On August 12, 2026, the Government of Canada published an Order amending the Domestic Substances List (DSL) in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 160, Number 17. This order represents the first addition of R-ICL substances to the DSL. This batch contains 656 substances.
Once a substance is added to the DSL, these substances will be removed from the R-ICL. Importantly, these substances will not be subject to the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR) but could be captured under other existing substances initiatives.
The addition of these substances to the DSL is a positive development and an important step in addressing the longstanding status of R-ICL substances under CEPA. While the Government has historically relied on a policy approach under which NSN requirements were not requested for R-ICL substances, the substances remained technically outside the DSL. The 2023 CEPA amendments provided a legislative pathway to formally recognize eligible R-ICL substances on the DSL.
The Government intends to add eligible R-ICL substances to the DSL in phases. Cosmetics Alliance (CA) Canada, along with other stakeholders, has been asked to provide input to support the prioritization of the remaining R-ICL substances for future additions to the DSL. This work is currently being addressed through our technical committees.
CA Canada will continue to engage with Health Canada and ECCC on the prioritization of the remaining R-ICL substances and will keep members informed as this work progresses.
Members are encouraged to check the list of 656 substances to determine whether any substances relevant to their products are included and update their regulatory status, where required.
Please note that we have had reports of substances being removed from the R-ICL but not appearing on the DSL in the Substances Search Tool. These are being investigated. If you find any substances in this situation, please let us know. We would be happy to help clarify their legal status.
For more information or questions, please contact the Substances Management Information Line at substances@ec.gc.ca. Members may also contact the CA Regulatory Team at regulatory@cosmeticsalliance.ca.
