G/TBT/N/CAN/650  
30 June 2021  
(21-5235) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English /French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Health Canada  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Canada's Notification Authority a nd Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G2  
Canada  
Telephone: (343) 203 -4273 
Fax: (613) 943 -0346 
Email: enquirypoint@i nternational.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  All 
prepackaged products sold in Canada; Food products in general (ICS 67.040)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified docu ment:  Notice of 
Proposal to Update the Incorporated by Reference Document entitled Nutrition Labelling 
– Table of Reference Amounts for Food (available in English and French)  
6. Description of content:  Health Canada's Food Directorate is proposing amendme nts to 
the Table of Reference Amounts for Food  (TRA) based on new consumption data and 
market trends, and to address identified gaps in certain food categories. The TRA sets out 
the amount of food typically consumed in one eating occasion for different foo d 
categories. They are used to determine what is considered to be a single -serving pre -
packaged product and they serve as the basis for determining the serving size to be 
declared in the Nutrition Facts table of multiple -serving pre -packaged products. The TRA 
is considered when making nutrient content claims and health claims and provide detailed 
instructions on how to determine and declare the serving size for each food.  
The proposed amendments add: new reference amount categories; product examples to 
existing food categories; instructions for the declaration of serving size for additional food 
formats; and instructions for the declaration of serving size for foods that require further 
preparation.  
The proposed changes provide clearer guidance on several food categories, and address 
gaps identified after the 2016 nutrition labelling amendments to the Food and Drug G/TBT/N/CAN/650  
 
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  Regulations  were finalised, regarding implementation of the reference amounts and the 
declaration of the serving of stated size.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The proposed amendments to the Table of Reference Amounts for Food (TRA) 
aim to update the TRA based on new consumption data and  market trends and to address 
identified gaps in certain food categories, which will improve the ability of Canadians to 
make healthy food choices.  ; Consumer information, labelling  
8. Relevant documents:   
Health Canada's website:  
Notice of Health Canada's Proposal to Update the Nutrition Labelling – Table of Reference 
Amounts for Food - Reference Number: NOP/ADP -QRA-2021-1 (English)  
Avis de proposition de Santé Canada visant à mett re à jour le document incorporé par 
renvoi intitulé Étiquetage nutritionnel – Tableau des quantités de référence pour les 
aliments - Numéro de référence : NOP/ADP -QRA-2021-1(French)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry int o force:  The proposed changes to the Table of Reference 
Amounts for Food will be made the day on which the notice of modification will be 
published on Health Canada's website. Given the nature of the proposed changes, Health 
Canada is proposing to give ind ustry until 14 December 2023 to implement these 
changes. Therefore, Food labelling will have to comply with the new requirements by 15 
December 2023.  
10. Final date for comments:  7 September 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Health Canada's Proposal to Update the Nutrition Labelling – Table of Reference Amounts 
for Food - Reference Number: NOP/ADP -QRA-2021-1 is available at:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/notice -proposal -update -nutrition -labelling -table-reference -amounts -
food.html   
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -
public -partenariats/avis -proposition -mise-jour-etiquetage -nutritionnel -tableau -
quantites -reference -alime nts.html