Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1038)

Metric or Imperial System

2.1 If, in the application to a vehicle of a portion of a section of these Regulations or a portion of a provision of a technical standards document, either the metric or the imperial system of measurement is used, the same system of measurement shall be used in the application to the vehicle of any other portion of the section or provision.

Number of Wheels

2.2 For the purpose of determining the number of wheels on a motorcycle or a three-wheeled vehicle, two wheels are considered to be one wheel if they are mounted on the same axle and the distance between the centres of their areas of contact with the ground is less than 460 mm.

Designated Seating Capacity

• 2.3 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the designated seating capacity of a vehicle is the sum of the number of designated seating positions and wheelchair locations in the vehicle.

• (2) The designated seating capacity of a motor home that has a GVWR greater than 4 536 kg may, at the option of the manufacturer, be the number of sleeping positions in the motor home.

• (3) If a folding or removable seat is positioned at one or more wheelchair locations, the greater of the following shall be used for the purposes of subsection (1):

  • (a) the number of designated seating positions that the seat contains, and

  • (b) the number of wheelchair locations.

Number of Designated Seating Positions

• 2.4 (1) In subsection (3), measurement zone means the zone extending from a transverse vertical plane that is 150 mm behind the front leading surface of a seating surface to a transverse vertical plane that is 250 mm behind that front leading surface, measured horizontally and longitudinally.

• (2) If a location in a vehicle that is likely to be used as a seating position has a seating surface width of at least 700 mm, the number of designated seating positions at that location shall be determined by using whichever of the following formulae is applicable and rounding the quotient down to the nearest whole number:

  • (a) if the location has a seating surface width of less than 1 400 mm,

    N = W / X

    where

    N

    is the number of designated seating positions,

    W

    is the seating surface width in millimetres, and

    X

    is 350 or, at the option of the manufacturer, a number that is chosen by the manufacturer and is less than 350 but not less than 330; and

  • (b) if the location has a seating surface width of 1 400 mm or more,

    N = W / X

    where

    N

    is the number of designated seating positions,

    W

    is the seating surface width in millimetres, and

    X

    is 450 or, at the option of the manufacturer, a number that is chosen by the manufacturer and is less than 450 but not less than 330.

• (3) Adjacent seating surfaces are considered to form a single seating surface, unless

  • (a) the seating surfaces are separated by a fixed trimmed surface that has an unpadded top surface and that has a width of not less than 140 mm in each transverse vertical plane, as measured in the measurement zone;

  • (b) the seating surfaces are separated by a void whose cross section in each transverse vertical plane within the measurement zone is a rectangle that is not less than 140 mm wide and not less than 140 mm deep, and the top edge of the cross section in each of those planes is congruent with the transverse horizontal line that intersects the lowest point on the portion of the top profile of the seating surfaces that lie within the plane;

  • (c) interior trim interrupts a line drawn between the H-points of adjacent seating surfaces; or

  • (d) the seating surfaces are adjacent outboard seats, and the lateral distance between each point on the seat cushion of one seat and each point on the seat cushion of the other seat is not less than 140 mm.

• (4) Folding, removable and adjustable seats must be measured in the configuration that results in the largest seating surface width.

• (5) The number of designated seating positions in a bench type seat in a school bus shall be the number of seating positions determined in accordance with Technical Standards Document No. 222, School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection.

Transitional Provision

• (6) Until September 1, 2020, the number of designated seating positions referred to in subsection (5) may conform to the requirements of this section as it read on the day before the day on which this subsection came into force.

Prescribed Class of a Vehicle

• 2.5 (1) For the purpose of determining the prescribed class of a vehicle, any wheelchair location is considered to be equivalent to four locations for the purpose of determining the designated seating capacity if

  • (a) the vehicle was designed to have a designated seating capacity of more than 10; and

  • (b) any of the intended designated seating positions are replaced by a wheelchair location.

• (2) For the purpose of determining the prescribed class of a vehicle resulting from the alteration of a bus by the replacement of any designated seating position with a wheelchair location, the location may, at the option of the manufacturer, be considered to be equivalent to four locations for the purpose of determining the designated seating capacity.

National Safety Marks

• 3 (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, the symbol set out in Schedule I is prescribed as the national safety mark.

• (2) For the purposes of subsection 3(2) of the Act, on application by a company, the Minister may, in the form set out in Schedule II, authorize the company to apply the national safety mark to a vehicle.

Prescribed Classes of Vehicles

• 4 (1) For the purposes of sections 4 and 5 of the Act, the classes of vehicles set out in Schedule III and incomplete vehicles are prescribed classes of vehicles.

• (2) The prescribed classes of vehicles do not include

  • (a) vehicles whose date of manufacture is

    • (i) in the case of a bus, earlier than January 1, 1971, or

    • (ii) in all other cases, 15 years or more earlier than the date of its importation; or

  • (b) restricted-use vehicles that have motive power and are designed so that their speed attainable in 1.6 km (1 mile) is less than 32 km/h.

Safety and Emission Requirements

• 5 (1) Each requirement set out in Schedules IV to VI is prescribed as a Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for vehicles of prescribed classes.

• (2) Every vehicle, other than an incomplete vehicle, must conform to each standard that is referred to by number in column I of Schedule III and opposite which the letter “X” is set out in the subcolumn designating the class or subclass of the vehicle.

• (2.1) [Repealed, SOR/2003-2, s. 46]

• (3) Every incomplete vehicle shall conform to each standard set out in Schedules IV, V.1 and VI for completed vehicles to the extent that the standard governs the components that are fitted on the incomplete vehicle.

Interprovincial Shipments

• 5.1 (1) Notwithstanding section 4 of the Act, a manufacturer may ship from one province to another, or deliver to any person for the purpose of so shipping, a vehicle of a prescribed class manufactured in Canada that does not bear the national safety mark if

  • (a) the manufacturer signs and files with the Minister a declaration setting out the information referred to in subsection (2);

  • (b) the vehicle is being shipped or delivered for the purpose of exhibition, demonstration, evaluation or testing; and

  • (c) the vehicle is destroyed or returned to the province of origin within one year.

• (2) A declaration made pursuant to subsection (1) shall set out the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the manufacturer of the vehicle;

  • (b) the month and year of the date of manufacture of the vehicle;

  • (c) the prescribed class, make, model and vehicle identification number of the vehicle;

  • (d) the use to be made of the vehicle;

  • (e) the estimated period of time the vehicle will be used on public roads;

  • (f) whether the vehicle will be destroyed or returned to the province of origin after completion of the purpose for which it was shipped or delivered; and

  • (g) the date the vehicle will be destroyed or returned to the province of origin.

• (3) The declarations made in accordance with subsection (2)

  • (a) shall be filed prior to shipping or delivering the vehicle; or

  • (b) in the case of a company whose world production of vehicles is 2,500 or more a year, may be filed with the Minister quarterly.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

5.2 The gross vehicle weight rating of a vehicle shall be not less than the sum of

• (a) the unloaded vehicle mass,

• (b) the cargo-carrying capacity,

• (c) the product obtained by multiplying the designated seating capacity by 54 kg, in the case of a school bus, or by 68 kg, in any other case, and

• (d) in the case of a vehicle having living or sanitary accommodations, the mass of its fresh water, hot water and propane tanks, but not its waste water tanks, when full.

Maximum Speed

• 5.3 (1) The maximum speed of a motorcycle shall be measured in accordance with International Organization for Standardization standard ISO 7117:1995, Motorcycles — Measurement of Maximum Speed.

• (2) Wherever the term motorcycle is used in International Organization for Standardization standard ISO 7117:1995, Motorcycles — Measurement of Maximum Speed, it shall have the same meaning as motorcycle in subsection 2(1) of these Regulations.

Compliance Label

• 6 (1) Subject to subsections (1.1) and 6.6(1), a company that manufactures a vehicle of a prescribed class that is a completed vehicle and that meets the requirements of these Regulations must ensure that the vehicle bears a compliance label displaying at least

  • (a) the name of the manufacturer of the completed vehicle;

  • (b) the month and year of the date of manufacture of the vehicle;

  • (c) a drawing at least 13 mm in diameter depicting the national safety mark, as set out in Schedule I, and showing in its centre, in figures at least 2 mm in height, the authorization number assigned by the Minister to the company pursuant to section 3;

  • (d) the vehicle identification number;

  • (e) in the case of a passenger car, multi-purpose passenger vehicle, low-speed vehicle, three-wheeled vehicle, truck, bus, trailer, trailer converter dolly or motorcycle,

    • (i) the gross vehicle weight rating, expressed in kilograms, clearly identified by the words “Gross Vehicle Weight Rating” and “Poids nominal brut du véhicule” or the abbreviations “GVWR” and “PNBV”, and

    • (ii) the gross axle weight rating, expressed in kilograms, for each axle of the vehicle listed in order from front to rear and clearly identified by the words “Gross Axle Weight Ratings” and “Poids nominal brut sur l’essieu” or the abbreviations “GAWR” and “PNBE”, unless the information is set out on the vehicle placard or on the tire inflation pressure label referred to in section S4.3 of Technical Standards Document No. 110, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4,536 kg or Less, or on the tire information label referred to in section S5.3(b) of Technical Standards Document No. 120, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg;

  • (f) the type of vehicle, in both official languages, or the word “TYPE” along with the characters set out below that correspond to the type of vehicle:

    • (i) “AMB” to refer to an ambulance,

    • (i.1) “AT/PA” to refer to an auto transporter,

    • (ii) “ATV/VTT” to refer to an all-terrain vehicle,

    • (iii) “B/A” to refer to a bus,

    • (iv) “BT/RA” to refer to a bus trailer,

    • (v) “CD/CCC” to refer to a C-dolly,

    • (vi) “EMC/MCH” to refer to an enclosed motorcycle,

    • (vii) “HHT/RL” to refer to a heavy hauler trailer,

    • (viii) “LSM/MVL” to refer to a limited-speed motorcycle,

    • (ix) “LDD/CRC” to refer to a load divider dolly,

    • (ix.1) “LSV/VBV” to refer to a low-speed vehicle,

    • (x) “MH/AC” to refer to a motor home,

    • (xi) “MC” to refer to an open motorcycle,

    • (xii) “MPV/VTUM” to refer to a multi-purpose passenger vehicle,

    • (xiii) “PC/VT” to refer to a passenger car,

    • (xiv) “RUM/MUR” to refer to a restricted-use vehicle,

    • (xv) “SB/AS” to refer to a school bus,

    • (xvi) “TRA/REM” to refer to a trailer,

    • (xvii) “TCD/CDC” to refer to a trailer converter dolly,

    • (xviii) “TRI” to refer to a motor tricycle,

    • (xix) “TRU/CAM” to refer to a truck,

    • (xx) “TT/CT” to refer to a truck tractor,

    • (xxi) “TWV/VTR” to refer to a three-wheeled vehicle,

    • (xxii) ”SNO/MNG” to refer to a snowmobile, and

    • (xxiii) “MFSAB/AMAS” to refer to a multifunction school activity bus;

  • (g) in the case of a C-dolly, the mounting height, expressed in both official languages, of the coupling when the C-dolly is not loaded; and

  • (h) in the case of a trailer that is designed to tow a C-dolly, the mounting height, expressed in both official languages, of the coupling when the trailer is not loaded;

  • (i) [Repealed, SOR/2002-55, s. 4]

• (1.1) If an incomplete vehicle manufacturer or an intermediate manufacturer assumes legal responsibility for the completed vehicle’s conformity to the requirements of these Regulations, the incomplete vehicle manufacturer or the intermediate manufacturer, as the case may be, shall ensure that a compliance label is applied to the completed vehicle in accordance with this section, except that

  • (a) the name of the incomplete vehicle manufacturer or the intermediate manufacturer, as the case may be, shall appear on the compliance label instead of the name of the manufacturer referred to in paragraph (1)(a); and

  • (b) the date of manufacture of the completed vehicle may be no earlier than the date on which manufacturing operations on the vehicle are completed by the incomplete vehicle manufacturer and no later than the date on which manufacturing operations on the vehicle are completed by the final-stage manufacturer.

• (1.2) If an incomplete vehicle manufacturer assumes legal responsibility for the completed vehicle’s conformity to the requirements of these Regulations, the provisions related to vehicles manufactured in stages set out in sections 6.1 to 6.6 do not apply.

• (1.3) If an intermediate manufacturer assumes legal responsibility for the completed vehicle’s conformity to the requirements of these Regulations, the provisions related to vehicles manufactured in stages set out in sections 6.3 to 6.6 do not apply.

• (2) The drawing referred to in paragraph (1)(c)

  • (a) may be displayed on a label applied to the vehicle beside the compliance label; or

  • (b) in the case of an imported vehicle, may be replaced by the following statement indicating that the vehicle conforms to the standards — prescribed under these Regulations — that are applicable on the date of manufacture:

    “THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLICABLE STANDARDS PRESCRIBED UNDER THE CANADIAN MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REGULATIONS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE / CE VÉHICULE EST CONFORME À TOUTES LES NORMES QUI LUI SONT APPLICABLES EN VERTU DU RÈGLEMENT SUR LA SÉCURITÉ DES VÉHICULES AUTOMOBILES DU CANADA EN VIGUEUR À LA DATE DE SA FABRICATION”.

• (3) The compliance label shall be applied

  • (a) in the case of a bus, multi-purpose passenger vehicle, three-wheeled vehicle, passenger car, truck or low-speed vehicle,

    • (i) to the hinge pillar, door latch post or the door edge that meets the door latch post next to the driver’s seating position,

    • (ii) to the left side of the instrument panel or the inward-facing surface of the door next to the driver’s seating position, where it is impracticable to apply the label in accordance with subparagraph (i), or

    • (iii) to a conspicuous and readily accessible location, where it is impracticable to apply the label in accordance with subparagraph (i) or (ii);

  • (b) in the case of a trailer, to the forward half of the left side of the trailer so that it is easily readable from outside the trailer without moving any part of the trailer;

  • (c) in the case of a motorcycle, to a permanent part of the motorcycle as close as is practicable to the intersection of the head tube and the handlebars, so that it is easily readable without moving any part of the motorcycle except the steering system;

  • (c.1) in the case of a restricted-use vehicle, to a permanent part of the vehicle as close as is practicable to the intersection of the head tube and the handlebars or of the steering column and the steering wheel, so that it is easily readable without moving any part of the vehicle except the steering system; or

  • (d) in the case of a snowmobile, to the rear half of the right side of the vehicle so that it is easily readable from outside the vehicle without moving any part of the vehicle.

• (4) to (7) [Repealed, SOR/2002-55, s. 4]

• (8) In the case of a multi-purpose passenger vehicle or bus manufactured from a cutaway chassis, a motor home or a recreational trailer, the compliance label shall display the following information in both official languages:

  • (a) the cargo-carrying capacity of the vehicle;

  • (b) the designated seating capacity, except in the case of a recreational trailer;

  • (c) in the case of a motor home, the total mass of the occupants, which is obtained by multiplying the designated seating capacity by 68 kg; and

  • (d) in the case of a motor home or a recreational trailer,

    • (i) the mass of the fresh water, hot water and waste water tanks when full, and

    • (ii) a statement that the displayed cargo-carrying capacity is determined with the fresh water and hot water tanks full and the waste water tanks empty.

• (8.1) The information referred to in subsection (8) may be displayed on a separate label applied to the vehicle beside the compliance label or in a conspicuous or readily accessible location.

• (9) In the case of a limited-speed motorcycle and a low-speed vehicle, a statement in both official languages that the use of the vehicle may be restricted by provincial authorities to certain roads shall appear on the compliance label or on a separate label permanently applied to the vehicle in a conspicuous location.

• (10) In the case of a restricted-use vehicle, a statement in both official languages that the vehicle is a restricted-use vehicle or all-terrain vehicle and is not intended for use on public roads must appear on the compliance label or on a separate label permanently applied to the vehicle in a conspicuous location.

• (11) In the case of a model of vehicle in respect of which the Minister has made an exemption order under section 9 of the Act, the compliance label or information label, as the case may be, must also display the words “Exemption/Dispense [indicate here the identifier set out in the exemption order]”.

• (12) and (13) [Repealed, SOR/2000-182, s. 2]