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Sorry, have to vent! frustrated Canadian FTM
My parents live in the states and they've graciously offered to buy us stroller + car seat (benefit of having their first grandchild 
. I've done tons of research and decided on the Britax B-ready & B-Chaperone combo.
I just found out from a fellow Canadian co-worker today that car seats purchased in the US are illegal to use in Canada. Having not looked at the Canadian pricing in the past, I googled the product online and found the car seat that costs $170 on Amazon.com is $270+tax in Canada. With 13% tax (I live in Ontario), that's over $300! I nearly fainted!
I've told my parents to hold off on the purchase as I'll have to seek options here in Canada. I have a question for fellow Canadian moms, where did you purchase your car seats? Can someone please recommend me some Canadian deal sites for car seats? If my parents end up purchasing B-ready in the US, would a Canadian sold Britax car seat fit the stroller?
this is madness, it's not as if the car seat could recognize it's housing a Canadian baby and it'll suddenly become unsafe. sigh....
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Re: Sorry, have to vent! frustrated Canadian FTM
The only deals you might have been able to get would have been to buy last years model's of car seats, however, due to changes to Canadian car seat regulations changing as of January 1st, you can no longer do that.
In other words, I don't think you're going to find much of a deal, but you can try www.snugglebugz.ca, which is where we bought ours. Or, try https://www.boutiqueyourbaby.com/car-seats-baby-and-infant-car-seats.html
Thanks! I'll check out those sites.
Definately illegal, and not a smart idea to import. If they were flying or driving, especially without a lo on board, it's very likely that the car seat (but not the stroller) would be confiscated going through customs. The difference in the seats is more that just having the maple leaf sticker on it, we actually have different standards on our seats, so there are structural differences too (to a ftm or newb, you wouldn't notice.
With the new car seat law that came in effect, there's not any "older" stock to be had anywhere, and some brands/models of seats are constantly on back order due to demand.
The good news is that you picked a great car seat and stroller, so don't feel too bad about the price. Unfortunately, Britax is expecting a shortage of car seats this summer, so I'm not sure they'll be having any sales. I also second the suggestion of Snugglebugz, they are fantastic.
They probably didn't stop you because you had your lo with you. I have family on the Windsor/Detroit border, and they get asked each time they cross to see the sticker. Annoying, but at least the guards are doing their jobs. They see lots of seats trying to be imported though.
As for the seats being safe, it's irrelevant. Like I mentioned before, the standards aren't the same, at all. There are differences in the seat designs that you may not be aware of visually. And they changed standards to new regulations effective in January, and the compliant seats are definately different.
There are good reasons for getting a compliant seat. The ticket you would get for having a non-compliant seat is costlier than a new seat. If you were involved in an accident, your insurance company wouldn't cover the cost of the replacement seat (and I've heard of the ICBC denying injury claims). The manufacturer won't send you replacement parts in the case of warranty issues (it's void accross the border), or parts for recalls.
I asked someone at Transport Canada about getting a seat approved, and they simply won't do it (the logistics are staggering).
Here's some info you ladies may find helpful:
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-notices-2011c01-1168.htm
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-notices-2007c09-menu-353.htm
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-faq-1131.htm
All of this.
OP - I got my carseat at BRU, only because it was on sale. Snuggle Bugz is a good store to purchase from (or online).
My curiosity was piqued.
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-faq-1131.htm
It looks like the specifications of use and testing are different. The carseats are probably the same and meet the most stringent requirements from all the countries they're sold to because it's very costly to manufacture different models for different countries. So, yes, it's the sticker reminding you of Canadian rules that costs that extra $100.
https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/65888580/ShowThread.aspx#658885
We are discussing this on 12-24 and there's some confusion as to whether or not it's illegal to use a US car seat in Canada.
Thanks everyone! makes me feel bad that I'm not alone on this.
I'm definitely buying a car seat in Canada, as I just don't want to take the risk of having the car seat confiscated (the hassle is just not worth it).
I just called Britax Canada (at least the number found on the Britax Canadian website) and they confirmed B-safe (we can't swing the $300 Chaperone) and B-ready whether purchased in Canada or US are made exactly the same. There is no compatibility issue. The only difference is the price (I laughed when the person mentioned this over the phone). At least I can still have my parents purchase the stroller for me, or I may need to start over again.
Thanks gimmietimmies for all your input. You mentioned JJ Cole Bundle Me is a big no-no. I've already purchased one without doing much research on it. What's are the concerns?
The theory is that anything that goes between baby and seat or baby and straps may be compressed in an accident, potentially causing the straps to be loose and the baby to be dislodged.
That being said, I used one. I ensured it didn't interfere with the straps or getting a tight fit.
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
Not sure if you're into watching the videos, but the really do cause a lot of compression in hard stops. With a newborn, slack in the harness can cause them slip out or be ejected. If you're still able to return it, I would. Snugglebugz carries Easy Covers, that one is fine. There is one style of JJ Cole that is fine, it's this one. I had one called Baby Parka, that I like even more than those two. It's roomier, so it will work once baby is older - I find that those other two don't fit well with older babies. It's rated to -35C, and I did get to test that out, lo was sweating in it! If you click contact/wholesale/shop, it will tell you who carries them. They also have a few good links as well.
And pp who wanted to talk to a tech, go on the Canadian board on car-seat.org and Tam can help, or Ang (one's east, the other is west). There are others that are good, but I've talked to those two for over a decade.
Holy crow. Not going to touch that other thread. Okay, I can confirm that I have personally witnessed car seat seizures at the Ambassador Bridge at Windsor/Detroit. My dumbsh!t aunt was one, she didn't listen, and had to go straight back to BRU to return it. And it was frickin hot that day. And she's not the only one.
As for the tickets, yes, it is completely legal to receive a moving violation for using a non compliant seat. It falls under the restraint/seatbelt section of the highway traffic act, and since Transport Canada sets the laws for vehicles and child safety seats, it's a federal enforcable law. Quote: Alberta's Traffic Safety Act and the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act contain regulations that describe the law as it pertains to occupant restraints (seat belts, child safety seats) as well as the fines associated with non-compliance.
Although the Traffic Act states what the parameters the seats must follow and be used (ages, weights, etc.), the federal act defines what compliance is. This includes testing standards, useful life (expiry) and compliant with Canadian standards (ie no imported seats).
Yes, accident investigators check out child restraints in accidents. Child seat failure data is returned to the insurance companies, and data is relay to Transport Canada as well. Yes, investigators that are following protocol check for compliance (if the seat is intact enough to tell). Yes, they do give out tickets if they find that a seat involved in an accident was not compliant (although sometimes in severe accidents, they forgo the ticket as a discretionary measure).
And if a discharge nurse isn't completing her discharge teaching by being thorough about the checklist (there is a car seat checklist), then she's not doing her job. I've had a nurse check each time we've left the hospital - and we used convertibles 4 out of 5 times on discharge. DH had to bring the seat up, and then when we went to the car, the nurse came with us to make sure we got the car seat installed tightly. The only time it didn't happen was the last time, but I called the nurse out on it. DH gave her a free pass though, because he had a valid tech certificate in his wallet.
Oh - and run away from the Dorel/Safety 1st/Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 convertibles, not at all worth the money, that's also a rant for a whole other post. I'm sure we can find better seats for you ladies!
Sorry for the rant on seats again, one of my co-workers just lost her daughter in a car accident, and another child died in the same accident. This makes it child number six that I've known that has died in an accident in the last 10 years, so I'm very sensitive about car seat safety.
Thanks RayRay & gimmietimmies! ever since I found out I'm pregnant, this site became my daily routine, I've learned so much!
I can't return the JJ Cole I purchased as it was on sale (one of those impulse buys
but I'm sure it'll come in handy in the future, just not in a carseat.
I need to work on my attention to detail. I check out car-seat.org everyday but never realized it has a Canadian board. no wonder I didn't find out about this law until just now. thanks for tip!