. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/260 
26 March 2009  
 (09-1494) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  CANADA   
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Transport 
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 :   
Canadian Enquiry Point 
200-270 Albert Street, Ottawa Ontario Canada K1P 6N7  Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222 
Fax.: +1 613 569 7808 
E-mail: enquirypoint@scc.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):   
Motor Vehicle Electronic  Stability Control Systems (ICS: 43.020, 43.040) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   
Proposed Amendment to the Moto r Vehicle Safety Regulations (Electronic Stability Control 
Systems) (13 pages, in English and French) 
6. Description of content:   
This proposed amendment would modify Sche dule IV of the Motor Vehicle Safety 
Regulations to introduce a new Canada Motor Ve hicle Safety Standard, Standard 126, entitled 
“Electronic Stability Control Systems,” hereafter referred to as the Canadian safety standard 
126. This proposed Canadian safety standard w ould require electronic stability control (ESC) 
systems on new light-duty vehicl es (vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or 
less) manufactured after 31 August 2011.  
Implementation of this Canadian safety standard is expected to reduce the number of crashes 
in which the driver loses directional control of the vehicle. It is proposed that the Canadian 
safety standard be harmonized  to the safety standard of the United States’ requirements 
pertaining to ESC. Harmonizing with United St ates standard would provide Canadians the 
benefits obtainable with ESC, and would remove any potential impediment to trade between 
the two countries. G/TBT/N/CAN/260 
Page 2  
 
  ESC is a technology designed primarily to assist the driver in maintaining control of a vehicle 
during emergency manoeuvres, such as swerving or braking suddenly to avoid an obstacle. 
ESC can also help the driver maintain control in  such situations as when cornering on slippery 
surfaces. ESC works by monitoring, on a continuou s basis, steering wheel activity and vehicle 
direction by utilizing wheel-speed, yaw rate and steering angle sensors. The ESC system 
works by automatically activating the brake on one or several wheels as needed to maintain 
vehicle control; in some cases, current ESC syst ems also reduce engine  power simultaneously 
with the application of the brakes. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:   
Protection of human safety  
8. Relevant documents:    
Canada Gazette, Part I, 14 March 2009, Pages 674-686 (availab le in English and French) 
Transport Canada Web site: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsa fety/tp/tp14651/vs200701/menu.htm 
(available in English and French) 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Normally within 5 to 8 months of publication in 
the Canada Gazette, Part I. 
31 August 2011 
10. Final date for comments:  28 May 2009 
11. Text available from: National enquiry po int [ X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addres ses, if available of the other body:    
The electronic version of the regulator y text can be downloaded at:   
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-p r/p1/2009/2009-03-14/pdf/g1-14311.pdf  (Canada Gazette) 
or  http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/ p1/2009/2009-03-14/html/reg3-eng.html
 (English)  
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/ p1/2009/2009-03-14/html/reg3-fra.html  (French) 
Technical Standards Do cument No. 126 can be downloaded from: 
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safeve hicles/mvstm_tsd/tsd/pdf/1260rev0_e.pdf   (English)  
http://www.tc.gc.ca/securiterout iere/VehiculesSecuri taires/mvstm_tsd/ts d/pdf/1260rev0_f.pdf   
(French)