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· Can be used only after a child reaches 18kg (40lbs)
· Must be used with a lap-sholder seatbelt
General Information 
· Booster seats are required for children after they are a minimum weight of 18 kg (40 lbs)
· A booster seat is designed to help position the vehicle seat belt properly across the child's chest and hips
· Never use pillows, blankets or cushions as a booster; they can compress in a collision, changing the position of the seat belt over your child's body, or creating slack in the seat belt
· Current models of booster seats available in Canada must be used with a lap/shoulder seat belt only
Types of Booster Seats
1. High back booster
· Make sure your child is within the height limits of the seat to ensure they have proper head and neck protection
2. Backless booster
· When using a backless booster seat, it is important the back of the vehicle seat and/or head rest gives your child proper head and neck protection — if the middle of your child's ears are above the back of the vehicle seat or head rest, a high back booster is the safer option
Installing the Seat in your Vehicle & Securing your Child in the Car Seat
· Place the booster seat in a back seat position that has a lap/shoulder belt
· Once your child is sitting in the seat, thread the seat belt over their body, and over/through the lap and shoulder guides on the booster seat — refer to the booster seat instructions for specific details about threading the seatbelt through the booster and how to adjust the fit over your child
· Fasten the booster seat with the seat belt even when your child is not in it. During a sudden stop, an unbelted booster could injure you or your passengers
· For combination car seats that have been converted to a booster seat (harnessing has been removed), refer to the car seat manual to find out if the tether strap (and if applicable, the LATCH strap) can continue to be used once the seat is being used as a booster seat
· Once the seatbelt has been threaded through the booster seat, the lap portion of the seatbelt should be sitting low and snug across your child's hips, and the shoulder strap should sit on the middle of their shoulder and across their chest
· Seat belt adjusters should not be used in place of a booster seat; they are not regulated or recommended by Transport Canada. A seat belt adjuster pulls the shoulder and lap belts together and secures them with straps; in doing this it often pulls the lap belt over the child's abdomen, increasing the risk of serious injury (See Transport Canada's Third-Party Aftermarket Products for Children's Restraint Systems consumer information notice)
Is my child ready for just a seat belt?
By law, a child must be in a booster seat until one of the following three criteria is met:
· A standing height of 145 cm (4'9")
· A minimum weight of 36 kg (80 lbs)
· 8 years of age
Additional tips to help you decide if your child is ready for a seat belt only:
· Knees should bend comfortably over the edge of the vehicle seat
· The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the middle of your child's chest; it should not touch the neck or face, nor should it be tucked under the arm or behind the back
· The lap belt should fit low over the hip bones, under your child's belly area
· Have your child sit up straight in the back seat and measure him / her from the tailbone to the top of the head — the sitting height should be at least 74 cm (29")
Transport Canada recommends children 13 and under sit in the back seat, especially if there is a front passenger air bag.
For more information, please contact
York Region Health Connection at 1 800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933
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