Canada Approves New Carriages and Strollers Regulations (SOR/2023-101)

Vol. 1360 | 14 Jun 2023

Health Canada has approved the new Carriages and Strollers Regulations (SOR/2023-101). Every carriage or stroller must comply with the new regulation on or after 4 December 2023 (180 days after gazette published). The previous Carriages and Strollers Regulations (SOR/2016-167) are repealed.

Mechanical properties
Products must comply with either of the following:

1. ASTM F833 excluding sections 5.3, 5.12, 8 and 9; or
2. ASTM F833 sections 6.8 and 6.10 and ISO 31110 excluding sections 6, 7, and 10

Chemical properties
The following substances are prohibited:

• carbon tetrachloride or any substance that contains it
• any substance contain > 10 mg of methyl alcohol per gram
• any substance contain > 100 mg of petroleum distillates per gram
• benzene
• any substance contain > 100 mg of turpentine per gram
• boric acid or salts of boric acid
• ethyl ether

A sticker or film that can be removed or a surface coating material of accessible part of a carriage or stroller shall not contain:

1. > 90 mg/kg total lead
2. any compound of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, selenium or barium > 1000 mg/kg of the compound migrates from the material
3. > 10 mg/kg total mercury

A carriage or stroller shall not contain the following phthalates > 1000 mg/kg:

• di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
• dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
• benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)

Any part of a carriage or stroller that could be placed in the mouth of a child under 4 years old shall not contain the following phthalates > 1000 mg/kg:

• diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
• diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
• di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP)

Warning statements
The following warnings shall be affixed to every carriage or stroller permanently:

WARNING

• Never leave the child unattended.
• Avoid serious injury from falling or sliding out. Always use the child restraint system.

MISE EN GARDE

• Ne jamais laisser l’enfant sans surveillance.
• Des blessures graves peuvent survenir si l’enfant tombe ou glisse du siège. Toujours utiliser le système de retenue.

In addition, the following warning shall be present:

WARNING

• To avoid injuries from finger entrapment, ensure that the child is kept away when unfolding and folding this product.
• The carriage or stroller will become unstable if the manufacturer’s recommended load is exceeded.

MISE EN GARDE

• Pour éviter toute blessure aux doigts, tenir l’enfant à l’écart lors du repliage et du dépliage.
• Tout poids supérieur à la limite recommandée par le fabricant rendra le landau ou la poussette instable.

For products with removable wheels, the following information shall be printed on the wheel fork permanently:

1. WARNING
   Fall Hazard. Wheel can detach and cause tip over.
   MISE EN GARDE
   Risque de chute. Le landau ou la poussette risque de basculer si la roue amovible se détache.
2. How to verify that the wheel is securely attached.

For products with removable cover places over foam on a tray or grab bar, the following warning shall be present on foam permanently:

WARNING
Choking hazard. Only use with cover installed.

MISE EN GARDE
Risque d’étouffement. Utiliser seulement lorsque le recouvrement est installé.

A flexible film bag shall meet either of the following requirements:

• it shall have an opening of less than 356 mm in circumference; or
• it must be made from film that is at least 0.019 mm thick and shall display the following warning or its equivalent:
  WARNING
  Plastic bags can be dangerous. To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this bag away from babies and children.
  MISE EN GARDE
  Les sacs de plastique peuvent être dangereux. Pour éviter le danger de suffocation, ne laissez pas ce sac à la portée des bébés ni des enfants.

For further information, please contact our technical expert Carl Tso at carl.tso@intertek.com