Canada Proposes Amendments to the Toys Regulations

Vol. 1002 | 05 Dec 2017

On November 4, 2017, Health Canada published proposed amendments to the Canadian Toys Regulations to address the magnetic toys and magnetic components of toys.

The proposed amendments formalize Health Canada’s guidance on strong magnets in toys and also align the Canadian Toys Regulations with US and EU requirements for magnets in toys.

Following is a summary of the proposed revisions:

• Toys shall not have strong magnets or magnetic components that fit inside the small part cylinder as received or after foreseeable use testing
  • A strong magnet is defined as one with a magnetic flux index of 0.5 T²mm² (50 kG²mm²)
  • The foreseeable use testing aligns with the ASTM F963-16 with an exception to the number of cycles proposed; where the Canadian regulation proposes to use only 10 attach-detach cycles, ASTM F963-16 requires 1000 cycles
  • The Canadian regulation also retains use of force up to 4.45 N while evaluating whether the magnet or magnetic component fits inside the small part cylinder
• Exemptions
  • Magnets and magnetic components used in educations kits for carrying out experiments involving both magnetism and electricity and intended for children 8 years and older, as long as the kit complies with the prescribed warning requirements
  • Magnetic components necessary for the operation of motors, relays, speakers and other electrical or electronic components in a magnetic toy, provided that the magnetic properties are not part of the play or learning pattern of the toy

In addition to the proposed amendments for magnets and magnetic components of toys, there are few other proposed amendments that clarify the scope and requirements of the toys regulations.

• Age reference added to the toys definition to clarify that a toy is any product intended for use by a child under 14 years of age in learning or play
• The phrase “that is intended for use by a child in play” deleted from the definition of “plush toy” and “soft toy” since it is clarified in the definition of “toy”
• In subsection for push and pull toys, the English text revised to align with the French version, to read “pull or push;” additionally, the proposal revises the subsection to remove the secondary references to imperial units
• Clauses 37(2) and 38(3) of the Toys Regulations are proposed to be deleted as the definition of toys is already covered under definitions in subsection 1

It is proposed that the amended Toys Regulations would come into force six months after they are published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

Public comment period for the proposal is open until January 18, 2018.

The proposed regulation can be reviewed in Canada Gazette Part I at: http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2017/2017-11-04/html/reg1-eng.php

For questions, please contact Laxmi Ravikumar (laxmi.ravikumar@intertek.com, 630-209-9265) or Dr. Pratik Ichhaporia (pratik.ichhaporia@intertek.com, 847-212-8273).