Registration

SOR/2008-258 September 5, 2008

MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT

Regulations Amending the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Introduction of Technical Standards Documents Nos. 110 and 120) and Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995

P.C. 2008-1605 September 5, 2008

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 11(3) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (see footnote a), a copy of the proposed Regulations Amending the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Introduction of Technical Standards Documents Nos. 110 and 120) and the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995, substantially in the annexed form, was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on December 2, 2006 and a reasonable opportunity was afforded to interested persons to make representations to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities with respect to the proposed Regulations;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, pursuant to section 5 (see footnote b) and
subsection 11(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (see footnote c), hereby makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Introduction of Technical Standards Documents
Nos. 110 and 120) and the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995.

REGULATIONS AMENDING THE MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REGULATIONS (INTRODUCTION OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS DOCUMENTS NOS. 110 AND 120) AND THE MOTOR VEHICLE TIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS, 1995

AMENDMENTS

MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REGULATIONS

1. (1) The definitions “accessory mass”, “maximum load”, “maximum loaded vehicle mass”, “normal load”, “normal occupants’ mass”, “occupant distribution”, “optional item”, “production options mass”, “rim base”, “rim size designation”, “rim type designation”, “rim width”, “vehicle capacity mass” and “weather side” in subsection 2(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (see footnote 1) are repealed.

(2) Paragraph (b) of the definition “cargo-carrying capacity” in subsection 2(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(b) 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

(3) Subsection 2(1) of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“light-truck tire” or “LT tire” means a tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight trucks or multi-purpose passenger vehicles; (pneu pour camion léger)

“passenger car tire” means a tire intended for use on passenger cars, multi-purpose passenger vehicles and trucks with a GVWR of 4 536 kg or less; (pneu pour voiture de tourisme)

2. Paragraph 5.2(c) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(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

3. (1) Subparagraph 6(1)(e)(ii) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(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;

(2) Paragraph 6(8)(a) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

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

(3) Paragraph 6(8)(c) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(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

(4) Subparagraph 6(8)(d)(i) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

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

4. Subparagraph 6.2(1)(f)(ii) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(ii) the information need not appear on the label if it is set out on the vehicle placard or 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; and

5. Item 110 of Schedule III to the Regulations is replaced by the following:

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
			Motorcycle
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Bus	Enclosed Motorcycle	Open Motorcycle	Limited-speed Motorcycle	Motor Tricycle
110	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4 536 kg or Less	X				X

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Restricted-use Motorcycle	Multi-purpose Passenger Vehicle	Passenger Car	Snow-mobile	Snow-mobile Cutter
110	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4 536 kg or Less		X	X

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Trailer	Trailer Converter Dolly	Truck	Vehicle Imported Temporarily for Special Purposes	Low-speed Vehicle	Three-wheeled Vehicle
110	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4 536 kg or Less	X	X	X			X

6. Item 120 of Schedule III to the Regulations is replaced by the following:

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
			Motorcycle
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Bus	Enclosed Motorcycle	Open Motorcycle	Limited-speed Motorcycle	Motor Tricycle
120	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4 536 kg	X	X	X	X	X

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Restricted-use Motorcycle	Multi-purpose Passenger Vehicle	Passenger Car	Snow-mobile	Snow-mobile Cutter
120	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4 536 kg		X	X

Column I	Column II	Column III Classes of Vehicles
Item (CMVSS)	Description	Trailer	Trailer Converter Dolly	Truck	Vehicle Imported Temporarily for Special Purposes	Low-speed Vehicle	Three-wheeled Vehicle
120	Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4 536 kg	X	X	X			X

7. (1) Subsection 101(2) of Schedule IV to the Regulations is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (r) and by adding the following after paragraph (s):

(t) a low tire pressure warning that does not identify which tire has low pressure;

(u) a low tire pressure warning that identifies which tire has low pressure; and

(v) a tire pressure monitoring system malfunction.

(2) Subsection 101(9) of Schedule IV to the Regulations is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (k) and by adding the following after paragraph (l):

(m) the low tire pressure tell-tale that does not identify which tire has low pressure;

(n) the low tire pressure tell-tale that identifies which tire has low pressure; and

(o) the tire pressure monitoring system malfunction tell-tale.

(3) Table II of section 101 of Schedule IV to the Regulations is amended by adding the following at the end of that Table:

Display	Tell-tale Colour	Identification
Low tire pressure that does not identify which tire has low pressure (including tire pressure monitoring system malfunction)	YELLOW
Low tire pressure that identifies which tire has low pressure (including tire pressure monitoring system malfunction)	YELLOW
Tire pressure monitoring system malfunction	YELLOW	TPMS

8. Section 110 of Schedule IV to the Regulations and the heading before it are replaced by the following:

TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES WITH A GVWR OF 4 536 KG OR LESS (STANDARD 110)

General

110. (1) Every motor vehicle with a GVWR of 4 536 kg or less — except motorcycles other than motor tricycles equipped with passenger car tires, restricted-use motorcycles, three-wheeled vehicles equipped with tires other than passenger car tires, vehicles imported temporarily for special purposes and low-speed vehicles — and every tire rim manufactured for use on those vehicles shall conform to the requirements of Technical Standards Document No. 110, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4,536 kg or Less (TSD 110), as amended from time to time.

Technical Standards Document No. 110

(2) Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), the information specified in sections S4.3 and S4.3.5 of TSD 110 shall appear, at the option of the manufacturer, either

(a) in both official languages on one vehicle placard, as shown in Figure 3, or, if the manufacturer chooses to use a tire inflation pressure label, on one placard and one label, as shown in Figures 3 and 6; or

(b) in each official language on two vehicle placards, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or, if the manufacturer chooses to use a tire inflation pressure label, on two placards and two labels, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, and affixed at the same location on the vehicle but apart.

(3) The information specified in section S4.3(f) of TSD 110 that appears on a vehicle placard and, at the manufacturer’s option, on a tire inflation pressure label in accordance with paragraph (2)(a) shall appear either

(a) in the form of the symbol number N.03 for Operator’s manual, operation instructions, that is included in International Standard ISO 2575, entitled Road vehicles — Symbols for controls, indicators and tell-tales, 7th edition, May 1, 2004; or

(b) in both official languages on one placard, as shown in Figure 3, or on one placard and one label, as shown in Figures 3 and 6.

(4) The information specified in section S4.3(f) of TSD 110 that appears on a vehicle placard and, at the manufacturer’s option, on a tire inflation pressure label in accordance with paragraph 2(b) shall appear either

(a) in the form of the symbol number N.03 specified in paragraph (3)(a); or

(b) in each official language on two placards, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or on two placards and two labels, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, and affixed at the same location on the vehicle but apart.

(5) The words “Voir le manuel de l’usager pour plus de renseignements” of the French version of the information specified in section S4.3(f) of TSD 110 may, at the option of the manufacturer, be replaced by the words “Voir le guide du propriétaire pour plus de renseignements”, “Voir le manuel du propriétaire pour plus de renseignements” or “Voir le guide de l’automobiliste pour plus de renseignements”.

(6) The information specified in section S4.3.3 of TSD 110 shall be in both official languages.

(7) The following definitions apply for the purposes of TSD 110.

“load rating” means the maximum load a tire is rated to carry at a given inflation pressure. (charge nominale)

“maximum load rating” means the load rating at the maximum permissible inflation pressure for that tire. (limite de charge nominale)

“rim base” means that portion of a rim remaining after removal of all split or continuous rim flanges, side rings, and locking rings that can be detached from the rim. (base de jante)

Load Range Identification Symbol

(8) In the case of vehicles equipped with light-truck tires, the load range identification symbol shall appear on the compliance label required by section 6 of these Regulations or after the tire size designation on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label.

Compliance

(9) Until August 31, 2009, the motor vehicles and tire rims referred to in subsection (1) may conform to the requirements of this section as it read on the day before the day on which this version of the section came into force.

Expiry Date

(10) This section expires on August 1, 2013.

 

Figure 1 — Vehicle Placard, Unilingual English Example

 

Figure 2 — Vehicle Placard, Unilingual French Example

 

Figure 3 — Vehicle Placard, Bilingual Example

 

Figure 4 — Tire Inflation Pressure Label, Unilingual English Example

 

Figure 5 — Tire Inflation Pressure Label, Unilingual French Example

 

Figure 6 — Tire Inflation Pressure Label, Bilingual Example

9. Section 120 of Schedule IV to the Regulations and the heading before it are replaced by the following:

TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES WITH A GVWR OF MORE THAN 4 536 KG (STANDARD 120)

General

120. (1) Every motor vehicle with a GVWR of more than 4 536 kg, except vehicles imported temporarily for special purposes, every three-wheeled vehicle equipped with tires other than passenger car tires, every motorcycle except motor tricycles equipped with passenger car tires, and every tire rim manufactured for use on those vehicles shall conform to the requirements of Technical Standards Document No. 120, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4,536 kg (TSD 120), as amended from time to time.

Technical Standards Document No. 120

(2) In addition to the requirements set out in section S5.1.3 of TSD 120, used or retreaded tires installed on a bus, trailer, trailer converter dolly or truck shall

(a) not have been the subject of a notice of defect;

(b) have a tread depth greater than 1.5 mm; and

(c) have been originally manufactured to comply with

(i) in the case of used tires, the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995, and

(ii) in the case of retreaded tires, Schedule V to the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995, the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 119 or the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS D4230.

(3) The label information specified in section S5.3 of TSD 120 shall be in both official languages.

(4) The following definitions apply for the purposes of TSD 120.

“load rating” means the maximum load a tire is rated to carry at a given inflation pressure. (charge nominale)

“maximum load rating” means the load rating at the maximum permissible inflation pressure for that tire. (limite de charge nominale)

Load Range Identification Symbol

(5) In the case of vehicles equipped with light-truck tires, the load range identification symbol shall appear on the compliance label required by section 6 of these Regulations or on the tire information label.

Compliance

(6) Compliance with subsection (3) is only required after August 31, 2009.

Expiry Date

(7) This section expires on August 1, 2013.

10. Subsection 301(4) of Schedule IV to the Regulations is repealed.

MOTOR VEHICLE TIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS, 1995

11. (1) The definition “light truck tire” in section 2 of the English version of the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995 (see footnote 2) is repealed.

(2) The definition “pneu pour camion léger” in section 2 of the French version of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

« pneu pour camion léger » S’entend au sens du paragraphe 2(1) du Règlement sur la sécurité des véhicules automobiles. (light-truck tire or LT tire)

(3) Section 2 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“rim diameter” has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations; (diamètre de jante)

(4) Section 2 of the English version of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“light-truck tire” or “LT tire” has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations; (pneu pour camion léger)

12. Paragraph 7(2)(a) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(a) the information specified in subsection (1) appears in a publication issued by any of the following:

(i) the Tire and Rim Association,

(ii) the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation,

(iii) the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers’ Association, Inc.,

(iv) the Deutsche Industrie Norm,

(v) the British Standards Institution,

(vi) the Scandinavian Tire and Rim Organization (STRO),

(vii) the Tyre and Rim Association of Australia,

(viii) the Associação Latino Americana de Pneus e Aros (ALAPA),

(ix) the Tire and Rim Engineering Data Committee of South Africa (Tredco),

(x) the South African Bureau of Standards,

(xi) the Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee (ITTAC), or

(xii) the Instituto Argentino de Normalización y Certificación (IRAM); and

13. Paragraph 8(1)(d) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(d) two symbols that identify the week of manufacture of the tire and two symbols that identify the year of manufacture of the tire, as follows:

(i) the first two symbols shall identify the week of manufacture of the tire using “01” for the first week of the year, “02” for the second week, and so on,

(ii) for the purposes of subparagraph (i), a week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday, and the final week of the year may include not more than six days of the following year,

(iii) the last two symbols shall identify the year of manufacture of the tire and shall consist of the last two digits of the year, and

(iv) at the manufacturer’s option, the symbols may, not later than 24 hours after the tire is removed from the mould, be laser-etched into the sidewall rather than permanently moulded into or onto the sidewall.

14. Paragraphs 14(2)(a) and (b) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:

(a) two or three symbols assigned by the Minister that identify the importer; and

(b) two symbols that identify the month of importation of the tire and two symbols that identify the year of importation of the tire.

15. Parts I and II of Schedule III to the Regulations are replaced by the following:

PART I

 

 

PART II

 

16. Table II of Schedule IV to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after item 10:

Item	Column I Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure	Column II Pressure to Be Used for: — Test for Physical Dimensions — Bead Unseating Resistance Test — Strength Test — Endurance Test	Column III Pressure to Be Used for High Speed Performance Test
10.1	350 kPa (51 p.s.i.)	180 kPa (26 p.s.i.)	220 kPa (32 p.s.i.)

COMING INTO FORCE

17. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

REGULATORY IMPACT
ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Executive Summary

Issue: This amendment addresses tire safety, in particular the issues of proper tire inflation and motor vehicle overloading. It is important that vehicles be equipped with tires that are capable of carrying a fully loaded vehicle and that the size of the tires, their cold tire inflation pressure, and the vehicle load limit is clearly indicated.

Description: This amendment aligns the Canadian regulatory requirements governing the selection of motor vehicle tires and rims with those of the United States. As a result, extensive changes have been made to section 110 and 120 of Schedule IV to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR). This amendment introduces by reference two new Technical Standards Documents (TSD 110 and 120), which reproduce the corresponding standards from the United States with the adaptation necessary to the Canadian context. In addition, section 101 of Schedule IV to the MVSR has been amended in order to add two tire pressure monitoring system tell-tales and a malfunction indicator that are similar to requirements recently introduced by the United States. Several related changes have also been made to the requirements governing the date portion of the Tire Identification Number that are contained in the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995.

Cost-benefit statement: These changes are expected to improve the quality of the tire and rim selection information provided to vehicle owners and service personnel as it did when these standards were introduced in the United States. As a result, it is expected that the incidence of collisions due to under-inflated tires and vehicle overloading will be reduced. There will be an initial, modest one-time cost to motor vehicle manufacturers and importers for the redesign of their labels. Also, introducing these standards through incorporation by reference provides an efficient way of maintaining these standards up-to-date.

Business and consumer impacts: Aligning more closely Canada’s motor vehicle safety requirements with those of the United States is important to the competitiveness of Canada’s automotive industry, and this amendment removes a potential impediment to trade between the two countries. Important information regarding vehicle capacity mass, tire size, and cold tire inflation pressure will be made available to vehicle users and service personnel in a clear and standardized manner and in an accessible location.

Domestic and international coordination and cooperation: Harmonization with the requirements of the United States removes a potential impediment to trade.

Issue

This amendment addresses tire safety, in particular the issues of proper tire inflation and motor vehicle overloading. Under-inflated or overloaded tires can be a contributing factor in vehicle collisions as they wear faster, causing them to lose traction, which can increase stopping distance; cause hydroplaning on a wet surface; cause steering and handling problems; and contribute to skidding or loss of control of the vehicle in a curve, or in a lane-change manoeuvre. In addition, under-inflation leads to excessive flexion of tire sidewalls and to a higher interior air temperature, which increase the risk of tire failure. Therefore, it is important that vehicles be equipped with tires capable of carrying a fully loaded vehicle and that the tires are inflated at the recommended inflation pressure to prevent tire overloading. Tire overloading occurs when the load on a tire is greater than the load it can carry, because either the tire is under-inflated or the vehicle load exceeds the maximum load permitted for the tires on the vehicle. Furthermore, to prevent tire overloading, it is important that the size of the tires, their cold tire inflation pressure, and the vehicle capacity mass be clearly indicated to the vehicle users.

Objectives

This amendment seeks to ensure that vehicles are equipped with tires of correct size, type, and load limit, and with appropriate rims, and to ensure that the necessary information is available to vehicle users and service personnel in a clear and standardized manner as well as in an easily accessible location. This amendment closely aligns Canada’s requirements governing the selection of tires and their rims with the corresponding requirements of the United States in a manner consistent with the Canadian context so as to reduce the trade barrier between the two countries. This amendment also seeks to facilitate tire identification in the event of a recall or other notification by tire manufacturers by clarifying how the date portion of the Tire Identification Number is to be composed and by increasing its visibility.

Description

This amendment aligns Canada’s regulatory requirements governing the selection of motor vehicle tires and rims with those of the United States. Accordingly, extensive changes have been made to section 110 of Schedule IV to the MVSR, hereafter referred to as Canadian safety standard 110, and to section 120 of Schedule IV to the MVSR, hereafter referred to as Canadian safety standard 120. Alignment with the United States requirements is done through incorporation by reference of two new Technical Standards Documents (TSD 110 and 120) (see footnote 3) and by amending related provisions.

These Canadian Standards ensure that vehicle manufacturers provide appropriate tires and rims for new vehicles in relation to their vehicle load capacity. These standards also ensure that information is provided to users in order for them to use proper tires and rims, to inflate their tires at the recommended inflation pressure and to avoid overloading their vehicle. In order to better align with the United States standard, this amendment now applies to vehicles using their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) rather than using the class of vehicle to which a vehicle belongs. Therefore, the Canadian safety standard 110 now applies to all newly manufactured motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kg or less, except motorcycles and low-speed vehicles, and Canadian safety standard 120 pertains to all motor vehicles with a GVWR greater than 4,536 kg, as well as motorcycles.

Canadian safety standard 110, tire selection and rims for motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kg or less

Canadian safety standard 110 cannot be fully harmonized with the United States standard because adaptation to the Canadian context is necessary. As such, unlike the United States, Canada does not set requirements for non-pneumatic spare tires and assemblies because they are rarely provided with late-model vehicles. As it was under the former standard, this amendment also includes three-wheeled vehicles and motor tricycles that are equipped with passenger car tires, as the United States does not define these classes of vehicles.

The Canadian safety standard 110 sets new requirements governing the content and location of information provided to users and service personnel regarding tire inflation pressure and vehicle load limits. As with the United States standard, Canada now requires a vehicle placard, and if the manufacturers so chooses, a separate tire inflation pressure label. The mandated content of the new vehicle placard includes the vehicle capacity mass, the designated seating capacity, the recommended cold tire inflation pressure of the tires, and the tire size.

The new requirements pertaining to the colour scheme and the content of the vehicle placard are now more specific to ensure that these placards are easily recognizable by users and to ensure consistency of the information provided in French and English in all vehicles, while harmonizing with the United States. Therefore, where the exact wording is prescribed by the United States, the Canadian safety standard and its incorporated TSD mandate both the English and French text that is to be used. For example, the phrase “See Owner’s Manual for Additional Information/Voir le manuel de l’usager pour plus de renseignements” must be present and must be in the same colours as the headings. A precisely worded statement is also mandated conveying the maximum load that the vehicle can carry.

The information requirements may be satisfied by using: one bilingual placard; one bilingual placard and label; two separate unilingual placards; or two unilingual placards and labels. Considering that in the past, motor vehicle manufacturers have used different French wording for the term “owner’s manual”; thus, three permissible alternatives are specified to the French term “manuel de l’usager.” These alternatives are both grammatically correct and conform to variations currently used by the Industry. In addition, as an alternative to the required phrase “See Owner’s Manual for Additional Information/Voir le manuel de l’usager pour plus de renseignements,” manufacturers may use an International Standards Organization (ISO) referenced symbol. In response to the intention to specify the French wording of the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label, the automotive industry requested additional time in which to design new placards and labels. Consequently, compliance with the requirements of Canadian safety standard 110 is deferred until August 31, 2009.

To increase the visibility for users and to ensure a standardized location in all vehicles, the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label must now be affixed to the driver’s side B-pillar. In the absence of a B-pillar, various locations are allowed in some specified cases as, for example, the rear edge of the driver’s door, and failing that, the inward-facing surface next to the driver’s seating position may be used.

While some requirements are more stringent, the exact size of the placard and label and the arrangement of the information are subject to much greater flexibility. The figures of the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label that are presented in Canadian safety standard 110 are intended only as examples of one possible arrangement of the mandated information as it is the case for the parallel figures in the safety standard of the United States. (see footnote 4)

In order to preserve the requirements of an amendment that came into effect on September 1, 2007, (see footnote 5) the safety standard stipulates that, for vehicles equipped with light-truck tires, the load range identification symbol must appear on the compliance label or after the size designation on the vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure label. Lastly, this amendment defines the terms “load rating,” “maximum load rating,” and “rim base” to specify the technical meaning of these terms, as they are now used within the TSD. According to the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, all Canadian safety standards that incorporate a TSD by reference must have an expiry date that is no later than five years after the day on which they come into force; thus Canadian safety standard 110 expires on August 1, 2013.

Canadian safety standard 120, tire selection and rims for motor vehicles with a GVWR of more than 4,536 kg

As for Canadian safety standard 110, this safety standard does not apply to non-pneumatic spare tires and assemblies. It also covers three-wheeled vehicles that are equipped with tires other than passenger cars tires.

Canadian safety standard 120 also differs from the United States standard, as it continues to provide complementary requirements for the use of retreaded tires, which can be provided on a new vehicle (such as a bus, trailer or truck) by a manufacturer at the request of the purchaser. The label information specified in the Canadian safety standard 120 must be bilingual; however, in response to two comments from the Industry, compliance with this requirement is not required before September 1, 2009. Consistent with the provision in Canadian safety standard 110, the load range identification symbol for vehicles equipped with light-truck tires must be indicated on the compliance label or the tire information label. Also, as with Canadian safety standard 110, definitions for the terms “load rating” and “maximum load rating” have been added.

With the exception of the bilingual requirements, Canadian safety standard 120 requirements come into effect on the date of publication of this amendment in the Canada Gazette, Part II. This safety standard also expires on August 1, 2013.

Introduction of tire pressure monitoring system tell-tales

In order to harmonize Canada’s provisions governing tell-tales with requirements that recently came effective in the United States, this amendment adds two low-tire-pressure-warning tell-tales and a malfunction tell-tale to Canadian safety standard 101. In 2005, the United States Department of Transportation introduced a new standard requiring that all vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kg or less be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in order to warn drivers when the pressure in one or more tires falls below a specified level of inflation. Among other requirements, one of two designated low-tire-pressure-warning tell-tales must be installed inside vehicles sold in the United States, and the vehicles must be equipped with a TPMS malfunction tell-tale that signals when the system is not operating properly. (see footnote 6) Although Canada does not currently intend to mandate tire pressure monitoring systems, the adoption of these tell-tales was judged to be necessary in order to ensure uniformity between the symbols used in the TPMS-equipped vehicles sold in both countries.

Related amendments to the MVSR

This amendment also includes a number of changes of a non-technical nature. Since many of the terms now only apply in the context of TSD 110 and 120, this amendment carries over fourteen definitions from subsection 2(1) of the MVSR to the TSDs. Definitions for the terms “light-truck tire” and “passenger car tire” have been added to the MVSR because they have been defined by the United States and are now used in Canadian safety standards 110 and 120. In order to harmonize with the United States and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the occupant mass factors, which are used, among other provisions, in the calculation of cargo-carrying capacity, are adjusted from 70 kg to 68 kg, and from 55 kg to 54 kg for school buses. This discrepancy arose when the initial imperial values were converted to their metric equivalent.

Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995

In order to be consistent with the amendments made in the Canadian standard 110 and 120, this amendment revises the definition of the term “light-truck tire” and adds the definition “rim diameter” so that the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations, 1995 (Tire Regulations) use the same definitions as in the MVSR. The list of organizations, which publish the industry standardized specifications for tires and rims, and which are specified in paragraph 7(2)(a) of the Tire Regulations, has also been revised.

In order to make it easier for users to identify the date of manufacture of their tires in the event that they are notified of a defect or other problem, the requirements governing the date portion of the Tire Identification Number and the Importer Identification Number have been revised to specify a four-digit date code, which brings Canada’s provisions into line with those of the United States. This amendment also follows the United States in requiring that the date portion of the Tire Identification Number be a minimum of 6 mm in height instead of the previous 4 mm, except for tires with a cross-section less than 155 mm or a bead diameter less than 330 mm. In addition, it is now permitted for the date portion of the Tire Identification Number to be permanently moulded or etched by laser, at the manufacturer’s option, in accordance with the current practice of the United States. (see footnote 7)

Another change is that the importer identification portion of the Importer Identification Number may now consist of two or three characters, which is necessary because the numbers used have now reached 99. Finally, Item 10.1 has been added to Table II to Schedule IV of the Tire Regulations in order to specify the required test inflation pressures for regular tires with a maximum permissible inflation pressure of 350 kPa. These values had been inadvertently omitted.

Effective date

This amendment comes into effect on the date of its publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II, with the following two exceptions. Compliance with the provisions of Canadian safety standard 110 is not mandatory before September 1, 2009; however, manufacturers must then continue to comply with the standard as it read on the day before the day on which this version of the section come into force. Similarly, the requirement in Canadian safety standard 120 for the label information to be in both English and in French does not come into effect before September 1, 2009. Early compliance with these provisions is permitted.

Regulatory and non-regulatory options considered

Non-regulatory options have not been considered since these requirements are already regulated. Introducing by reference the United States standards with the necessary adaptation to the Canadian context has been used in the past and has been demonstrated to be an effective tool to reduce trade barriers and provides an efficient way of maintaining these standards up-to-date.

Benefits and costs

If Canada had not adopted the new requirements of the United States, vehicle manufacturers that sell their products in both countries would have had to contend with two sets of regulations, which would have increased unnecessarily the burden on the motor vehicle industry in Canada. Furthermore, the changes made by the United States will improve the quality of the information that is provided to vehicle owners and service personnel. As a result, it is expected that the incidence of collisions and the amount of property damage due to under-inflated tires and vehicle overloading will be reduced. There will be an initial, modest one-time cost to motor vehicle manufacturers and importers for the redesign of the labels in question. Since these one-time costs are limited to the redesign of the existing labels, in particular those related to bilingual labelling, it would fall well below 1% of gross revenue for the year in which they will be incurred.

Under the Government’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Policy, a preliminary evaluation of the possible effects of this amendment was carried out, and it is expected that there will be no negative impact on the environment.

Consultation

The intention to review these Canadian safety standards was announced in the Department of Transport’s Regulatory Plan, which is widely distributed to interested stakeholders, either directly or through various associations on a quarterly basis. The Department also consults regularly in face-to-face meetings or in teleconferences with the automotive industry, public safety organizations, the provinces, and the territories. In addition, the Department meets regularly with the authorities of other countries. Given that harmonized regulations are pivotal to trade and to a competitive Canadian automotive industry, the Department and its counterpart in the United States hold semi-annual meetings to discuss problems of mutual interest and planned regulatory changes.

This proposal was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on December 2, 2006, followed by a 75-day comment period. Some stakeholders requested more time to prepare their comments; therefore, the comment closing date was extended to March 9, 2007. Four organizations provided comments: the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC); the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA); the Canadian Transportation Equipment Association (CTEA); and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA).

A second pre-publication has not been pursued because of the in-depth consultation that was done with the automotive industry since then. Throughout the development of this amendment, the Canadian automotive manufacturing associations were consulted on the content of the proposal and drafts of the revised proposed regulations were issued for public consultation and shared with them. In addition to the consultation with the automotive associations, the Department reviewed and commented on draft versions of the vehicle placard submitted by several automotive companies.

Both the AIAMC and the CVMA requested deferral of the bilingual requirements governing the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label for at least one year in order to give them time to redesign their placards and labels. As a result of this request, Canadian safety standards 110 and 120 now defer compliance with the language provisions until August 31, 2009, with early compliance permitted.

In its comments, the AIAMC requested confirmation that it would be permissible to use one single bilingual vehicle placard and tire inflation pressure label, or two unilingual placards and labels. In response, Canadian safety standard 110 was revised in order to make this permission explicit.

During the final stage of the consultation with AIAMC, the Association requested further clarification with regard to where tire and rim size information must be placed on multi-purpose passenger vehicles (MPV) with a GVWR of 4,536 kg or less. A clarification was given to AIAMC during a meeting between the Association and the Department’s representatives in May 2008. For MPVs of 4,536 kg or less, TSD 110 stipulates that the tire size designation must be provided on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, and that the rim size designation and, if applicable, the rim type designation must appear on the compliance label.

The CVMA sought flexibility with regard to the content and the layout of the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label. The CVMA argued that the French wording of the requirement decreased the space available for the messages and that its member companies should be allowed to use different wording for the mandated information. Giving such flexibility was not possible, as it would not provide the consistency of the information sought by this amendment. As the information is important to road safety, the wording of the placard and label has been made as concise as possible, and the full mandated text should be available in both official languages equally.

With respect to the CVMA’s request for flexibility regarding the layout of the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label, the purpose of this amendment is to follow the approach of the United States, which is to allow the information to be arranged in any manner that the manufacturer may wish, as long as the requirements governing the dimensions of the tire pictograph, the colour scheme, and the borders are respected.

The CVMA also asked for its member companies to be allowed to use the word “occupants” for “seating capacity” in both language versions of the vehicle placard. Manufacturing companies could use this word if they so desire since the safety standard does not prescribe the exact wording to be used in indicating the designated seated capacity of the vehicle.

Further to the intention to harmonize the occupant mass factor for school buses with that used by the United States, the CVMA noted that the same factor should also be used in section S7.1.6(c) of TSD 301, Fuel System Integrity. In response, this amendment repeals subsection 301(4) of Schedule IV of the MVSR and TSD 301 has been revised accordingly.

The CVMA also made a proposal to refer to the United States tire standards in S4.1 of TSD 110 and in S5.1.1 of TSD 120. This proposition was not retained because it would be contrary to the framework used by Canada. The United States standards are brought into the Canadian standards through incorporation by reference to allow adaptation to the Canadian context. The AIAMC also expressed a concern that references to the Tire Regulations in Canadian safety standards 110 and 120 would become invalid with the upcoming rewrite of the Tire Regulations. Therefore, the content of the Canadian safety standard 110 and 120 will be revised when the amendments to the Tire Regulations are developed.

Following the final comments made by the CVMA, the definition of the term “accessory mass” was revised to align it with the similar term “accessory weight” used by the United States. The CVMA suggested to use the ISO symbol together with the English wording “See Owner’s Manual for Additional Information,” which must appear on the vehicle placard and, at the manufacturer’s option, on the tire inflation pressure label. This change has not been made as the permission to use this variation is implied in the current wording.

The CTEA suggested that the wording of the trailer capacity statement in the examples of the vehicle placard be revised to make it consistent with the regulatory text in the safety standard, which has been done. The CTEA also said that some of its member companies would find it costly to indicate the vehicle capacity mass on the vehicle placard; consequently, the Association suggested that final-stage manufacturers be exempt from this provision. This suggestion was not retained because it would result that some vehicle users would not receive information considered vital to road safety.

The TMA rightly pointed out that the inserted references in Canadian safety standards to the information label required on an incomplete vehicle should be removed as these provisions refer only to the compliance label, and thus apply only to final-stage manufacturers. The necessary revisions have been completed.

In response to the suggestions made by the various stakeholders, the French wording of some of the terms and expressions used in the examples of the vehicle placard and the tire inflation pressure label has been amended. Several other editorial concerns have been submitted by stakeholders; based on these comments, necessary amendments to the regulatory text were made.

Implementation, enforcement, and service standards

Motor vehicle manufacturers and importers are responsible for ensuring that their products conform to the requirements of the MVSR. The Department of Transport monitors self-certification programs of manufacturers and importers by reviewing their test documentation, inspecting vehicles, and testing vehicles obtained in the open market. In addition, when a defect in a vehicle or equipment is identified, the manufacturer or importer must issue a Notice of Defect to the owners and to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. If a vehicle does not comply with a Canadian safety standard, the manufacturer or importer is liable to prosecution and, if found guilty, may be fined as prescribed in the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Contact

Julie Deschatelets
Regulatory Development Engineer
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate
Department of Transport
275 Slater Street, 17th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5
Email: deschju@tc.gc.ca

Footnote a
S.C. 1993, c. 16

Footnote b
S.C. 1999, c. 33, s. 351

Footnote c
S.C. 1993, c. 16

Footnote 1
C.R.C, c. 1038

Footnote 2
SOR/95-148

Footnote 3
The text of TSD 110 is based on Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No.110, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of 4,536Kilograms (10,000Pounds) or Less, and TSD 120 is based on FMVSS No.120, Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of More Than 4,536Kilograms (10,000Pounds), as published in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title49, Part571 revised as of October1,2007. The text of TSD 110 and TSD 120 do not include the amendments published in U.S. Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 232, Tuesday, December 4, 2007, p. 68442

Footnote 4
U.S. Federal Register, Vol. 67, No. 222, Monday, November 18, 2002, p. 69613

Footnote 5
SOR/2005-342

Footnote 6
U.S. Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 67, Friday, April 8, 2005, p. 18136, and Vol. 70, No. 158, Wednesday, August17, 2005, p. 48295

Footnote 7
U.S. Federal Register, Vol. 69, No. 160, Thursday, August 19, 2004, p. 51399

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