Demonstrates Strong Commitment to the Health and Safety of the Company's Employees

ONTARIO, Canada, April 23, 2012--Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company", or "Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ), one of the world's largest solar companies, today announced that it has passed the OHSAS 18001 international standards for occupational health and safety after auditing by TUV Rheinland.

OHSAS 18001 is a standard for Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems. It is intended to help organizations control occupational health and safety risks. It was developed in response to widespread demand for a recognized standard against which to be certified and assessed. This standard was developed to integrate ISO 9000 (quality) and ISO 14000 (environmental) with an organization's occupational health and safety management system. The compliance requirements for this standard have become important in markets around the world led by Europe in recent years.

Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar, commented, "We are delighted to achieve this latest certification, which demonstrates our commitment to the health and safety of our employees as well as to overall improvement of our quality management systems to support our industry leadership."

Canadian Solar also holds ISO 14001, REACH (registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals) and QC080000 environmental management system certifications, with QC080000 serving as the international standard for the management of hazardous substances.

About TUV Rheinland

Founded in 1872 and headquartered in Cologne, Germany, TUV Rheinland is a global leader in independent testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services. The company inspects technical equipment, products and services; oversees projects; and helps to shape processes for U.S. companies seeking entry to worldwide markets. With 16,000 employees, TUV Rheinland maintains a presence in 500 locations in more than 60 countries. In addition, it encompasses an international network of approved labs, testing facilities and education centers, and its experts train people across a wide range of industries. For more information, visit www.tuv.com/us.

About Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ)

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is one of the world's largest solar companies. As a leading vertically integrated provider of ingots, wafers, solar cells, solar modules and other solar applications, Canadian Solar designs, manufactures and delivers solar products and solar system solutions for on-grid and off-grid use to customers worldwide. With operations in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, Canadian Solar provides premium quality, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solar solutions to support global, sustainable development. For more information, please visit www.canadiansolar.com.