Only drugs that Health Canada has determined do not pose a risk to human health or food safety may be imported by livestock producers and only in limited quantities. Antimicrobial drugs important to human health and used in food-producing animals cannot be imported into Canada under the country’s Own Use Importation policy.

A new program will allow manufacturers to import low-risk veterinary health products such as vitamin and mineral supplements for companion and food-producing animals.

“The two initiatives that came into force today demonstrate Canada’s commitment to taking concrete action to counter the potentially devastating effects of the emergence and spread of AMR,” Health Canada said in a statement.