I agree with everything Wendy said.
Just wanted to add, if you're in Canada, Federal law is changing Jan 1, 2011 and 22lbs will be the new minimum to FF and you could be ticketed if you're on a federal highway (provincial laws vary but some already have it at 22lbs so you'd be ticketed there as well).
As for the federal law, it actually applies to the car seats themselves and how they are allowed to be used so in effect it should be the same across the country, regardless of local laws. As of Jan 1, 2011 you will not be able to purchase a car seat in Canada that will allow a child to be forward-facing before they are 22 lbs AND walking unsassisted. Hopefully instructions will also include that children must also be one year old, but that isn't in the law. Since you must use a seat according to manufacturer's instructions, everyone across the country will have to follow that rule when using a new seat.
When speaking to people in person I always tell them that the law has changed (I actually say it has already changed, because really it has - manufacturers were just given until Jan 1 to comply) and I leave out the part about it being about the seat and let them think that the law applies to them, right now. I would come clean if pressed, but I never am.
After reading sparkyd's post -
There was a bit of discussion at the training I was at about the provincial vs federal laws now that some of them are out of sync (lots of various levels of police were in attendance as well). I remember the presenter joking that Ontario law is still 20lbs so you'd be ok on a provincial highway with an older seat with a 20lbs minimum but then you would be charged on a federal road so it might just depend on who pulls you over and where. Nutty. Anyways, I think the hope is that Ontario (and others) will catch up soon and regardless many seats already state 22lbs (and all new ones will going forward) so proper use comes into play no matter which highway you're on.
My head was spinning (technical law is not my forte) so hopefully that represents what they were trying to get at.
Ok, here is how it all comes together...
Federal law - CMVSS 213
This law regulates what standards a child restraint has to meet before it can be imported for sale in Canada.
The changes that were made to the law were made to the CMVSS 213, 213.1, and 213.2. The ones specifically being discussed in this thread are only applicable to CMVSS 213, so I'm going to leave the other guys out. :thumbsup:
Manufacturers have until January 1, 2011 to comply - meaning that as of January 1st, 2011, any carseat being imported in to Canada for sale, must comply with the new standards.
Now - any seat which is already across the border and in a warehouse for sale prior to January 1, 2011 does NOT have to comply with the new standards, and all of these seats will remain in the market place for sale until they have sold out. What matters when it comes to car seats and standards is that they meet the standards they were required to meet at the time of manufacture. It's part of the reason for not using an expired carseat - standards change and old seats usually don't meet new standards.
As for the law enforcement part, all provinces are responsible for their own highway traffic act. Federal law requires that provinces regulate the use of child restraints for children under 40lbs or 6yrs old, but doesn't go beyond that.
Because provincial laws vary, this means some provinces have booster laws and some don't, some provinces have a minimum age and weight to ff and some don't - basically there are going to be differences between each province.
Highways and roadways within a province all fall under the jurisdiction of the highway traffic act for that particular province and with the exception of military bases/land - which may have it's own additional laws and enforcement, any road within a province has the same laws. There is no such thing as federal roads with federal laws and provincial roads with provincial laws.
Some provincial laws will have to catch up with the new regulations - basically the provincial laws will be in conflict with themselves - all provinces require that a child be restrained in a seat according to manufacturer's instructions. As a larger and larger number of seats in circulation are only 22lb minimum, the 20lb number in law will basically be nothing but confusing for parents. Ultimately, a parent cannot go against the manufacturer's instructions legally. (and obviously never should go against them anyways.)
I know there has been a lot of confusion with the implementation of the new legislation, but hopefully this clarifies things some. :thumbsup: