Getting seats approved in Canada?

It seems like there are some great seats available but not in Canada. Is there anything the public can do to try and get some of these seats in Canada (like the Regent or Recaro)? Does it help to contact the manufacturer or Transport Canada?

Huge strides have been made recently with the approval of 65lb seats for the Canadian market. Although it would be nice to have a greater selection of higher-weight seats, as well as some certified to even higher weights (70lbs, 80lbs)....I think we might be waiting a while for that to happen. Canada is a relatively small market as compared to the US, and the expense of certifying seats for this small market makes it costly with little return for these companies. Unless we change testing requirements to be in-line with the United States, I doubt we'll see the Regent at the 80lb limit UNLESS the interim order that raised the seat limits is really in place to develop a permanent order allowing even higher weights..? I really do hope we see Recaro here--I really like their seats.

I have always kept a Super Elite, Husky, and/or Regent on hand at my home for our vacations. My Husky was used maybe 4 weeks for the 3 years that I had it.. I couldn't justify NOT using the Regent for my son (who outgrew his Marathon--one of the first available in the US) on our US vacations (we used to live in California.) However, he was definitely mature enough to be in a booster "around town" by then--age 7-9.

My oldest is 12 this year, and I can honestly say that kids today (who're properly restrained) are significantly safer than 12 years ago. Child passenger safety here in Canada was an afterthought for most parents and caregivers. The seats were difficult to install, and the weight limits were laughable (20lbs RF, 40lbs FF max) at the time. The increase in harnessed weights to 48lbs was amazing, RF to 30, 33, and 35lbs is wonderful, and now the 65lb seats..wow.. Airbags in both front seating positions, side-impact airbags, rear-facing tethering, side impact protection in seats...All in 12 years. Imagine 12 years from NOW!

-Nicole.

The seats do seem safer than even a few years ago. As more provinces are requiring kids to be boostered until the age of 8/9 and 4' 9" I think there will be a bigger demand here for the higher weight booster seats. Hopefully the manufacturers realize this and start to take steps to get at least a few more of their seats available here.