Resources for Your Labels and Packaging

Trademarks on Products: Quebec's French-Language Rules

Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF)

Since June 1, 2025, information on a product, its packaging and accompanying documents must be in French. The trademark rules, explained.

Guide to the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations

Competition Bureau Canada

Packaging and labelling requirements for prepackaged non-food consumer products: product name, net quantity, supplier identity.

"Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" Claims

Competition Bureau Canada

When you can write "Product of Canada" (98% cost threshold) or "Made in Canada" (51%, with a statement about imported content) on a label.

WHMIS: Labels for Hazardous Products

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)

What a supplier label must contain: product identifier, pictograms, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements. Bilingual labels required.

WHMIS in Quebec: What Is It?

CNESST

Quebec employers' obligations for hazardous products at work: labels, safety data sheets and worker training.

Transportation of Dangerous Goods: Safety Marks

CCOHS

Labels and placards: what they are for, their diamond shape, and the 450-litre threshold that separates a small container from a large one.

Parcel Addressing Requirements

Canada Post

How to prepare a shipping label: applied flat on the largest side, without covering the edges or blocking the barcode scan.

Barcodes: UPC, GTIN and How to Get Them

GS1 Canada

The official barcode body: GTIN licence, barcode generator and help adding barcodes to your product and shipping labels.

Marking of Imported Goods (Memorandum D11-3-1)

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Which imported goods must bear their country-of-origin mark, before you label them for sale in Canada.

How to Eco-Design Your Packaging

Éco Entreprises Québec

EEQ's eco-design approach and recyclability guidelines (plastics, paper and cardboard, metal, glass), for any type of product.

Communicating Well on Your Packaging

Éco Entreprises Québec

2025 guide to showing sorting instructions and recyclability clearly on your packaging and labels, without misleading.

Sustainable Packaging Checklist

PAC Packaging Consortium

A reference checklist for package designers from the PAC NEXT program, with useful websites and readings.

Food Labelling in Quebec: Guide and 15 Video Modules

ITAQ / MAPAQ

Free self-paced online training: a full downloadable guide plus 15 video modules, sector by sector (dairy, meat, eggs...). Certificate available after the first 4 modules.

Food Labelling and Advertising Guide

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

The official federal reference: every regulatory requirement in detail, kept current by the government.

ITÉGA Packaging Guide

CTAQ, produced with MAPAQ

Reference guide on eco-responsible food packaging, built for Quebec advisors and food businesses.

Food Packaging Eco-Design Guides

Éco Entreprises Québec

Practical tools for rethinking packaging toward better recyclability, without compromising product protection.

Food Loss and Waste: The Role of Packaging

RECYC-QUÉBEC

How well-designed packaging reduces food waste, with concrete recommendations for businesses.

Food Packaging Trends 2026: Sustainability & Digital Innovation

FoodIngredientsFirst

An overview of the major global trends: sustainable materials, QR codes, smart packaging.

2025–2026 Food Packaging Design Trends Forecast

Jenn David Design

A design/marketing take on what catches the eye on shelf this year, useful inspiration for a future redesign.

Food Processing Transformation Program (PTA)

MAPAQ

Financial assistance for productivity, automation, and environmental performance in food processing. The 2026 funding envelope closed in August, but the criteria are worth knowing ahead of the next round.

Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ)

CTAQ

Webinars, networking, and access to the free "Amélioration alimentaire Québec" platform for member businesses.

Food, Inc.

Documentary, 2008 (Oscar-nominated)

The classic on the North American food industry, from seed to grocery shelf. A good starting point for stepping back and seeing your own sector from above.

Cooked

Netflix documentary series, based on Michael Pollan

Four episodes on how humans have transformed food throughout history, fire, water, air, earth.

Québec, terre d'asphalte

Radio-Canada, Doc humanité (2026)

On food self-sufficiency and farmland pressures in Quebec, useful context for understanding the world our producer clients operate in.