November 21, 2023
The Canadian Lung Association was very pleased to see draft legislation for a tobacco industry cost-recovery fee included in today’s Fall Economic Statement.
“The ‘polluter pays’ model is something we’ve long been calling for,” says Terry Dean, President and CEO of the Canadian Lung Association. “We cannot have an effective federal tobacco strategy without industry accountability.”
Tobacco continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada, killing over 46,000 annually. In 2018, the federal government unveiled Canada’s Tobacco Strategy, including the goal of less than 5% smoking rate by 2035; the current smoking rate is approximately 12%. Health Canada committed $330 million over five years (or $66 million annually) to the strategy to help meet this goal that Dean calls “ambitious yet achievable”.
“This is a significant announcement. Funding to limit the impact of tobacco on Canadians has been sporadic and scarce. Asking the industry to pay for it — and we must ensure that the amount is substantial — means that Canada can invest in bold measures to protect the lung health of Canadians. We hope to see provinces follow through with their own cost recovery fees.”
Learn more about CLA's work speaking up for lung-healthy policies for Canadians.
Sarah Butson
Canadian Lung Association
policy@lung.ca
647-904-2817
