Industry Guide to Health Canada's Safety Requirements for Children's Toys and Related Products - Summary

From Health Canada

Overview

This guidance provides information about the safety requirements that apply under the Toys Regulations to children's toys and related products manufactured, advertised, imported or sold in Canada. Children's toys and related products manufactured, imported, advertised or sold in Canada are subject to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and the Toys Regulations.

There are several regulations under the CCPSA that address specific hazards with children's toys. The main regulation, however, is the Toys Regulations. The Toys Regulations address a wide range of mechanical, flammability, toxicological, electrical, thermal and other hazards associated with children's toys.

Who this guide is for

1. Toy manufacturers and distributors
2. Other regulated parties (industry) who are affected by the regulation

In this guide

• Introduction
• Legislation
• Safety requirements for toys
  • Definition of a toy
  • Mechanical hazards
    • Drop test procedure
    • Push/pull test procedure
    • Certain requirements for toys for children of all ages
      • Suffocation hazards
      • Strangulation hazards
        • Yo-yo type balls
        • Elastics
      • Sharpness and puncture hazards
      • Hearing damage hazards
      • Magnet Hazards
      • Other mechanical hazards
    • Certain requirements specific to toys for children under three years of age
      • Toys with small components
      • Small parts cylinder
      • Plant seeds - pellets for making noise
      • Rattles
      • Rattle impaction test gauge
      • Pull and push toys
  • Flammability hazards
    • Dolls, plush toys and soft toys
    • Use of Flame Retardant Chemicals
    • Children's play tents
    • Other textile products for children
  • Toxicological hazards
    • Specific toxic substances
    • Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations
    • Surface Coating Materials Regulations
    • Phthalates Regulations
    • Science Education Sets Regulations
  • Microbiological hazards
  • Electrical hazards
  • Thermal hazards
  • Plant seeds - stuffing material
• Other legislation for children's products
  • Furniture and other articles for children
  • Pencils and artists' brushes
  • Jewellery
    • Toy jewellery
    • Children's jewellery
  • Cosmetics
• Considerations and recommendations
  • Latex balloons
  • Toy storage boxes and bins
    • Lid
    • Ventilation
  • Toys with cords
  • Bean bag chairs
• Toy labelling
  • Labelling requirements
• Toy testing
• Certain additional legislation applicable to toys
  • Packaging and Labelling
  • Asbestos
  • Mercury
  • Toys sold in the province of Quebec
• Appendix A - Information resources

View complete guide

Details and history

Published: December 29, 2016

Updated: August 2021

For assistance

For further information visit the resources in Appendix A or contact a Health Canada Consumer Product Safety Office using the general enquiries form or by telephone at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free within Canada and the United States).