What We Are Working On
Celiac Canada works with governments, healthcare leaders, researchers, industry and the celiac community to turn evidence into practical change. Our priorities support one goal: helping people be found sooner, treated safely and equitably, and connected to research that can lead to better therapies and a cure.
Why action is urgent:
- Celiac disease affects about one in 100 people.
- An estimated 70% to 80% remain undiagnosed.
- The average path to diagnosis is still about 10 years.
- Only one in five people claims the existing gluten-free food tax relief because the process is too burdensome.
FIND: Earlier diagnosis. Better care.
A shorter path to diagnosis
Too many people spend years seeking answers while preventable complications develop. Symptoms can affect many parts of the body and are often mistaken for other conditions. Covered blood testing was a major step; now Canada needs a more consistent pathway from recognition to diagnosis and follow-up care.
We are advocating for:
- A national celiac disease strategy with measurable goals to reduce diagnosis delays and improve health outcomes.
- Canadian or North American clinical practice guidelines and stronger education for primary care providers and other healthcare professionals.
- Better celiac data, more consistent laboratory requisitions and practical screening approaches for people at higher risk.
- Public awareness that reflects gastrointestinal, neurological, reproductive, mental health and other less-recognized symptoms.
- Meaningful inclusion of celiac disease in women’s health, men’s health, autoimmune disease and healthy aging initiatives.
Our goal: Reduce the path to diagnosis from 10 years to months, then ensure people receive evidence-based follow-up and nutrition care.
TREAT: Safe food must be accessible.
Make the gluten-free medical diet more affordable
For celiac disease, food is medicine. Yet gluten-free staples can cost far more than their gluten-containing equivalents, while the current Medical Expense Tax Credit requires year-long receipt collection, product-by-product price comparisons and household calculations. The credit is non-refundable, leaving many households especially low income without meaningful support for their medical condition.
We are advocating for:
- A simple, refundable credit: $1,000 per adult and $600 per child diagnosed with celiac disease.
- Removal of routine receipt tracking and item-by-item calculations for a medically required diet.
- Short-term administrative relief while legislative change is pursued.
- Stronger access to safe gluten-free food through food banks and community programs.
Create clearer labels and safer food rules
People with celiac disease need labels that are consistent, evidence-based and easy to use. Canada has strong foundations, but gaps and conflicting statements still create uncertainty for consumers and unnecessary complexity for responsible manufacturers.
We are advocating for:
- Canadian implementation of the new Codex risk-based guidance for precautionary labels such as “May contain.”
- Modernized gluten-free regulations brought together in one clear, accessible framework.
- Consistent use of “gluten-free / sans gluten” and clear rules for gluten-free oats, fortification and online product information.
- Ongoing surveillance, research and industry education to protect the safety of the gluten-free food supply.
Make public food programs and care settings inclusive
A medically required diet cannot stop at the school door, during a hospital stay or when someone enters long-term care. Safe inclusion requires standards, trained staff and food-service systems that prevent cross-contact.
We are advocating for:
- Safe gluten-free options, training and cross-contact controls within the National School Food Program and provincial delivery plans.
- Funded standards, education and accountability for hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes.
- Wider implementation of Celiac Canada’s Gluten-Free Food Service Guide.
- Healthy aging and home-support initiatives that help older adults manage celiac disease safely and remain independent.
Build a stronger Canadian gluten-free food supply
Canada can improve domestic food security and become a global leader in safe gluten-free grains, ingredients and value-added foods. Achieving that potential requires investment across the full supply chain – not only at the farm gate.
We are advocating for:
- A current assessment of Canada’s gluten-free oat, pulse, grain and seed supply and contamination risks.
- Capital and equipment support for dedicated or carefully controlled handling, storage, transportation, milling and processing.
- Education and technical assistance for farmers and processors on seed, crop rotation, cross-contact prevention, sampling and traceability.
- A renewed national value-chain working session and stronger export-readiness support for Canadian businesses.
CURE: Accelerate discovery and access.
Advance research, treatments and better health data
A strict gluten-free diet remains the only treatment today, but research is improving diagnosis, monitoring and the possibility of new therapies. Canadians should benefit from – and contribute to – that progress.
We are advocating for:
- Greater federal investment in celiac disease research and recognition of celiac priorities within national health research strategies.
- Canadian participation in clinical trials, supported by trial-ready sites, informed patients and more efficient review processes.
- Research and data systems that improve diagnosis, standards of care and understanding of health inequities.
- Patient partnership so lived experience helps shape research questions, policy and future treatments
Be Part of the Change
Your experience is evidence. By sharing your story, staying informed and speaking up when action is needed, you help decision-makers understand what living with celiac disease really requires.
Help make positive change happen with a donation to our advocacy efforts!
