Canada’s supply chain law introduces changes for apparel retailers

Canada’s supply chain law introduces big changes for apparel retailers

Canada is moving forward with new regulations to promote more socially sustainable supply chains amid continued reports linking major apparel brands and retailers to forced labour, writes Rejean Provost from retail sourcing platform TradeBeyond.

“By some measures, Bill S-211 may be the most sweeping supply chain due diligence law in North America, even more so than the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA),” explains TradeBeyond’s Provost. Credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.

This spring, Canada passed its most significant supply chain law in a generation for apparel retailers: Bill S-211, officially known as the “Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act.” Effective on 1 January 2024, the law places the responsibility on brands, retailers, and importers to identify and prevent human rights violations within their supplier networks.

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