Garage sale sellers responsible for product safety, Health Canada says
Garage sales face the same responsibilities as legitimate retailers when it comes to screening for banned or unsafe products, Health Canada reminded Canadians in a Tuesday advisory.
“Everyone holding a garage sale in Canada is legally responsible for ensuring that products sold or even given away, whether new or used, are safe and meet current safety standards,” says an instructional video released this week by Health Canada.
The new rule stems from the revised Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, which came into force last June, although similar regulations existed under the previous Hazardous Products Act. The “sweeping” changes, first proposed in 2008, were meant to combat sellers “who care more about the almighty dollar than the safety of their customers,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said at the time.
“They cut corners and play fast and loose with safety. To these outfits I say: Be warned. You will soon face severe punishment if you willfully expose Canadians to danger,” Mr. Harper told an annual meeting of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association.
According to the Health Canada website, a garage sale is effectively breaking the law if it includes lawn darts, corded blinds, broken toys, toys with powerful magnets, hockey helmets, tiki torches or any product that has been the subject of a recall. Regulations also call for garage sale electronics to be bundled with “instructions for safe use.”
Garage sale sellers responsible for product safety, Health Canada says | News | National Post
Garage sales face the same responsibilities as legitimate retailers when it comes to screening for banned or unsafe products, Health Canada reminded Canadians in a Tuesday advisory.
“Everyone holding a garage sale in Canada is legally responsible for ensuring that products sold or even given away, whether new or used, are safe and meet current safety standards,” says an instructional video released this week by Health Canada.
The new rule stems from the revised Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, which came into force last June, although similar regulations existed under the previous Hazardous Products Act. The “sweeping” changes, first proposed in 2008, were meant to combat sellers “who care more about the almighty dollar than the safety of their customers,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said at the time.
“They cut corners and play fast and loose with safety. To these outfits I say: Be warned. You will soon face severe punishment if you willfully expose Canadians to danger,” Mr. Harper told an annual meeting of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association.
‘Be warned. You will soon face severe punishment if you willfully expose Canadians to danger’
As well as allowing Health Canada to impose mandatory product recalls, the act extends vendor responsibility to thrift stores, independent sellers and even people listing free items in online classifieds. Depending on the severity of consumer injury that results, the act allows Health Canada to prosecute anyone who has sold or given away a potentially unsafe item.According to the Health Canada website, a garage sale is effectively breaking the law if it includes lawn darts, corded blinds, broken toys, toys with powerful magnets, hockey helmets, tiki torches or any product that has been the subject of a recall. Regulations also call for garage sale electronics to be bundled with “instructions for safe use.”
Garage sale sellers responsible for product safety, Health Canada says | News | National Post