease and the ban is expected to cut that risk down… The government has made a decision that the shelf-life of Canadians is more important than the shelf-life of croissants”.

This ban is consistent with global efforts and an important component of Health Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy, which aims to make the healthier choice the easier choice for people living in Canada.

See below for interviews with Manuel Arango, Director of Policy and Promotion at Heart & Stroke.

CTV | September 17, 2018 | Canada’s trans fat ban comes into effect

CBC | September 16, 2018 | Canada’s artificial trans fats ban comes into effect — with a phase-out period