In this article
In BC and Ontario, taxis carrying paying passengers are exempt from the provinces' car seat rules. Ride-hailing is less clear-cut. BC's exemption specifically doesn't cover ride-hailing cars, and Ontario's rule defines a taxi without mentioning them. Uber's own Canadian guidelines say that where the law requires a car seat, the rider provides it and fits it. Either way, a seat belt doesn't fit a baby or a young child any better in a taxi, so plan to bring a seat. Here are the rules and the seats that make it easier.
The rules side by side
| British Columbia | Ontario | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxis | Exempt from the car seat rules | The driver of a taxi carrying a paying passenger is exempt |
| Ride-hailing (Uber and similar) | Not covered by the taxi exemption: a car that operates only as a ride-hailing vehicle must follow the car seat rules | The regulation defines a taxi as a car licensed as a cab by a municipality, or one with a specific provincial passenger permit. It doesn't mention ride-hailing. |
| When a taxi isn't exempt | When it's used for personal reasons, or drives children to or from school under contract with a school board | |
| Who's responsible | The driver | The driver: a $240 fine and 2 demerit points |
Our guide to booster seat laws in BC and Ontario covers the rest of each province's rules and exemptions.
What Uber says
Uber's Community Guidelines for Canada ask drivers and riders to follow the law when travelling with babies and small children. Where the law requires a car seat, it's the rider's responsibility to provide one and fit it, unless Uber's local guidelines, terms or policies say otherwise. Uber also says:
- Children 12 and under should ride in the back seat. Ontario recommends the back seat for children under 13.
- The driver can cancel the ride if a child doesn't seem to be within the seat's height and weight limits, or if the driver feels the child can't ride safely in the seat.
So with Uber, count on bringing your own seat, and on installing it yourself.
Exempt doesn't mean safe
An exemption protects the driver from a fine. It doesn't change how a seat belt fits your child. Adult belts are made for adult bodies, which is why every province requires car seats and boosters in the first place. For the short ride from the airport or to a doctor's appointment, the safest choice is the same seat your child uses in your own car, or one that's designed to travel.
What to bring at each stage
Babies: an infant seat that installs without its base
Many infant seats can be installed with just the vehicle's seat belt, without the base, often called a European belt path. Some also have built-in connectors for the car's lower anchors. Practise the baseless install at home before your first ride, with both the seat manual and a car you know. Seats we carry that install without a base include:
| Seat | Baseless install | Carrier weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPPAbaby Aria V2 | Vehicle belt (European routing) | 6 lb, without canopy and insert | $479.99 |
| Nuna PIPA Urbn | Built-in rigid connectors, or an approved vehicle belt method | 7 lb, without canopy and insert | $680 |
| Clek Liing | Vehicle belt (European belt path) | 9 lb | $629.99 |
| Cybex Aton 2 | Vehicle belt (European routing) | 9 lb | $398.97 |
| UPPAbaby Mesa V3 | Vehicle belt (European routing) | 9.9 lb | $439.99 |
| Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Urban Mobility | Built-in connectors, or vehicle belt (European belt path); sold without a base | 10.8 lb | $379.99 |
Check the child limits too. The PIPA Urbn and Aria V2 are for babies up to 22 lb, while the Liing, Aton 2 and Primo Viaggio Urban Mobility go up to 35 lb. Not every infant seat can travel without its base: the Canadian Nuna PIPA Lite, for example, must be installed with its base. Our guide to flying, taxis and transit with Nuna walks through a curbside plan for the PIPA models.
Toddlers: the hardest stage to travel with
Convertible seats are big and heavy. The lightest ones on our shelves, the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Convertible and the Clek Fllo, weigh about 11 kg (25 lb). If you'll use one in a taxi or Uber:
- Allow time to install it, and check it before you set off: Transport Canada says an installed seat shouldn't move more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) side to side or front to back.
- For a forward-facing seat, Transport Canada says to always attach the top tether, so make sure the seating position has a tether anchor.
- If you'll use a car seat you didn't bring, such as one offered by a driver or a rental company, check it first. Our guide to car seat rental lists what to look for.
For a small car, our guide to narrow car seats compares widths.
Booster age: a light backless booster
The Diono Solana ($49.99) weighs 3.1 lb and fits in a tote bag. It's for children from 18 kg (40 lb) who are ready for a backless booster: the vehicle seat or headrest must reach at least the top of your child's ears, and Diono says it's not for a child who has just moved up from a harness. Like every booster, it needs a lap-and-shoulder belt. Our high-back vs backless booster guide explains when a backless booster is enough.
Before you book
- Bring the seat, and know how to install it with the vehicle belt.
- Sit your child in the back seat. Transport Canada says to always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat.
- Give yourself a few extra minutes for the install, and tell the driver you'll need them.
- Check the installation, the recline angle for a rear-facing seat, and the harness fit before the car moves.
Flying first? Our guide to flying with a car seat on Air Canada and WestJet covers the plane part of the trip.
Practise with a check-up
We offer car seat installation and check-ups by appointment at our Richmond and Burnaby stores, free for seats bought from us and $50 for other seats. Here's what happens at a car seat check. Prices were current when we wrote this. If you'd like to see a travel seat before you buy, call the store ahead of your visit to ask which ones are on display.
Neo W. is a BCAA-certified Child Passenger Safety Educator at baby enRoute (BCAA CPS Educator II Course).
