It's commonly repeated that sodium bromide has been banned in Canada, that Health Canada considers bromine to be unsafe for hot tubs, and other such things. While it is true that certain sodium bromide products have been found to have health risks, and banned for sale by regulations from Health Canada, the truth is that sodium bromide is still legal, and found to be safe by Health Canada for other uses including the main "waterbear" bromine method found in this forum.
The following sodium bromide products/applications have been banned by Health Canada:
Liquid chlorine (bleach) is supposed to be better at activating bromide into bromine with fewer dissolved solids (sulphites) anyway, so that's generally not recommended on this forum anyway. To my understanding, neither ozonation or UV are particularly useful, and certainly not necessary for a bromine spa, so if your tub is so equipped and you'd like to use bromine legally and safely, you could feel free to disable or remove the UV/ozonation equipment.
So why is pure sodium bromide hard to find, then? My guess is that electrolysis and MPS formed the majority of applications for bromine, and these applications are now not permitted. Secondly, I think a lot of the misinformation and confusion about sodium bromide has led people to thinking that it's not allowed in Canada, and that they shouldn't be buying it, further decreasing the demand for it in stores. Finally, the Health Canada regulations require labeling to the effect that sodium bromide shouldn't be used in combination with electrolysis, ozonation or UV, and I imagine that manufacturers and retailers have determined that it isn't worth the hassle to update product labels for the admittedly small market for sodium bromide.
The good news is that since it's legal, it's still possible to find and order sodium bromide, despite it being more difficult to find in stores, and still safe for use as long as you are using it as directed, without MPS, ozonation, or UV.
TL;DR- Sodium bromide is still legal and safe to use in Canada without MPS, ozonation, and UV; it's just harder to find.
The following sodium bromide products/applications have been banned by Health Canada:
- sodium bromide spa products used in combination with potassium monopersulfate (MPS)
- sodium bromide swimming pool and spa products used in combination with electrolysis, ozonation or UV
Liquid chlorine (bleach) is supposed to be better at activating bromide into bromine with fewer dissolved solids (sulphites) anyway, so that's generally not recommended on this forum anyway. To my understanding, neither ozonation or UV are particularly useful, and certainly not necessary for a bromine spa, so if your tub is so equipped and you'd like to use bromine legally and safely, you could feel free to disable or remove the UV/ozonation equipment.
So why is pure sodium bromide hard to find, then? My guess is that electrolysis and MPS formed the majority of applications for bromine, and these applications are now not permitted. Secondly, I think a lot of the misinformation and confusion about sodium bromide has led people to thinking that it's not allowed in Canada, and that they shouldn't be buying it, further decreasing the demand for it in stores. Finally, the Health Canada regulations require labeling to the effect that sodium bromide shouldn't be used in combination with electrolysis, ozonation or UV, and I imagine that manufacturers and retailers have determined that it isn't worth the hassle to update product labels for the admittedly small market for sodium bromide.
The good news is that since it's legal, it's still possible to find and order sodium bromide, despite it being more difficult to find in stores, and still safe for use as long as you are using it as directed, without MPS, ozonation, or UV.
TL;DR- Sodium bromide is still legal and safe to use in Canada without MPS, ozonation, and UV; it's just harder to find.
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