March 30, 2005

Cost of Alcohol Labelling Legislation

Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health
Government of Canada
Ottawa, ON

Dear Minister:

You are in receipt of my March 21 letter to Bonnie Brown, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, regarding warning labels on alcohol beverage containers.

A review of labelling legislation worldwide shows that most western countries, including the European Union, do not require such warning labels. The United States is an exception. After more than 15 years, there is no evidence that the labels have had a significant positive impact on behaviour modification with respect to impaired driving or FAS/FAE in that country.

We have heard that if warning labels do in fact become law, Health Canada estimates its cost as regulator would be in the area of $25 million per year; additional costs would be borne by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. This is an astronomical figure, considering there is no evidence that such labels will have an impact on those most likely to drive impaired or be at risk of having an FAS/FAE baby. Is this figure correct? Please confirm as soon as possible your Department's estimate of the forecasted costs.

Our letter to Ms. Brown stated that Canada needs a national strategy to address the tragic consequences of FAS/FAE, which must include counseling and treatment targeted at high-risk groups. We strongly believe that the millions of taxpayer dollars earmarked for alcohol beverage labelling would be far better spent on such a strategy.

It has been over 12 years since a symposium on FAS/FAE, sponsored by Health Canada, was held in October 1992 in Vancouver. All key sectors and regions were represented including provinces, professions, non-government organizations (including the Canada Safety Council) and First Nations. That symposium concluded that FAS is common, expensive and preventable. I think you will agree that since that time, due in part to the lack of a national strategy, little has been done to advance this very important public health concern.

Millions of dollars will be available to implement alcohol labelling legislation if it is passed. The Canada Safety Council challenges you to use this money instead to develop and implement an effective national FAS/FAE strategy. Until this strategy is put into place, efforts to eradicate this serious problem will fail.

Sincerely,

Emile-J. Therien
President , Canada Safety Council

Return to top of page