Requesting permission to use foreign seats

[Papooses]

Canada has a rather limited selection of seats, especially for very tall children.... In the US we can petition NHTSA for permission to use a foreign seat legally (ex: for Swedish seats to give Special Needs kids the added benefit of longer RF) -- is there a similar process in Canada

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

[Jewels]

Originally Posted by Papooses

Canada has a rather limited selection of seats, especially for very tall children.... In the US we can petition NHTSA for permission to use a foreign seat legally (ex: for Swedish seats to give Special Needs kids the added benefit of longer RF) -- is there a similar process in Canada

I don't know if you can petition anyone, but I have been in contact with Transport Canada about this and will let you know what they say as soon as I hear from them!

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

[Jewels]

I talked to our car seat safety guy in Manitoba and he told me that you can't bring US car seats to Canada. There is no way of having them certified.
He also said that if you lived in the US and moved to Canada and vice versa you would have to get new seats. If I hear anything else I will let you know

[Jewels]

This is what TPC emailed me:
> This is in reply to your Webmail inquiry of November 3, 2006, concerning child restraint systems with higher weight limits, like the Britax Regent.
>
> Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act <http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/m/mvsa/act/mvsa.html>, Transport Canada develops and enforces the Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions Safety Regulations <http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/m/mvsa/regulations/rssr/rssr.htm> (RSSR). Manufacturers or importers of equipment for use in the restraint of children must affix the national safety mark (i.e., a label with the Canadian maple leaf) to their products to certify they meet all applicable requirements in effect on the date of manufacture. The RSSR specifies administrative, labelling, installation instructions and Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) testing requirements for all prescribed classes of restraint system or booster cushion. Transport Canada monitors and ensures compliance with the RSSR by providing technical advice to manufacturers, conducting audits of manufacturers' certification documentation, conducting compliance testing, investigating compliance test failures and other non-compliance conditions, and investigating public complaints alleging safety-related defects.
>
> In regards to the Britax Regent, a forward-facing only restraint system designed for children weighing between 22 and 80 pounds, you are correct in that the product is not currently available in Canada. Please note, however, that the decision to market in Canada a particular model of equipment for use in the restraint of children rests with the manufacturer and/or the authorized importer. One aspect of this decision is the manufacturer's ability to meet its certification responsibilities. At this time, we are not aware of Britax> '> s intentions for Canada with respect to the aforementioned product, but you are certainly welcome to contact Britax Consumer Services at 1-888-427-4829.
>
> Notwithstanding the above, if Britax ever decided to market the Regent in Canada, the product would fall within the class of restraint system defined as > "> child restraint system> "> and it would have to meet all applicable requirements prescribed for child restraint systems. Currently, since by definition child restraint systems must be designed for use by persons whose weight is not less than 9 kg (20 pounds) and not more than 22 kg (48 pounds), the maximum weight use limit for the Regent, as recommended by Britax, could not exceed 48 pounds in Canada. This upper weight use limit of 22 kg (48 pounds) is intended to ensure the relevancy of the current dynamic test requirements using an anthropomorphic test device (i.e., a crash test dummy) representing a 3-year-old child weighing 33 pounds.
>
> For your information, the U.S. have recently upgraded their standard specifying requirements for child restraint systems (i.e., Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213) to introduce a new family of anthropomorphic test devices, some of which represent older children. This has allowed them to extend the upper weight use limit of child restraint systems to 30 kg (65 pounds) and to propose raising this limit even further to 36 kg (80 pounds) in order to offer parents and caregivers the option to keep their children longer in a child restraint system with an internal five-point harness for optimum protection. Transport Canada recognizes the merit and has undertaken to amend the RSSR accordingly.
>
> Finally, you should note that, while Transport Canada and the manufacturers or importers are responsible for the safety of the actual equipment for use in the restraint of children, it is the provinces and territories that mandate and enforce their use. Provinces and territories also require that products bear the national safety mark. Hence, it is not advisable to purchase a restraint system in the U.S. and use it in Canada, because it would not comply with the RSSR and it could not be used legally in any province or territory.>
>
> We trust this suitably answers your questions, and we thank you for your interest in road safety.
>
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulations,
Transport Canada

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

[Papooses]

Thank you for the thorough response! Sorry it took so long to respond -- it's too bad they wouldn't allow the Regent to be used past 48# I'd rather risk tickets/fines But, hopefully they do amend the law as they say they're looking into doing!

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

[Kranberry]

Here's Transport Canada's public notice on US Car Seats

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/child..._e.pdf#page=81

[Papooses]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.... But it sounds like they're confused

My understanding of that is that they claim their testing standard = 28.4" head excursion only (untethered is not allowed) & that US = 32" only. They're wrong. US = 32" untethered / 28" tethered. So, while they claim CMVSS is "better" reading further it seems that FMVSS is "better" by .4"

I don't believe one is truly better than the other -- US should require top tethering like Canada does, but Canada should allow for higher weight harnessing. Especially for seats that are designed exactly the same save for different stickers & manuals to suit the different regulations!

So, this has not changed my mind: I'd still risk a ticket rather than put an obese toddler in a booster before the maturity level is acceptable for proper use *SHRUG*

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.