How checks work

We review the numbers, not the marketing.

“Made in Canada” is a claim regulated under the Competition Act. The Competition Bureau publishes the thresholds it uses to assess those claims. Manufacturers self-declare it and nobody looks unless someone complains. A check means we looked, on documents, and put a date on it.

Apply for a check See pricing

The two claims we check

Made in Canada

51% or more of direct production cost incurred in Canada

Last substantial transformation happened in Canada
Label carries a qualifier, such as “Made in Canada with imported parts”

Product of Canada

98% or more of direct production cost incurred in Canada

Last substantial transformation happened in Canada
No qualifier needed

Direct production cost means materials and labour that go into making the product. General overhead is excluded unless it can be allocated directly. These thresholds apply to non-food goods; food labelling is governed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and is outside our review. Competition Bureau guidance (opens in a new tab)

Five steps, one representative product

Step 01: Apply and choose your product line

Pick one representative product or batch. The check covers that product line, and the mark says so. Pay the annual fee for your company size; nothing is charged again until renewal.

Takes10 minutes

FeeBy company size, see pricing

Step 02: Enter the cost breakdown

Materials and labour for one unit, split into what was spent in Canada and what was imported. The Canadian share is calculated as you type, against both thresholds, so you know where you stand before you submit.

Live example, per unitCanadian materials and labour $Imported components $

Canadian share 62.9%

Supports Made in Canada.

Step 03: Upload the supporting documents

Supplier invoices for the main inputs, a bill of materials, and a payroll or labour summary. Files go into private storage. Nobody sees them but you and the reviewer, and never through a public link.

Typical upload3 to 8 documents

StoragePrivate, encrypted, expiring links

Step 04: A reviewer checks consistency

We confirm the documents support the numbers you entered, that the arithmetic clears the threshold, and that the last substantial transformation happened in Canada. If something is missing you get a specific request, not a rejection.

Typical turnaround5 business days

OutcomeChecked, needs more information, or not met

Step 05: The mark is issued and dated

Your profile shows the mark with the level, review date and expiry. A public record page lists what was reviewed. Embed the mark on your own site and it links back to that record. Renewal is yearly with an updated breakdown.

Valid for12 months

RenewalSame process, usually faster

What a check is

A documented review of your cost breakdown against the threshold
Independent of the manufacturer and of any retailer
Dated, with a public record of scope
Renewed every year

What a check is not

Not a government certification, and not endorsed by the Competition Bureau
Not a supply-chain audit; we do not visit suppliers or verify their claims
Not a guarantee for every product you make, only the line reviewed
Not a substitute for federal Buy Canadian attestations, which use different rules

Common questions

Do you see my margins?: We see the direct cost of one representative unit, split by origin. We do not see your selling price, your customers, or your books.
What if I land between 51% and 98%?: You are checked at Made in Canada. The mark and the record say so. If you later reach 98%, apply for the higher level at renewal.
Who can see the documents I upload?: You and the reviewer. Documents are stored privately, served only through short-lived links, and never appear on your public profile or record page.
Can a retailer ask you to confirm my check?: Yes. Anyone can open your public record page. That is the point of it.

Ready when you are.

Listing is free. A check is one form, a few documents, and a date on the mark.

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