CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Canada: New regulations for magnetic toys safety

july 2018- Relevant for: toy's and children's products

On 11 July 2018, Health Canada publishes on Gazette the amendment regulations for magnetic toys¹. The regulations add requirements for small powerful magnets or magnetic components to help reduce injuries, and further align Canada's safety requirements with those existing in the United States.The regulations will come into force six months later, nevertheless, the provisions of the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) regarding danger to human health or safety will continue to apply to dangerous magnetic toys sold, advertised, imported or manufactured in the market.Health Canada approved the regulations without further changes to the proposed amendments. Majority of businesses showed general support and shared that they would face no additional costs from the amendments. Specific responses were received on the 4.45N force application in the small parts test and adding requirements to specify the location, contrast and font characteristics for the warning on certain advanced magnetic electrical experimental kits.Health Canada responded such a small force is used to demonstrate the swallowing actions and forces applied by very young children. The suggestion to add requirements of warning on advance experimental kits was not accepted. Health Canada believes adopting a flexible approach is more beneficial to reduce trade barriers without compromising safety, given that there are already different approaches implemented for warning labels across international toy safety standards.

[1] SOR/2018-138