U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada's Commitment to Collaboration on Toy Safety

National and international standards provide important support to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), both through reference in regulations and as guidance when assessing products that may present a danger to health or safety. Under the CCPSA, suppliers of consumer products in Canada are responsible for ensuring the safety of their products. Standards are also important to industry in helping them to meet their obligations under the CCPSA.

During recent discussions connected with the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada reaffirmed the two agencies' commitment to collaboration in the development of toy safety requirements. 

Both Health Canada and the CPSC participate in the ASTM International Toy Safety Subcommittee (F-15.22), a standards development body of particular significance in North America. In the United States, most federal toy safety regulations enforced by the CPSC are, by law, derived from the ASTM reference standard. In Canada, mandatory safety requirements for toys in the CCPSA and its associated regulations are established using various standards, including those set by ASTM. 

The aim of the CPSC-Health Canada collaboration in the F-15.22 subcommittee is to maximize the potential for aligned positions at high levels of safety between the two regulators as the ASTM standard is revised, thus increasing the likelihood of aligned approaches resulting in the two jurisdictions. 

Page details

Date modified: