Updated: March 27, 2024
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305-BQY-01-TMPA © 2024, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | www.wsps.ca
Hazardous Products Regulation, HPR: Amendments
That Impact WHMIS
In December 2022, Canada made amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulation (HPR)
to be in alignment with revisions to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling
of Chemicals (GHS). Suppliers of hazardous products have a 3-year transition period to put in
effect the amended HPR. Employers that receive hazardous products with labels and SDSs
that are compliant with the amended HPR are responsible to ensure their workers receive chemical
specific WHMIS training to work safely with these chemicals and ensure they understand the changes
in the information on the SDS and supplier labels. This transition period ends on December 14, 2025.
These amendments impact key changes to WHMIS (previously known as WHMIS 2015).
A summary of these amendments are as follow:
• improved clarity and precision for certain provisions
• new information elements required on safety data sheets
• adoption of a new physical hazard class (Chemicals Under Pressure)
• adoption of a new hazard category for non-flammable aerosols and
new subcategories for flammable gases
The changes resulting from the amendments will better protect workers by providing more
comprehensive and detailed health and safety information on supplier labels and safety data sheets.
These amendments are designed to enable workers to better protect themselves against the hazards
posed by products they use and handle in their workplaces.
Transition Period
During this 3-year transition period, suppliers of hazardous products can choose to comply with
either the former HPR or the amended HPR, but not both. It's important to ensure that the hazard
classification, safety data sheet, and label of a hazardous product be fully compliant with the version
of the regulation chosen. This requirement means that for a product to be compliant with the
amended HPR, both the safety datasheet and the label must meet the requirements
of the amended HPR.
December 14, 2025 transition period ends
Suppliers of hazardous products are required to bring their safety data sheets and
labels into compliance with the amended Hazard Products Regulation.
