Enforcement guidelines
June 13, 2003
Copyright and permission to reproduce
This publication is not a legal document. It is intended to provide general information and is provided for convenience. To learn more, please refer to the full text of the Acts or contact the Competition Bureau.
For information on the Competition Bureau's activities, please contact:
Information Centre
Competition Bureau
50 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0C9Telephone: 819‑997‑4282
Telephone (toll-free in Canada): 1‑800‑348‑5358
TTY (for hearing impaired): 1‑866‑694‑8389
Fax: 819‑997‑0324
Website: www.competitionbureau.gc.caThis publication can be made available in alternative formats upon request. Contact the Competition Bureau's Information Centre at the numbers listed above.
Permission to reproduce
Except as otherwise specifically noted, the information in this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Competition Bureau, provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that the Competition Bureau is identified as the source institution; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced or as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, the Competition Bureau.
For permission to reproduce the information in this publication for commercial purposes, please fill out the Application for Crown Copyright Clearance or contact the ISED Citizen Services Centre mentioned below.
ISED Citizen Services Centre
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
C.D. Howe Building
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5
CanadaTelephone (toll-free in Canada): 1‑800‑328‑6189
Telephone (international): 613‑954‑5031
TTY (for hearing impaired): 1‑866‑694‑8389
Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Email: ISED@ised-isde.gc.ca© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2003.
Aussi offert en français sous le titre Bois de chauffage préemballé.
The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that ensures all Canadians enjoy the benefits of a competitive economy. It is headed by the Commissioner of Competition who oversees the application of the Competition Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Textile Labelling Act, and the Precious Metals Marking Act.
The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act requires that prepackaged consumer products bear accurate and meaningful labelling information to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. The Act prohibits the making of false or misleading representations and sets out specifications for mandatory label information such as the product's name, net quantity and dealer identity.
This business advisory is intended to help dealers comply with the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act when labelling prepackaged firewood.
On this page
Labelling prepackaged firewood
Mandatory label information
Whether it is bagged, boxed, bundled or baled, firewood (including kindling) packaged for sale to the consumer requires a label, stating the product identity, the name and address of the responsible dealer and the net quantity.
The product identity (what's in the package).
Show this in both English and French, e.g.Firewood Bois de chauffage
The lettering must be at least 1.6 mm high.
The name and address of the responsible dealer.
(May be in either official language; lettering should be at least 1.6 mm high.)The net quantity of the firewood
Prepackaged firewood, cut and/or split, must be sold in packages with a net quantity statement declared in terms of volume expressed in cubic decimetres (dm3). See instructions below to learn how to calculate net quantity. The declaration is based on "stacked/empilé" volume, and packers are encouraged to indicate this in the net quantity statement. For example:20 dm3 (stacked/empilé)
If the wood is comprised of pieces obtained from lumber yards, wood mills, furniture manufactures, etc. as scrap from their processes, the net quantity of the package must be declared in terms of weight and expressed in grams or kilograms.
Type and form of label
If the firewood is packaged in a box or bag, apply the label information to the principal display panel (normally the large side) of the container. Or, for bags, it may be on a header card type label attached to the closure. For wood wrapped in straps, the label may be in the form of a hang tag attached to the straps.
Bilingual requirements
The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations requires that all mandatory label information be shown in English and French except the dealer's name and address which can appear in either language.
However, a prepackaged product is exempt from the Act's bilingual labelling requirements if it is sold in a local government unit in which one of the official languages is the mother tongue of less than 10 per cent of its residents.
The province of Quebec has additional requirements concerning the use of the French language on all products marketed within its jurisdiction. Information on these requirements may be obtained from the:
Office de la langue française125 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec
H2X 1X4
Telephone: 514‑873‑6565
Toll free: 1‑888‑873‑6202
Web site: http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/
Calculating net quantity of firewood in cubic decimeters (dm3)

- stack the firewood relatively square (with a minimum of air space between the pieces);
- measure the dimensions of the stack;
- if your measurements are in inches, multiply the width by the height by the length and divide the result by 61.024.
W x H x L =__ dm3 61.024
If your measurements are in centimeters, multiple W by H by L and divide the result by 1000.

For cylindrical bundles, measure the diameter (D) and the length (L) of the bundle in decimeters (0.10 meter) before using the formula shown below:
Formula for determining volume of a cylinder: D2 x L x 0.7854 = dm3
If your measurements are in centimeters, divide the results by 1,000.
Offence and punishment
It is important to be accurate with the net quantity statement and any other information on the label. It is an offence under the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act to make a false or misleading statement or claim relating to a consumer product. Packages where the actual net quantity is found to be short of the declared net quantity, beyond prescribed tolerances, may be considered to be labeled with a misleading statement.
The court can impose a fine of up to $5,000 on summary conviction or $10,000 on conviction on indictment to anyone found guilty of making a false or misleading labelling claim on a prepackaged product.
How to get more information
For information on the regulations for selling firewood by the cord, contact Measurement Canada, Industry Canada, listed in the blue pages of your telephone directory.
For more information on the laws that govern the labelling and advertising of consumer products, please contact the Competition Bureau's Information
Information CentreCompetition Bureau
50 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0C9
Tel.: 819‑997‑4282
Toll‑free: 1‑800‑348‑5358
TDD (for hearing impaired): 1‑866‑694‑8389
Fax: 819‑997‑0324
Online: Enquiries/Complaints
Web site: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca