Can I find out if a business's products have ever been recalled?

Yes, at least for recalls that went through a formal public process. Health Canada maintains a public recall and safety alert database covering many categories of consumer products, and a past recall involving the business's products would typically appear there if it went through an official notification process. This is a useful and easy first check, but it won't necessarily catch every issue — informal product returns, voluntary corrections handled quietly with retailers or customers, or safety concerns that never escalated to a formal recall won't show up in a public database search.

Because the public record only tells part of the story, ask the seller directly whether the business has ever had a product recall, safety complaint pattern, or informal correction process, and get a representation and warranty covering product safety history in the purchase agreement. This matters not just for legal exposure but for what it tells you about the products or supply chain you're inheriting, since a past recall can point to a quality control issue that persists regardless of who owns the business.

Combine a Health Canada database search with direct written questions to the seller, rather than relying on either alone. A Treadstone business lawyer can help draft appropriate representations around product safety history.