Canada updated the tents regulations, toy and textile flammability regulations

On November 8, 2024, SOR/2024-217 “Tents Regulations” was published in the Canada Gazette, replacing the old version of SOR/2016-185 Tents Regulations. The new version of regulation SOR/2024-217 specifies the flammability performance and labeling requirements for tents along with their components and accessories, aiming to protect consumers from the hazards of tent fires more effectively and reduce manufacturers' reliance on flame retardant chemicals. In addition, the gazette also revised SOR/2011-17 "Toy Regulations", adding flammability and labeling requirements for "toy intended to be entered by a child", and clarifying that "toy intended to be entered by a child" is not within the scope of application of SOR/2016-194 "Textile Flammability Regulations" to avoid duplicate supervision.

These regulations shall come into effect from the date of its publication. A consumer product referred to in the Tents Regulations or the Toys Regulations, as those Regulations read immediately before the day on which these Regulations come into force, that, immediately before that day, met the applicable requirements for that consumer product is deemed to meet the applicable requirements for that consumer product under these Regulations for a period of two years, beginning on the day on which this section comes into force.

Main contents of SOR/2024-217 Tent Regulations:

1.Definitions:

Tent means a structure that meets the following conditions:

(a) it is portable;

(b) it is intended to shelter persons from outdoor environmental elements such as precipitation, sun, wind or insect;

(c) it is made, in whole or in part, of fabric or other pliable material;

(d) it has a top;

(e) it has at least one side that constrains egress; and

(f) it is not subject to the National Building Code of Canada 2020, published by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes, National Research Council of Canada.

Safety standard: CAN/CGSB-182.1-2020, entitled Flammability and labelling requirements for tents, as amended from time to time.

2.Performance and testing requirements:

(1) When tested in accordance with the safety standard, fabric and other pliable material of a tent or of its components and accessories must meet the requirements set out in section 5.2.1 of the safety standard.

(2) Flooring materials: When tested in accordance with the safety standard, flooring materials of a tent, as defined in section 4.3 of the safety standard, that do not meet the requirements set out in section 5.2.1 of that standard must meet the requirements set out in section 5.3.1 of that standard.

3.Labelling requirements:

(1)A tent must meet the labelling requirements set out in section 6 of the safety standard.

4.Compliance period:

Despite sections 2 and 3, a tent that meets a requirement referred to in those sections, as it read immediately before the day on which a new version of the safety standard is published, may continue to meet that requirement:

(a) in the case of the manufacture or import of the tent, for a period of one year that begins on that day; and

(b) in the case of the advertisement or sale of the tent, for a period of two years that begins on that day.

SOR/2011-17  Amendments to the Toys Regulations:

1.Revised the definition of plush toys and soft toys, and added the definition of "toy intended to be entered by a child"：

2. The headings before section 45 and sections 45 to 47 are replaced by the following:

Toys Intended to be Entered by a Child

Exception

45 Sections 46 and 47 do not apply to a tent as defined in subsection 1(1) of the Tents Regulations.
Requirements and testing

46 (1) A toy intended to be entered by a child must be tested in accordance with subclauses 5.1 and 5.4 of the the International Organization for Standardization, standard ISO 8124–2 entitled Safety of toys — Part 2: Flammability, as amended from time to time, and meet the requirements set out in subclause 4.4 of that standard, excluding the requirement that the toy and its packaging be permanently marked with a statement if the rate of the spread of the flame of the test sample is from 10 mm/s to 30 mm/s.

Compliance period

(2) Despite subsection (1), a toy intended to be entered by a child that meets a requirement referred to in that subsection, as it read immediately before the day on which a new version of standard ISO 8124-2 is published, may continue to meet that requirement:
(a) in the case of the manufacture or import of the toy intended to be entered by a child, for a period of 180 days that begins on that day; and
(b) in the case of the advertisement or sale of the toy intended to be entered by a child, for a period of 365 days that begins on that day.

Warning

47 (1) The outer surface of a toy intended to be entered by a child must have a permanent label containing the following warning or its equivalent, in bold upper-case letters at least 3 mm in height and in both official languages: “WARNING: KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT AND OPEN FLAME / MISE EN GARDE : TENIR LOIN DES SOURCES DE CHALEUR ET DES FLAMMES NUES”.

Alert symbol

(2) The permanent label must contain the following alert symbol, at least 6 mm in height, immediately before the warning:

Additional requirement
(3)The warning and the alert symbol must be affixed to the toy intended to be entered by a child in such a manner that they are legible and clearly visible throughout the life of the toy.

SOR/2016-194 Amendments to the Textile Flammability Regulations：

Newly added exempt product: “toy intended to be entered by a child". Paragraph 2(b) of the Textile Flammability Regulations  is replaced by the following:
(b) dolls, plush toys, soft toys and toys intended to be entered by a child;

CTT Reminder:

CTT recommends that relevant enterprise exporting to Canada pay attention to the changes in SOR/2024-217 Tent Regulations, as well as updates to SOR/2011-17 Toy Regulations and SOR/2016-194 Textile Flammability Regulations.
Relevant parties should pay attention to the corresponding transition period, and adjust inventory and marketing strategies in a timely manner during this period to ensure compliance with new regulatory requirements. On the other hand, Necessary compliance testing must be completed to meet the new flammability and labeling requirements before the product is launched. CTT can provide enterprises with one-stop comprehensive solutions for consulting, testing and training. For more detailed information, please contact us.