mcm

As the title suggests - we're planning our move and discussing if we need to bring my daughters car seat. She is almost ready for the next size up so our plan was to leave it in the UK and buy a new one first day in Canada. My partner has quite rightly pointed out that we may not be able to get a taxi from the airport to our apartment without one. Anybody got any thoughs on this / first hand experience of taking a taxi from Calgary Airport to the CBD with child?

singingringingtree

I'm not sure about Calgary, but some Vancouver taxis carry child seats in the boot in case needed. It might be worth emailing a couple of companies to check and if you can find one which can accommodate, make a booking, rather than turn up and join the taxi rank queue.

dbd33

I think the question reflects two assumptions about Canada, one not unrealistic, the other way off base:

- that Canadians unbearably anal

- that the taxi drivers are Canadian.

A taxi driver in Canada isn't going to know rules and regulations concerning car seats. He's not going to know the major streets or the basic rules of the road. All he knows is that back home he could have been a somebody but now he's stuck in a frozen hell hole driving a poxy cab. He won't care what you do with your progeny so long as it's reasonably quiet.

mcm

Sounds like you've had a bad experience. I'll be sure and leave a dirty nappy in the back on your behalf.

dbd33

Of children or of taxis? I think I'm quite good with taxis.

ctraveler

You are not required to have a car seat for a child in a taxi. I travel back and forth to Canada quite a bit and this is the case.

I know that it might not be ideal for the safety aspect but it is not the law for short trips in public carriage vehicles.

Can you purchase one on the internet (through a Canadian retailer) and have it delivered to a friend who could meet you at the airport with it? You can purchase carseats online with Canadian Tire, Zellers and Sears.

iaink

Surely such rules would be a provincial thing and be likely to vary across the country?

ctraveler

Yes, you are correct. Car seats would be regulated provincially. It looks like you will need one for a Taxi if you are arriving into Alberta.

http://www.albertaseatbelts.ca/parents-info.php

jericho

I got a cab from calgary airport to my hotel on Saturday and the driver didnt have one or ask us to have one.

Simon Legree

I think that you will find that Transport Canada, a federal entity, regulates said car seats.

iaink

Regulates the standards for the seats perhaps, but driving offences are a provincial matter.

dbd33

I imagine that those regulations are supplemented by Provinicial Guideline Statements and Municipal By-laws Governing the Storage and Deployment of Car Seats, thus keeping a fair slab of the cradle population busy legislating.

I don't think that relates to the cab driver though. Poodling around listening to Radio Djibouti, he's going to have the same level of knowledge and interest in the actions of the bureaucracy as the rest of us. For all the influence the regulations have on the behaviour of the public, the governments might as well be trying to legislate recreational drug use.

Alberta_Rose

This is what the Airporter Shuttle Express (Calgary) has to say on the subject: (Note that they give a rental company at the bottom!)

Child Car Seats & Booster Seats -

•Children 40 pounds (18KG) and under will require car seat (Alberta Government Regulations) which YOU must provide!
•You may need it at your destination!
•Airport Shuttle Express does NOT provide car seats.
•Children come in different sizes and shapes making it impossible for us provide a car seat for YOUR child's safety.
•YOUR child's' car seat is your responsibility.
•Airport Shuttle Express will not knowingly transport any child under 40 pounds (18KG) without the customer providing a car seat.
Parents MUST bring their own seats and install it in the vans. Failure to provide a child car seat for children under 40 pounds (18KG) and under will result in our refusal to transport.

Booster Seats - Children between 4 to 8 years of age are too small to safely fit a seat belt on its own. Children over 40 lbs (18Kg) are safest in a booster seat until they are 80 lbs (36Kg) OR 8 years of age.

A booster seat raises the child for a safer seat belt fit. This makes the shoulder belt cross over the shoulder and chest, away from the vulnerable neck and face. It also keeps the lap belt safely in place over the hipbones and away from the abdomen. Simply, booster seats allow the seat belt to fit over the strong, bony parts of a child's body.

Seat belts do not properly fit young children. Seat belts are designed for adult bodies. It is suggested you bring a booster seat for your children. For complete details please see www.boosterseats.ca

Child Seat Rentals - “One Tiny Suitcase”, a member of Tourism Calgary, does rent different types of children car seats for airport passengers. They even deliver the car seat to the airport. Please contact them directly at: 403-208-1167 or visit their web page. http://www.onetinysuitcase.ca/