On March 30, 2026, Health Canada has introduced an important operational change for Natural Health Product (NHP) site licence submissions. Through Natural Health Products Site Licensing and Good Manufacturing Practices Inspection Bulletin No. 11, the Health Product Compliance Directorate confirmed that it is transitioning away from ePost Connect and moving all site licence submission activities to LiquidFiles.
While this update is procedural rather than legislative, it has immediate implications for regulatory teams, Quality Assurance Persons (QAP), importers, manufacturers, and any company responsible for maintaining an active NHP site licence under Part 2 of the Natural Health Products Regulations.
As site licensing is foundational to legal market access in Canada, failure to adapt to the new submission process could result in rejected renewals, delayed amendments, missed notifications, or disruptions to ongoing licensing correspondence.
Health Canada Is Replacing ePost Connect with LiquidFiles for Site Licensing
To improve submission handling and address known issues associated with ePost Connect, Health Canada is now migrating all NHP site licence submission activity to LiquidFiles.
Effective March 30, 2026, LiquidFiles will be used to:
- receive all site licence submissions
- manage all submission-related correspondence
- issue regulatory decisions and issuance letters
- send Clarimails and Information Request Notices (IRNs)
- receive responses to Health Canada questions
- communicate refusals, amendments, notifications, renewals, and relinquishments
This applies specifically to site licensing activities, including:
- new site licence applications
- amendments
- renewals
- notifications
- relinquishments
Importantly, this process change does not apply to product licence applications (NPN submissions). These applications must continue to follow the existing Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) electronic submission pathway, including the current Trading Partner Agreement requirements and established electronic filing process.
Deadline for LiquidFiles Transition: May 1, 2026
Health Canada has established a one-month transition period from March 30, 2026, to April 30, 2026. During this period, companies may continue to submit site licence packages through either ePost Connect or LiquidFiles.
- However, beginning May 1, 2026, Health Canada will stop accepting:
- new site licence submissions through ePost Connect
- new submission correspondence through ePost Connect
- submissions sent by alternative means
After this date, only submissions received through the LiquidFiles Site Licence Submission Gateway will be processed. Health Canada has clearly indicated that submissions sent through other channels will be rejected.
Centralized Submission and Correspondence Workflow Through LiquidFiles
A key operational benefit of Health Canada’s transition to LiquidFiles is the consolidation of both site licence submissions and all related regulatory correspondence into a single secure workflow.
Rather than separating initial filings from post-submission communications, the updated process now centralizes the full site licence lifecycle, including submission intake, administrative routing, Clarimails, IRNs, deficiency responses, issuance letters, refusal notices, and other follow-up exchanges. From a compliance and business continuity perspective, this creates a more streamlined, traceable communication environment for any company managing active site licence files.
For brands, manufacturers, importers, and service providers responsible for maintaining a Canadian NHP site licence, the impact is about ensuring that internal submission processes, document controls, shared inbox monitoring, and response responsibilities are aligned with Health Canada’s updated workflow. Standardized submission identifiers and secure email authentication now form part of the broader administrative controls that support timely review and uninterrupted file continuity.
Because these procedural requirements directly affect how submissions are received, routed, and managed throughout the review cycle, companies should refer to Health Canada’s Bulletin No. 11 for the complete operational instructions and formatting expectations.
Important Exception for Existing ePost Connect Clarimails
Health Canada has included one critical exception in its transition to LiquidFiles, any company that currently has an open Clarimail, IRN, or Product Information Form request that originated in ePost Connect, must continue responding within ePost Connect until that specific exchange is complete.
Only subsequent follow-up requests after that response will transition into LiquidFiles. Teams should carefully track which files are mid-cycle to avoid accidentally splitting correspondence across platforms.
Trading Partner Agreements Are No Longer Required for New Site Licence Applications
One of the more practical process simplifications introduced in Bulletin No. 11 is that applicants no longer need to apply for a Trading Partner Agreement before applying for a new site licence.
This reduces an early administrative step and streamlines submission readiness for first-time importers, new Canadian entities, foreign manufacturers establishing importer relationships, and early-stage NHP brands building their internal compliance infrastructure.
It is important to note that this change applies only to site licence applications. The requirement has not been removed for product-related submissions. Organizations must still apply for a Trading Partner Agreement to submit NHP product licence applications to the NNHPD.
Final Remarks
The transition from ePost Connect to LiquidFiles reflects Health Canada’s continued modernization of site licensing operations and introduces updated procedural expectations for how site licence applications and related correspondence are submitted, received, and managed. With the transition period ending on May 1, 2026, site licence holders should ensure that internal submission workflows, controlled procedures, and designated responsible personnel are fully aligned with the new process requirements.
For organizations already navigating the broader 2026 changes to GMP and site licensing expectations, early implementation of the LiquidFiles workflow will support stronger submission control and more efficient interactions with Health Canada. Proactive alignment at this stage can help minimize avoidable administrative deficiencies, facilitate timely responses to clarimails and information requests, and reduce the risk of delays across ongoing site licence activities.
How SNI Supports NHP Site Licence Compliance
As Health Canada continues to modernize site licensing operations, submission success increasingly depends on both dossier accuracy and operational readiness. Beyond technical compliance, organizations must ensure their internal processes, document controls, and response workflows align with the updated submission framework to support efficient review and avoid preventable delays.
SNI supports NHP companies with end-to-end site licence strategy, including new applications, renewals, amendments, notifications, deficiency responses, GMP evidence alignment, foreign site oversight documentation, and overall submission readiness under Health Canada’s updated operational model. Our team works closely with clients to ensure that filing pathways, supporting evidence, and internal responsibilities are aligned prior to submission.
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