Made in Canada Policy - Table of Contents
🇨🇦 Made in Canada Policy
At Made in Canada Life, we celebrate the innovation, craftsmanship, and community spirit that define Canadian creators, makers, and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to build a trusted space where Canadians can connect, support local businesses, and discover products and services that are proudly made here at home.
This Made in Canada Policy outlines the standards we use to determine what qualifies as “Made in Canada” across our platform. Whether you’re shopping in the Marketplace, browsing our Business Directory, or engaging with members in the Community, you deserve confidence in the claims made about Canadian origin.
By setting clear guidelines, we:
Ensure transparency for consumers
Uphold legal and ethical standards
Support businesses that are genuinely rooted in Canada
This policy applies to all vendors, service providers, and businesses who wish to promote their offerings using terms like “Made in Canada,” “Canadian Owned,” or “Designed in Canada.” It helps create an honest and trustworthy ecosystem — and builds a stronger Canadian economy, together.
Legal Definition and Compliance
In Canada, the use of the term “Made in Canada” is subject to strict legal guidelines enforced by the Competition Bureau of Canada. These rules exist to prevent misleading claims and to ensure consumers have confidence in Canadian origin labels. If you wish to promote a product as “Made in Canada” on Made in Canada Life, you must comply with the following federal standards.
✅ Requirements to Use “Made in Canada” Claim:
To make an unqualified claim (e.g., “Made in Canada” with no extra explanation), the product must meet all of the following:
Last Substantial Transformation
The final significant change in the product’s form, appearance, or function must occur in Canada. For example, assembling imported parts in Canada would qualify if that assembly results in a fundamentally new product.
51% Domestic Cost Threshold
At least 51% of the total direct costs of production must be incurred in Canada. This includes:
Labour
Materials sourced in Canada
Overhead directly related to the manufacturing process
Final Assembly in Canada
The final manufacturing or assembly must take place in Canada.
⚠️ Qualified Claims Are Required When Using Imported Components
If a product does not fully meet the criteria for an unqualified claim, a qualified claim must be used instead. This means the claim must clearly indicate the presence of foreign content. For example:
✅ “Made in Canada with imported parts”
✅ “Assembled in Canada using domestic and imported components”
These qualifiers must be:
Clear and easy to understand
Displayed prominently on product pages or descriptions
Not misleading in terms of the actual origin breakdown
🚫 Misleading Claims Are Prohibited
It is not permitted to use terms like “Canadian-Made,” “From Canada,” or “Canadian Quality” in ways that could mislead customers if the product does not meet the official criteria. Doing so can result in regulatory action from federal authorities — and removal from our platform.
We take this seriously to protect consumers, uphold the reputation of Canadian businesses, and ensure fairness across the Made in Canada Life community.
Scope of Application
This policy applies across the entire Made in Canada Life platform, covering not only physical products but also services, content, and promotional claims made by members, vendors, and businesses.
Clearly defining where this policy applies ensures that all users — whether they’re shopping, browsing, or promoting their own work — are aligned with the same standards for what it means to be “Made in Canada.”
🛍️ Marketplace Products
Any physical goods listed in the Marketplace that are labeled or tagged as:
“Made in Canada”
“Designed in Canada”
“Canadian Craft” or “Canadian-Made”
…must comply with this policy and, where applicable, include proper qualifiers and documentation.
Examples include:
Clothing and accessories
Artisanal foods
Health and beauty products
Crafts and handmade items
🧰 Business Directory Listings
Service-based businesses listed in the GeoDirectory must only use Canadian-origin claims if they:
Are majority Canadian-owned
Are registered and operating in Canada
Provide services that are primarily delivered from Canada
Acceptable examples:
A Canadian-owned digital marketing firm based in Toronto
A roofing contractor operating solely in Saskatchewan
A restaurant chain with locations only in Quebec
💬 Community Profiles & Content
Content creators, bloggers, or members who post about their work or offerings using “Made in Canada” terminology must ensure their claims align with this policy. This includes:
Blog posts
Social media content shared within the platform
Marketplace or directory listing descriptions
This encourages trust and transparency throughout our community.
🏷️ Promotions, Ads, and Featured Listings
Any promoted or featured content — including Sponsored Listings, Featured Products, or Advertisements — must also adhere to this policy when using Canadian identity in promotional claims.
Verification Process
To maintain trust and credibility across Made in Canada Life, we offer a transparent verification system for vendors, service providers, and content creators who make Canadian origin claims. Our goal is not to create unnecessary barriers — but to make sure that “Made in Canada” actually means something real to buyers and the broader community.
We offer a tiered approach to verification depending on the type of listing and the level of claim being made.
🧾 1. Self-Declaration (Required for All)
Every business, vendor, or creator making a “Made in Canada” claim must check a Self-Declaration box during setup or product upload, confirming they meet the legal and platform criteria outlined in this policy.
Self-declared claims include:
“Made in Canada”
“Canadian-Owned”
“Designed in Canada”
“Assembled in Canada”
This is the minimum level required for anyone using these terms.
🔒 2. Verified by Made in Canada Life (Optional Badge Program)
For enhanced trust, members can apply for platform-level verification. Verified listings will receive a badge that signals trust and authenticity to buyers and users.
To qualify for the badge, applicants must provide:
Proof of business registration in Canada
Documentation showing product origin (e.g., invoices, manufacturing process, photos of production)
Statement of origin and component breakdown (if applicable)
Links to supporting certifications or memberships (e.g., Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Made in CA, etc.)
Once verified, the listing will receive:
✅ A “Verified Canadian” badge
📦 A filter tag in the Marketplace and Directory
📢 Eligibility for promotional boosts
Education and Support
To help members navigate the process, we provide:
A simple verification form for badge requests
Email support at help@madeincanada.life
📌 Important Note
Verification is mandatory to list a business or product on Made in Canada Life if any claims are made about Canadian origin, such as:
“Made in Canada”
“Canadian-Owned”
“Designed in Canada”
“Assembled in Canada”
Or any similar representation
This applies to:
Marketplace Stores
Business Listings in the Directory
Products tagged as Canadian
Services promoted with Canadian identity
Until a listing is verified:
The listing will remain in pending status
It will not appear in search results or directories
Promotional claims about Canadian origin will be blocked or removed
Verification ensures that all businesses and products on the platform genuinely reflect our mission to support authentic Canadian entrepreneurship, creativity, and craftsmanship
Acceptable Claims & How to Use Them
We recognize a variety of valid Canadian claims that reflect how a product or business operates. Each must be used appropriately, based on the actual facts of production or ownership.
Claim | Usage Criteria |
|---|---|
Made in Canada | Final substantial transformation and assembly occurred in Canada; 51%+ of direct costs are Canadian |
Made in Canada with imported parts | Meets most criteria, but includes key imported components |
Designed in Canada | Product design originated in Canada, but manufacturing may occur elsewhere |
Assembled in Canada | Final product assembly occurred in Canada |
Canadian-Owned | Majority (50%+) ownership by Canadian citizens or registered Canadian entities |
Packaged in Canada | Only the packaging process occurs in Canada; must not be used to mislead |
All claims must be honest, clear, and not misleading. Products and services that cannot meet the criteria above should not use Canadian identifiers in a promotional context.
⚠️ Prohibited or Misleading Claims
The following are not allowed unless they can be factually substantiated with documentation:
“Inspired by Canada” (unless cultural or design influence is clearly explained)
“Canadian Quality” (implied performance or superiority without factual basis)
Any vague national references used to imply origin without verification (e.g., a maple leaf icon on imported goods)
🖼️ Display Requirements
All origin-based claims must:
Be displayed clearly and prominently
Use qualifiers if required (e.g., “with imported parts”)
Appear on product pages, store descriptions, and business profiles
Align with the actual scope of your verification status (e.g., don’t claim “Made in Canada” if only the design was done in Canada)
Listings using origin-based claims without meeting the verification requirements will be removed or flagged for correction.
Enforcement and Penalties
Maintaining the integrity of Made in Canada Life means holding all members, vendors, and businesses accountable to this policy. We are committed to protecting consumers and preserving trust in the “Made in Canada” label by taking action against misleading or false claims.
This section outlines how we handle violations and what happens when a business or product does not comply.
⚖️ Types of Violations
False or Misleading Claims
Using “Made in Canada” or similar claims without meeting the required criteria.
Failing to include required qualifiers (e.g., “with imported parts”).
Misusing badges or labels (e.g., using the Verified badge without approval).
Non-Compliance with Verification Requirements
Listing a product or business without completing the mandatory verification process.
Refusing or failing to provide documentation when requested.
Badge Misrepresentation
Falsely displaying the Verified Canadian badge or using it on other platforms/products not verified by Made in Canada Life
🔄 Enforcement Process
Our enforcement actions follow a tiered approach, depending on the severity and frequency of the violation:
First Violation:
⚠️ Formal Warning
Clear explanation of the issue and steps required to correct it
Temporary removal of the listing if immediate correction is not possible
Second Violation:
❌ Temporary Suspension
Listing or vendor account suspended for a fixed period of 7 days
Mandatory re-verification before reactivation
Third Violation or Serious Offense:
🚫 Permanent Ban
Full removal from the platform
Blacklisting of associated business name and/or email/domain
🧩 Appeals & Resolution
If you believe a violation notice was issued in error, you may file an appeal within 7 business days of receiving the notice. Appeals must include supporting documentation and will be reviewed by our compliance team.
Send appeals to:
📧 appeals@madeincanada.life
🛡️ Why Enforcement Matters
Enforcing this policy:
Protects consumers from misleading claims
Ensures fair competition between verified Canadian businesses
Builds long-term trust in our platform and community
Education and Transparency
At Made in Canada Life, we’re not just building a marketplace — we’re nurturing a movement that supports Canadian creators, businesses, and communities. Part of that mission means helping everyone understand what it really means to be “Made in Canada.”
That’s why education and transparency are core pillars of this policy.
To make the verification process easy and empowering, we provide:
Step-by-step Verification Guide
A detailed document that walks vendors through what documents to submit, how to qualify, and what happens after submission.
Claim Usage Checklist
A simple reference to ensure your product or service description matches what you’re allowed to claim.
Made in Canada FAQ
Covering common questions like:
“What if I outsource packaging?”
“Can I list a digital product as Canadian-made?”
“Do I need to verify every product separately?”
Email & Chat Support
Get guidance by emailing help@madeincanada.life or using the built-in vendor support chat on your dashboard.
🔍 Transparency for Buyers
We want buyers to feel confident and informed every time they shop or search:
Verified listings feature a “Verified Canadian” badge and a hover-over tooltip explaining what the badge means.
Every product and business profile that uses a “Made in Canada” claim must clearly state:
The nature of the claim (e.g., “Designed in Canada”)
Whether it’s fully or partially Canadian-made
Verification status
We believe transparency builds trust, and trust builds community.
🤝 Our Commitment
We’re here to help — not just to enforce rules, but to empower Canadian entrepreneurs and help them succeed. If you’re ever unsure about how to promote your product or service properly, reach out. We’d love to help you do it right — and celebrate your Canadian-made success.