G/TBT/N/CAN/651  
16 July 2021  
(21-5625) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English /French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of the Environment  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Canada's Notification  Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G2  
Canada  
Telephone: (343) 203 -4273 
Fax: (613) 943 -0346 
Email: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Road 
vehicles in general (ICS 43.020)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Regulations 
Prohibiting the Manufac ture and Import of Lead Wheel Weights in Canada (21 pages, 
available in English and French).  
6. Description of content:  The proposed Regulations would reduce lead contamination 
from Lead wheel weights. Lead is the most common material used for wheel balan cing in 
the Canadian wheel weight market. Lead wheel weights are lost on roads and highways 
every year, and generate lead dust. This dust can build up in soil, enter waterways 
through runoff, or be inhaled. These pathways of exposure to lead dust can give rise to 
adverse human health and environmental impacts. Since it is a non -biodegradable metal, 
lead can also accumulate in the environment, contaminate water, and poison wildlife. 
Without action, it is expected that lead wheel weights will continue to be m anufactured 
and imported in Canada, resulting in continued risks to human health and ecosystems 
from exposure to elevated concentrations of lead in the environment.  
The proposed Regulations Prohibiting the Manufacture and Import of Lead Wheel Weights 
in Ca nada will reduce human and environmental exposure to lead by prohibiting the 
manufacture and import of lead wheel weights destined for the Canadian market, which 
would help reduce the adverse health impacts resulting from lead exposure, and help 
improve ai r, water and soil quality.  
Permits may be issued to a manufacturer or importer of wheel weights, to continue 
manufacture or import wheel weights containing lead for usage on vehicles in Canada G/TBT/N/CAN/651  
 
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  under the proposed Regulations. The permit applicant would be required to demonstrate 
that, at the time of the application, there are no alternatives to manufacturing or 
importing wheel weights containing lead, or the alternatives are not technically or 
economically feasible for the applicant. The permit would expire 24 months after the day 
on which the Minister issues the permit, and the Minister may renew it once for an 
additional 24 months. Submission of permits for usage on regular vehicles is not expected.  
The proposed Regulations would not apply to lead wheel weights that are in transit 
through Canada, from a place outside Canada to another place outside Canada.   
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:  Canada Gazette , Part I, 3 July 2021, pa ges 3690 -3711, 
https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp -pr/p1/2021/2021 -07-03/pdf/g1 -15527.pdf  (available in 
English and French)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Normally within 18 months of publication in the Canada 
Gazette, Part I.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  2023 
10. Final date for comments:  11 September 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be found at:  
https: //www.gazette.gc.ca/rp -pr/p1/2021/2021 -07-03/html/reg2 -eng.html  
https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp -pr/p1/2021/2021 -07-03/html/reg2 -fra.html