Car seat law in Canada??

[janey99]

Canadian posters, is it true that you must, by law purchase your car seat in Canada?

TIA

Jane

 

[bdoyledimou]

I have not heard that law, can't find reference to it either.

I know being Canadian it is convenient to purchase it here though.

 

[janey99]

I have not heard that law, can't find reference to it either.

I know being Canadian it is convenient to purchase it here though.

I suspected as much. MIL is encouraging me to give my baby stuff to my ingrate SIL, who is insisting it would be AGAINST THE LAW for her to take it, since Canadian law requires carseats to be purchased in Canada.

This is a one year old, perfect condition, 200$ carseat.

Oh well, ya just can't help some people.

Jane

 

[Northstar]

I don't think there's a law like this, but I do know that the standards for carseats are independently arrived at in the US and Canada, and thus it's not clear whether a carseat meant for the US would meet the Canadian standards and vice versa.

It's just way easier to buy items that are manufactured for your market than it is to try to figure out whether it's approved. Try arguing with the maternity hospital when they look for the seal of approval sticker or whatever it's called when you are ready to leave with your newborn (yes, my hospital actually inspected my carseat)... "it's new and it cost $200 in the US" just doesn't persuade them.

So you may need to give your SIL a pass on this one...

 

[crashbb]

Actually, I believe that your sister-in-law is correct (though it is possible that the laws have changed since I had to look into it).

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...071121/20071121?hub=TopStories#commentSection

 

[damo]

The car seats have to have a Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards sticker. Not sure if she could take the car seat somewhere to have it certified.

From the Transport Canada website:

Transport Canada is concerned that parents and caregivers may not know that it is illegal to import and use in Canada a seat that does not comply with Canadian standards. Many consumers are looking south of the border and in other countries for the best buy without knowing all of the facts. Child seats and booster seats sold in the U.S. and other countries do not meet Canadian federal regulations and, under provincial and territorial legislations, are illegal to use in Canada.

 

[Tiger926]

Yes. All car seats used in Canada, must have Canadian sticker on it, and the only way for this is to purchase seat in Canada.

You must purchase your seat in Canada, if you are going to use your seat in Canada.

If you are caught, you may be fined, but you also might have insurance issues. If you were purchasing it in the U.S. and attempted to cross the border, your seat would more than likely be confiscated. As also mentioned above, all seats are inspected at hospital before baby is allowed to go home, so if nurse sees a U.S. seat, she more than likely will not allow the baby to go home in that seat.

I live in a border city, so we've seen this lots as car seats are cheaper and more selection in U.S. But, we have stricter standards in regards to car seats, than U.S. and that is why seats must be purchased here if used in Canada.

HTH, Tiger

 

[maddiel]

It's been a while since I dealt with car seats. but I seem to remember that if it's a model of car seat that is already approved and sold in Canada it's possible to get it stickered, but if the particular model is not sold in Canada you're either out of luck or it's a huge hassle


M.

 

[pixiewings71]

So if you have a child in a car seat and you're visiting Canada from the US do you have to buy a new car seat? Just wondering, my BFF has family in Canada and her brother has a little boy, I never thought about what they had to do when they went to Canada....they do buy him his own plane ticket so I assumed they took his car seat.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Your SIL is 100% correct. The hospital would not allow her to take her baby home from the hospital (assuming the car seat would be for a newborn) with a seat from the US.

My best friend is pregnant and came down to Seattle (from Edmonton) to visit and to shop for baby gear. She had been planning on buying a car seat here because they are a lot cheaper, but luckily looked into the regulations before buying. Car seats used in Canada must be purchased in Canada. Even car seats that meet both sets of regulations must have a sticker to say that they meet Canadian regulations applied by the manufacturer, or they are not valid. In fact, I installed a Britax Boulevard in my car yesterday and noticed that the instructions included a seperate set of Canadian installation instructions.... so clearly the Boulevard meets Canadian regulations and is the same car seat sold in the US and Canada, but unless you buy it in Canada, you are out of luck.

Here is an article from CTV on the issue:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071121/car_seats_071121/20071121?hub=TopStories