BexM

Hi there,

Does anybody know of/have any recent experience of importing children and baby items into Canada for immigration?

We had a shipping company round today to quote for sending our household goods and the guy was saying that cots, pushchairs, car seats, toys and various other things are prohibited for import into Canada?

I've had another two companies round and neither of them mentioned it? I have asked them both about it but am yet to receive a response.

I have done an Internet search and have found some stuff on toys regulations, but can't really see what implications this has for imported goods as opposed to just products within Canada generally.

We have two very young children and the last thing we want to do is to have to get rid of all their stuff when the move is already going to be unsettling enough for them.

Any info and advice would be very gratefully received.

Thanks!

wolstie

That's bull. We moved with a 2 year old and 4 month old, and brought pretty much everything with us.

BexM

Oh good, I'm pleased about that! I really wasn't relishing the thought of all the extra work that would need to go in to selling everything, then buying it all new once in Canada.

How long ago did you move?

Oakvillian

This shipper obviously doesn't want your business. He's talking nonsense.

The only shred of truth would be in regulations concerning child car seats. These are supposed to carry the CSA marking; it is purported to be an offence against the various Provincial road traffic acts to carry a child in a seat that is not properly certified for use in Canada, with threats of a fine and demerit points for the driver. I'm not usually a scofflaw, but I considered that the relatively new CE-marked child seat my child had been happily (and legally) using in the UK would not somehow become dangerously unsafe in a Canadian vehicle. I don't know of any case where a driver has actually been prosecuted under this provision, but I'm sure somebody will be along in a minute to tell me I'm wrong...

Goods for sale in Canada must meet Canadian regulations. However, generally and with certain notable exceptions, these provisions do not apply for personal effects of immigrants.

BexM

That is a great help, thanks for that informative post. The shipper didn't even factor our son's cot, car seat, etc into his calculations as he said the regulations had changed so we wouldn't be able to take it.

He also said our double buggy, that I will be flying with and putting into hold baggage on the plane, would not be allowed entry into Canada?!

Zoe Bell

ask them to show you something in writing
familiarise yourself with info here http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/security-...rohib-eng.html

go with another company

BexM

Thanks for that link Zoe Bell. I think I will go with another company as I don't fancy leaving everything behind!

Former Lancastrian

Read this link by Health Canada re prohibited items
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/...ion-eng.php#a1

Not CBSA legislation but guess what they expect CBSA officers to enforce their regulations.

BexM

Thanks Former Lancastrian...

So I guess it looks as though I may need to be buying stuff new after all. I think I will call them to get clarification on the label requirements and go from there. What a pain!

Oakvillian

But, really, does this happen? Would a family arriving in Canada with two young children really have their stroller confiscated at customs because it doesn't have the right sticker on it? That's ****ing daft.

AlliF

They didn't even look twice at our 'non-Canadian' stroller when we came in. As long as it's clean so not a health risk what possible difference can it make to them?

I would certainly not want to use a UK car-seat here though, not necessarily for safety reasons (although saying that is it possible the harness points might differ slightly between countries? I don't know)but def for insurance purposes in case the worst happens and then the insurance company try to wriggle out of any claim you make.

Former Lancastrian

It doesn't happen that frequently in the traveller stream but it does on occasion happen when the goods have been sent in the courier system or a persons container is examined.
I tend to think CBSAs priorities are a little higher than interdicting prohibited baby walkers etc

rivingtonpike

We brought absolutely everything relating to the kids with us - suitably cleaned and sterilised etc. We had no difficulties. But then again, we weren't pulled over for any special attention at any point. Former Lancastrian is quoting the letter of the law and is also reminding that CBSA's have better things to do than confiscate a stroller!

Oakvillian

On a point of information: no, it is not. ISOFIX and LATCH (the international and North American standards, respectively, for anchorage points for car seats) are both an implementation of the same ISO standard. The specifications are, by definition, absolutely identical.

Except, of course, they are not. In the North American implementation the domestic auto manufacturers lobbied hard for, and won, concessions over the exact location of the anchorage points in relation to the seat "pinch" (where the seat meets the back). Cars built for international markets generally comply with the ISOFIX standard. It's for this reason that LATCH seats have webbing straps rather than rigid clips for the lower anchorages. Which, by the way, makes them inherently more likely to be improperly installed in a vehicle, and therefore inherently less safe than European seats. But, hey-ho, the Canadian Safety Agency must build their little empire...

Dashie

Al sounds like nonsense to me except car seats. The only thing I can think of regarding strollers is if he was thinking a whole travel system? All mattresses here are subject to being sprayed with fire retardant chemicals that they don't use in Europe, but I've not known anyone have trouble importing one.

And yes, people do get fined for using a seat without the Canadian Safety thing on. Not full trial and prosecution, just a fine, same as speeding, and some points. They particularly target US vehicles with car seats in for that, because their seats aren't tested to the same standards, even though they're essentially the same seat.