Regulations for Car Seats in Ontario

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Ontario has specific car seat legislation depending on the child's age.
According to Transport Canada, approximately 30 Canadian children under the age of 4 die in a collision annually, with almost 3,000 injured. Properly used car seats and booster seats can significantly decrease the risk of injury or death to a child. The province of Ontario's rules on car seats depending on the age of the child, but by law drivers must ensure kids remain properly secured in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt, depending on their body size.

Infants

The Ministry of Transportation identifies as "infants" newborns or babies under 9 kg (20 lb.). According to the MTO, infant car seats in Ontario must stay rear facing, and away from active airbags. In addition, it recommends that the car seat move no more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) where attached to the car's seat belt. The ministry also encourages parents to use a rear-facing seat until at least the child's first birthday or until she has outgrown the height or weight limit of the seat.

The MTO defines a "toddler" as a child who weighs between 9 kg (20 lb.) to 18 kg (40 lb.). Legally, toddlers can face forward in a car once they weigh more than 9 kg. To ensure maximum safety, parents should install a forward-facing seat with a tether strap, following the manufacturer's recommendations to prevent the car seat from moving and causing injury in a crash. The strap should sit at or above the child’s shoulder, and fit snugly.

Ontario’s law requires drivers use booster seats for children who have outgrown a car seat but remain too small for a regular seat belt. Kids less than 8 years of age, weighing between 18 to 36 kg (40 to 80 lb.), and shorter than 145 cm (4 feet, 9 inches) legally must use a booster seat, which requires both a lap and shoulder belt. You should never use a seat belt adjuster with a booster seat.

A child may use only a seat belt when traveling once she's 8 years old, weighs more than 36 kg or stands taller that 145 cm. This means the child can sit with her legs comfortably bent over the seat, and with the seat belt lying flat against her shoulder and chest. The MTO says the back seat remains the safest spot for children under 13, but no law mandates that they sit there.