Health Canada Bilingual Packaging and Labelling Guide
Learn Health Canada bilingual packaging and labelling requirements, including English and French rules for compliant product labels in Canada.
Many products sold in Canada are subject to mandatory information requirements in both English and French, but the specifics vary depending on the category of product, the nature of the information shown on the label and the legislation that is applicable. Health Canada regulates labelling for products such as drugs, natural health products and cannabis. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) administers many food-labelling requirements.
Businesses should also know provincial rules, especially in Quebec, where additional French-language requirements may apply to products and packaging. This guide outlines what may need to be bilingual, how rules vary by product type, how English and French must be displayed, when exemptions may apply, and what to check before you finalize packaging for the Canadian market. Read on to learn the key requirements before your label goes to print.
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Bilingual Packaging and Labelling Requirements in Canada
Health Canada, CFIA, and Other Labelling Authorities
Several authorities oversee Canada’s product and labelling regulations. Health Canada sets health, safety and nutrition standards for foods and regulates products like drugs, natural health products and cannabis. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) administers and enforces many federal food labelling standards, while the Competition Bureau administers labelling rules for many prepackaged non-food consumer products.
Other Government of Canada bodies and provincial authorities may also have rules depending on the product and where it is sold. Because packaging and labelling regulations vary by product category and jurisdiction, businesses should identify the applicable authority and refer to Health Canada’s or the relevant regulator’s guidance before preparing a label.
Federal Laws That Govern Bilingual Product Labels
Key federal laws and regulations include:
- Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations: Set labelling requirements for foods and drugs.
- Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations: Set requirements for many imported, exported, and interprovincially traded foods.
- Natural Health Products Regulations: Set bilingual labelling requirements for certain mandatory information on natural health products.
- Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations: Apply to many prepackaged non-food consumer products.
- Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations: Set detailed regulatory requirements under the Cannabis Act for cannabis packaging and labels.
The regulations require different information depending on the product. Businesses should determine which laws apply because each product is subject to the requirements of its applicable regulatory framework.
What Product Information Must Appear in English and French?
Mandatory Product and Safety Information
Bilingual requirements depend on the product and applicable regulations. The product must meet the requirements set for its category, and information required to appear on the label may include:
- Product or common name
- Directions for use
- Ingredients or medicinal ingredients
- Warnings and cautions
- Storage instructions
- Nutrition information
- Net quantity
For most consumer prepackaged foods, mandatory information included on the label must generally appear in English and French, although specific exemptions apply.
Additional Languages and Voluntary Information
In addition to English and French, other languages may appear on food packaging as long as the required bilingual information is present and the additional information meets Canadian labelling laws. Most voluntary food information is not required to be bilingual by the Federal government, but some regulated claims are required to be bilingual.
For example, nutrient content claims, certain health claims and organic claims must conform to certain bilingual requirements. Businesses should also check language requirements at the provincial level, especially in Quebec, where product and packaging information is generally required to be in French.
Bilingual Labelling Requirements by Product Type
Food Label and Beverage Packaging
Most mandatory information on consumer prepackaged foods must appear in English and French, including:
- Common name
- Nutrition Facts table
- Ingredients and allergens
- Required warnings
- Front-of-package nutrition information, when applicable
For specific labelling of food products, businesses should check the applicable requirements and exemptions.
Pharmaceutical Drug Labels
For non-prescription drugs sold in open self-selection areas, directions for use on inner and outer labels must appear in English and French. Prescription and professional-use drugs are not subject to this same rule, although Health Canada expects bilingual label and package mock-ups for applicable submissions. Drug labels should also not state or imply that a product is approved by Health Canada where such a reference is prohibited by the Regulations.
Natural Health Product Labels
Under the Natural Health Products Regulations, required bilingual information may include recommended uses, dosage, directions, risk information, ingredients, and storage conditions. Natural health products must be labelled and packaged in accordance with the regulations.
Cannabis Product Packaging and Labels
Cannabis packaging must comply with plain packaging requirements under the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations. Packaging for products generally must contain bilingual information such as a required health warning message, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) information and the standardized cannabis symbol where required.
Health Canada’s labelling guide for cannabis products explains the labelling requirements outlined in the Regulations and the source of the health warning where applicable. The guide provides guidance and information, but licence holders remain responsible for compliance with the Cannabis Act, including appropriate directions for use and applicable cannabis packaging guidelines.
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How English and French Information Should Be Displayed
Placement of Bilingual Information
English and French may appear together or in separate sections, depending on the product rules. Some regulations allow separate language panels when each version meets the required location and prominence rules.
For cannabis, every label has a principal display panel of the label on the principal display surface, which is the surface normally visible under normal or customary conditions of purchase or use. Depending on the container, this may be the part of the label applied to all or part of that surface.
Legibility, Font Size, and Packaging Space
Bilingual compliance is more than translation. Depending on the product, labels may have to meet requirements for:
- Minimum font size
- Clear contrast
- Proper spacing
- Required placement
- Appropriate prominence
Required cannabis information must be clear, prominently displayed, and legible under normal conditions of purchase and use. For health products, Health Canada recommends considering readability, white space, and bilingual content during the design process. Where space is limited, businesses should check whether specific small-package rules or exemptions apply and plan the English and French layout before finalizing the package.
Exemptions From Bilingual Labelling Requirements
Some food products may qualify for limited exemptions from bilingual labelling, including certain:
- Specialty foods
- Local foods
- Approved test-market foods
- Shipping containers used for commercial, industrial, or institutional purposes
The exemptions are narrow and subject to certain regulatory conditions. Businesses should document the reason an exemption applies and review compliance if the product, distribution area, packaging, or sales channel changes. Limited distribution, small packaging or lack of label space alone does not provide an exemption.
Quebec French-Language Requirements for Product Labels
Federal and Quebec Labelling Rules
Meeting federal bilingual requirements does not automatically mean a product complies with Quebec law. Under Quebec’s Charter of the French Language, information on products, packaging, and accompanying documents must generally appear in French.
Other languages (including English) may also appear, but they cannot be given greater prominence or be available on more favourable terms than the French. Businesses selling products in Quebec should review both federal and provincial requirements.
French Requirements for Trademarks and Product Descriptions
As of June 1, 2025, certain trademarks shown on products sold in Quebec are subject to additional French language requirements. A recognized trademark may still be displayed in another language, provided no French version of the trademark is registered, within the limits of the legal exception. However, a generic term or description that is part of the trademark may also have to be displayed in French on the product or on a medium permanently attached to it.
Generic terms generally describe the nature of a product, while descriptions cover its characteristics. The name of the business and the name of the product as sold are excluded from these definitions.
Need Accurate Bilingual Labels for Health Canada Requirements? Get Expert Assistance Today!
For many products sold in Canada, bilingual labelling is a legal requirement rather than an optional feature. Required product information must be presented accurately in English and French, with terminology, instructions, warnings, and other label content translated clearly and consistently. Products sold in Quebec also require attention to additional French-language requirements that apply to product packaging and related information.
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