Childproofing and Home Safety in Canada: A Complete Guide for Newcomers

Understanding Child Safety Standards in Canada

Canada takes child safety very seriously, and there are both federal and provincial laws that set minimum safety standards for children. These standards may differ significantly from what you are accustomed to in your home country. In Canada, child protective services agencies have the authority to investigate concerns about child safety, and parents and caregivers are expected to meet established standards of care. Understanding these expectations will help you keep your children safe and avoid misunderstandings.

This guide focuses on the most important safety areas that newcomer families need to know about. For related information about healthcare for your family, see our guide to healthcare in British Columbia. If you are still getting settled, our guide to finding housing in Canada can help you choose a safe home for your family.

Car Seat Laws and Requirements

Car seat laws in Canada are among the most important safety rules for families with young children. In British Columbia, the BC Motor Vehicle Act requires that all children use an appropriate car seat or booster seat based on their age, weight, and height. The law applies to all vehicles, including taxis and ride-share services. Not using a proper car seat is illegal and puts your child at serious risk of injury or death in a collision.

Rear-Facing Car Seats

Infants and toddlers must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum height or weight limit specified by the car seat manufacturer. In BC, the law requires rear-facing seats for children under one year of age and under 20 pounds (9 kg), but safety experts strongly recommend keeping children rear-facing until at least age two, or until they outgrow the rear-facing limits of their seat. Rear-facing seats provide the best protection for a young child's head, neck, and spine in a crash.

Forward-Facing Car Seats

Once a child outgrows their rear-facing seat, they move to a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness. This seat is used until the child reaches the maximum height or weight limit of the seat, which is typically around 40 to 65 pounds (18 to 29 kg) depending on the model. The harness straps should be snug and positioned at or above the child's shoulders. Never move a child to the next stage of car seat before they have outgrown their current one.

Booster Seats

After outgrowing a forward-facing car seat, children must use a booster seat until they are large enough for the vehicle's seat belt to fit properly. In BC, booster seats are required for children who weigh between 40 and 60 pounds (18 to 27 kg). A child is ready to transition out of a booster seat when the seat belt fits correctly: the lap belt sits low across the hips (not the stomach), and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the shoulder and chest (not the neck or face). Most children need a booster seat until they are about 9 to 12 years old or at least 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) tall.

Smoke Detectors and Fire Safety

Working smoke detectors are required by law in every home in Canada. In British Columbia, the BC Fire Code requires smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. If you rent your home, your landlord is required to provide and maintain smoke alarms. If you own your home, you are responsible for installation and maintenance. Test your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button, and replace batteries at least once a year.

Create and practice a fire escape plan with your family. Identify two exits from every room, choose a meeting place outside your home, and practice the plan at least twice a year. Teach children that if they hear the smoke alarm, they should get low to the ground and crawl to the nearest exit. Never go back inside a burning building for any reason.

Kitchen Fire Prevention

Cooking is the leading cause of house fires in Canada. Never leave cooking unattended, keep flammable items (towels, paper, curtains) away from the stove, and turn pot handles inward so children cannot reach them. Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and learn how to use it. If a grease fire starts in a pot, slide a lid over the pot to smother the flames. Never throw water on a grease fire.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odourless gas that can be deadly. It is produced by fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas stoves. In British Columbia, carbon monoxide alarms are required in homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages. Install CO alarms on every level of your home and near sleeping areas. If a CO alarm sounds, immediately move everyone outside to fresh air and call 911.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and drowsiness. Because these symptoms can be mistaken for the flu, it is important to have working CO alarms that will alert you before symptoms become severe. Have your furnace and other fuel-burning appliances inspected annually by a qualified technician to prevent CO leaks.

Poison Prevention and Poison Control

Young children are naturally curious and will put almost anything in their mouths. Poisoning is a leading cause of injury in Canadian children under age five. Keep all medications, cleaning products, laundry pods, pesticides, and other hazardous substances locked away and out of children's reach. Use child-resistant closures on all hazardous products, but remember that "child-resistant" does not mean "child-proof."

If you suspect a child has ingested something poisonous, call the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911 (available 24/7) or your provincial poison control centre. Do not try to induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by a poison control specialist. Keep the poison control number programmed in your phone and posted in a visible location in your home.

Safe Sleep Practices for Infants

Safe sleep is a critical concern for families with babies. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that babies always be placed on their backs to sleep, on a firm, flat mattress in a crib that meets current Canadian safety standards. The sleep space should be free of loose bedding, pillows, bumper pads, stuffed animals, and other soft items that could pose a suffocation risk.

Room-sharing (having the baby's crib in your bedroom) is recommended for at least the first six months, but bed-sharing (having the baby sleep in your adult bed) is strongly discouraged due to the risk of suffocation and overlay. These recommendations may differ from practices in your home country, but they are based on extensive research and are designed to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related infant deaths.

Pool Fencing and Water Safety at Home

If your home has a swimming pool, hot tub, or any standing water feature, fencing and barriers are required by law in most Canadian jurisdictions. In BC, residential pools must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.2 metres (4 feet) high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. The fence must completely surround the pool and cannot use the house wall as one side of the barrier. These rules exist because drowning is a leading cause of death in young children, and most child drownings at home occur when a child gains unsupervised access to a pool.

In addition to fencing, always supervise children around any body of water, including bathtubs, inflatable pools, and even buckets of water. A child can drown in as little as one inch of water. For more water safety information, see our guide to swimming and water safety.

General Childproofing Tips for Your Home

Childproofing your home involves identifying and eliminating potential hazards throughout your living space. Key steps include: securing heavy furniture and televisions to the wall to prevent tip-overs, installing safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, covering electrical outlets with safety plugs, installing window locks or guards to prevent falls, keeping blind cords out of reach (strangulation hazard), and ensuring that all small objects (coins, batteries, small toys) are kept out of reach of young children.

Walk through your home at a child's eye level to identify potential dangers you might not notice from an adult's perspective. Children are remarkably creative at finding hazards, so be thorough in your assessment. Many hardware stores sell childproofing kits that include outlet covers, cabinet locks, door stops, and other essential safety devices. Our guide to Canadian banking fees can help you budget for these purchases as part of your settlement expenses.

Window and Balcony Safety

Falls from windows and balconies are a serious risk for young children, especially in apartments and multi-storey homes. Install window stops that prevent windows from opening more than 10 centimetres (4 inches), and never rely on window screens to prevent falls. Keep furniture away from windows to discourage climbing. On balconies, ensure the railing spacing does not allow a child to squeeze through (gaps should be no more than 10 centimetres), and never leave children unsupervised on a balcony.

Where to Get Help and Support

If you have questions about child safety or need help childproofing your home, there are many resources available. Your family doctor or public health nurse can provide guidance on car seats, safe sleep, and other child safety topics. Local fire departments often offer free smoke alarm checks and fire safety education. Community organizations and settlement agencies may offer workshops on child safety tailored for newcomer families.

WelcomeAide is here to support your family's safety in Canada. Our AI Newcomer Navigator can answer your questions about child safety, healthcare, housing, and other topics in your language. Explore our blog for more newcomer guides, learn about our mission, or see how to get involved in supporting newcomer communities across Canada.