Canada’s federal research agency has approved a multi-year contract worth more than $1.3 million for the supply of laboratory animals, renewing attention on the country’s use of live animals in scientific testing despite years of political pressure to restrict the practice.The National Research Council of Canada issued an advance contract award notice confirming a five-year agreement to purchase rabbits, mice, rats and hamsters for federally supported research programs.The contract, valued at about $1.25 million, was awarded to Charles River Laboratories in Saint-Constant, Que.According to the notice, the animals must be delivered in good health and accompanied by health status documentation. The agency also specified requirements for “specific pathogen-free laboratory animals” to support approved research protocols.“The Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre requires the supply and delivery of specific pathogen-fee laboratory animals or equivalent required to support approved research protocols,” the notice stated.The centre says its mandate includes accelerating development of biologics such as vaccines and other medical products.The Research Council did not respond to requests for comment.The purchase comes against a backdrop of sustained advocacy efforts aimed at reducing or eliminating animal testing in Canada, including campaigns supported by figures such as Laureen Harper and the Humane Society..In recent years, Parliament has moved to restrict animal testing in specific industries. In 2023, amendments to the Food and Drugs Act prohibited reliance on animal testing for cosmetics safety data, effectively banning cosmetic animal testing where alternatives are available.The law states that no cosmetic may be sold if its safety is established using test data derived from animal experiments that cause pain, suffering or injury.Earlier advocacy efforts included a Senate bill, S-214, which sought to fully ban cosmetic animal testing in Canada. Although a later version passed the Senate in 2018, it did not become law after stalling in the House of Commons.Public pressure on the issue has remained high. In 2022, more than 69,000 emails and letters were sent to the Department of Health calling for stricter limits on animal testing.A government briefing note from that period acknowledged public concern over animal welfare, stating officials “recognizes Canadians are concerned about the well-being of animals.”However, federal documents have also confirmed that animal testing remains part of regulatory and safety systems in some areas. In a 2016 regulatory notice related to toy safety, the Department of Health described methods that include applying chemicals to the eyes of albino rabbits to assess potential harm from consumer products.Other testing methods described in regulatory guidance include skin irritation studies in which fur is clipped from rabbits, chemicals are applied to exposed skin, and the animals are wrapped in protective material for extended exposure periods.The guidance stated that a “positive test” is indicated by visible or irreversible tissue damage, a standard used to assess safety risks in certain materials.
