Okay folks:

This is something I've posted about, in Canadian Forums because it's relevant to the J-body community.

In short, Transport Canada is considering lengthening the amount of time that must elapse before you can import a vehicle from other countries (excluding the USA) without penalties. The current standard is 15 years, but the proposed time is 25 years, without ANY provision of modifying the vehicle to meet current or era standards.

There is a troubling development, in that Transport Canada is no longer talking about it, but they have moved to the public consultation phase of this process, which is near the end of the process.
Importation of vehicles into Canada from countries other than the United States Revised December 2002
Subject to revision without notification

15 year Rule Review: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/15yearrule.htm

15 year Rule feedback from public: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/contact-us.htm

The sad part of this is that Transport Canada has little if any substantial evidence to prove that imported vehicles are enough of a danger to warrant banning them for 25 years, and not giving an option to modify to meet standards. Provinces like Alberta and British Columbia are lobbying the Federal government heavily to change the law, stating that the vehicles that are imported conform to no safety standard (which is untrue, if the vehicles are licensed in Germany, which most are, they have to conform to a crash, lighting and overall safety standard that FAR exceeds Canadian Standards), that the lighting is unsafe per CMVSS (which is partially true, but, the lights can be aimed to conform to a LHD road system), and that the vehicles are inherently prone to accidents (which is bogus, bad drivers are going to be bad drivers in a Mercedes or a Yugo) as well as other emissions, lighting markers and window safety items that are outside the purview of the 15 year exclusion.

The only way to halt this process now is this:

1: Find the MP responsible for your riding: HERE
2: Follow the SEMA Action Network's guide to lobbying elected officials. HERE
3: Spread the word around at local meets (Business Depot makes cheap business cards where you can print the information links. It's not expensive and it's easy to keep on hand to hand out info), and encourage individuals to continue lobby their MP's to vote down this bit of proposed law.
4: Stay positive, be responsive and do NOT let up! If you can get the information out, and give people that want to help an avenue to, this proposal will be voted down.

As distasteful as many people find politics, being a squeakier wheel than the people that are trying to mess with your rights is the way to keep elected officials focused on keeping YOU happy.
"the biggest penalty for not getting involved in politics is being ruled by someone inferior to your self"
Keep up the good fight ladies and gentlemen!

More information can be had here:
http://www.ivoac.ca / http://www.15years.ca
http://forums.gtrcanada.com/showpost.php?p=229346&postcount=3
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=143404&highlight=ivoac





Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Saturday, June 16, 2007 1:21 PM

ummmmmmmm they won't even let me bring a late model car from the U.S. in to Canada, hell if im going to bring a car half way around the world. i don't plan on importing anything, but other people do so im totally in on this.

it's a dumb law if you ask me. you don't see very many 15 year old RHD cars running around. i don't see it being a problem at all. if they keep changing the rules soon the law will be everyone in Canada must drive a Toyota and nothing else.




http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/my2005cav/my%20car%20the%20bash.jpg

Importing from the US is different: You can modify some cars to meet CDN standards. You can't bring most scions over because of the DRLs, Impact members, and child safety tether points. I had tried to bring in a GTO when they were first put out, but I got stone-walled... they have 2.5mph crash members (Canada requires 5mph) and not sure about the tether points.

Importing from anywhere else, you can't modify the vehicle at all.

Canada has very stiff child seat laws, which is a good thing. i be leave a lot of states still don't have child seat laws at all. i talked to a guy from Michigan last week at work, he came to collect his personals from a Mazda MPV that was t-boned in the drivers side. both his kids where thrown through the side windows because they where not in child seats. the older one was not even wearing a seat belt.

that was kind of off topic but anyway. i think if Canadians want to import a car, from any country they should be able to do it. especially an older car.


http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/my2005cav/my%20car%20the%20bash.jpg

thats sucks, that means i gotta buy my skyline soon

^^^ Better do it now and get it grandfathered in... You can check at http://www.GTRCanada.com for a couple possibilities on importers. The $1000-1500 you'll spend on top of the rest of the cost is WELL worth the potential headaches or seizure of your car.

The Real: Canadian child seat laws are stricter, AND you lose 2 points per seat that's improperly restrained. It's different for infants vs/ toddlers. Either way, the child seats aren't the only thing holding back importing cars. The biggest problem is that we cannot modify the vehicle to conform to the CMVSS, we just get to wait it out until 25 years lapse. The stupid thing is that there are 20 year old domestic/imported cars out there that were sold in Canada originally, that don't conform, but they're still road legal.

Again Ladies and Gents: PLEASE RESPOND BACK ABOUT THIS, good, bad or indifferent.

Has anyone actually left responses?