Health Canada Enforcement Approach to Upcoming New Corded Window Coverings Regulations

On October 16, 2020, Health Canada informed the corded window covering product industry regarding its planned approach to enforcing the new Corded Window Coverings Regulations (CWCR), SOR 2019-97 which comes to effect on May 1, 2021.

Health Canada is aware that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on businesses work to comply with the new CWCR requirements and therefore plans to take the following approach to compliance and enforcement of the new CWCR requirements after considering a number of factors and input from the stakeholders:

• From May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022, Health Canada intends to prioritize promoting awareness of and compliance with the CWCR. They will also be monitoring progress towards compliance; and
• Beginning on May 1, 2022, Health Canada intends to increase its compliance monitoring activities and take appropriate enforcement action, where necessary, to address identified instances of non-compliance to the CWCR.

In addition to the above, if necessary, based on incidents, complaints or risk levels, Health Canada will enforce the CWCR anytime on or after May 1, 2021. Health Canada also expects the industry to make its best efforts to comply with this new regulation despite the circumstances and not delaying the coming-into-force date.

The new corded window coverings regulations help to eliminate strangulation hazards associated with corded window coverings. The new regulations go above and beyond those of any other country in addressing this hazard to protect children. A corded window covering is defined in the regulations as “an indoor window covering that is equipped with at least one cord”.

Reference

[1] Corded Window Coverings Regulations, SOR/2019-97.

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