New Amendments Target Greenwashing in Bill C-59

In the recently passed Bill C-59, known as the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, an amendment to Section 74.01 of the Competition Act has been included to combat “greenwashing.” This amendment mandates that companies and organizations must substantiate environmental, social, or ecological benefit claims with “adequate and proper” testing, conforming to internationally recognized methodologies. The exact nature of these methodologies remains ambiguous, potentially necessitating further regulation and court cases for clarification. The stringent requirements have already led the carbon capture-focused Pathways Alliance to remove related content from their social media and website. The RealAg Issues panel has also discussed the legal implications for producers, commodity organizations, and individual farms, highlighting the potential for litigation against those unable to sufficiently prove their claims.