November 22, 2022

We’ve heard that there continues to be a shortage of supply of baby formula that has seriously affected families and babies in our community. Some of this is due to the Abbot brand’s production facility which closed on February 17, 2022. This closure has had a serious impact on getting baby formula to market and has left many parents scrambling to find a solution. As of July 1, 2022, the facility re-opened but it has not returned to full production capacity and isn’t scheduled to until sometime in 2023.

We understand the complexity of the situation, however, a year later, many parents continue to be anxious and concerned about whether they will be able to properly nourish their babies. We’re asking the Minister of Health for an update on this information in the spirit of transparency so parents can plan better.

According to Health Canada’s website, the Ministry of Health is in frequent contact with manufacturers and is monitoring the situation closely and we understand that Health Canada anticipates a return to full production sometime in 2023, however parents deserve to know exactly when they can expect to see shelves stocked with infant formula.

Please see letter to the Minister of Health requesting an update on this shortage here:

LETTER TO MINISTER OF HEALTH- Formula shortage

For additional information directly from Health Canada’s website, please see the links below:
Health Canada Baby Formula Information Post
Health Canada Shortage Chart

Minister’s Response on December 21st 2022:
Minister Response