. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/204 
29 June 2007 
 (07-2773) 
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 government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Transport 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
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: info@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):   Restraint systems for the 
disabled (ICS:  43.040). 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment 
to the Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions Safety Regulations  (4 pages, 
in English and French). 
6. Description of content:   This proposed amendment pertains to restraint systems for 
disabled persons, which are part of the Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster 
Cushions Safety Regulations (RSSR). The RSSR regulate the safety performance of various 
restraint systems for children, including restraint systems for disabled persons.  
The Canadian Regulations require a seat belt webbing width of 46 mm for restraint systems 
for the disabled when they are designed to be u sed by persons with a weight greater than 22 
kg (48 lb). These same provisions stipulate th at when restraint systems are designed for 
persons with a weight of 22 kg (48 lb) or less, a minimum seat belt width of 38 mm is 
permitted. In comparison, the United States has always required a seat belt webbing width 
at a minimum of 38 mm for all its restraint systems for disabled persons, and has recorded no safety issues with the width of these seat  belts. This difference has prevented the 
distribution of restraint systems for disabled persons weighing more than 22 kg (48 lb) into Canada.  G/TBT/N/CAN/204 
Page 2  
 
  Based on the U.S. experience, it is expected that allowing for a minimum seat belt webbing 
width of 38 mm will offer the Canadian moto ring public a safe means of transportation. 
As there are no Canadian manufacturers of these products, nor products available in Canada 
with the wider seat belt webbing, disabled persons do not have access to a safe and 
compliant means of travel. Because such produc ts are available in the United States, the 
Government believes that it is urgent to ha rmonize its requirements on this matter in order 
to enable trade between the two markets and give Canadians access to products that are 
safe, yet not available on the Canadian market . It is expected that an amendment would 
provide much needed mobility options to the disabled community.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human safety 
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 23 June 2007, Pages 1804-1807 (available in 
English and French). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Within 5 to 7 months of publication in the 
Canada Gazette, Part I. 
On the date the measure is adopted 
10. Final date for comments:   22 August 2007 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
The electronic version of the regulator y text can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20070623/html/regle4-e.html (English)  http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20070623/html/regle4-f.html (French)