Booster seat rules by province

The rules for when a kid is allowed to stop using a booster seat vary across Canada. Remember, these are minimums. Experts recommend that your kid stays in a booster until he can sit all the way to the back of the seat, knees bent comfortably at the front edge, with the lap belt low across the hips and the shoulder belt across the collarbone, between the neck and arm.

Prince Edward Island/Nova Scotia: must be 4’ 9” (145 cm), or minimum nine years old

Manitoba/New Brunswick: must be 4’ 9” (145 cm) tall, or minimum 80 lbs., or minimum nine years old

British Columbia: must be 4’ 9” (145 cm) tall or minimum nine years old

Ontario/Newfoundland and Labrador: must be 4’ 9” (145 cm) tall, or minimum 80 lbs., or minimum eight years old

Saskatchewan: must be 4’ 9” (145 cm) tall, or minimum 80 lbs., or minimum seven years old

Quebec: minimum seated height (measured from the seat to the top of the head) of 25 inches (63 cm); manufacturer’s recommendations for seat type/weight/height

Alberta/Yukon/Northwest Territories/Nunavut: no provincial law, but in Alberta, for example, the government says it recognizes that booster seats are the safest choice for children under nine years old, who weigh between 40 lbs (18 kg) and 80 lbs (36 kg), or who are less than 4’ 9” (145 cm) tall

Read more: Car seat cheat sheet: Booster seats> How to install a booster seat> Car seat cheat sheet: Seat belts>