Buyer's Guide
Are Corded Blinds Banned in Canada? What's Actually Allowed
If you've shopped for blinds lately, you may have noticed almost everything is now "cordless" and wondered whether corded blinds are still legal in Canada. The short answer is nuanced: corded window coverings aren't banned entirely, but Canada now has some of the strictest child-safety cord rules in the world. Here's exactly what the law says, what you can still buy, what you can keep, and which safer options make sense for Calgary homes.
So, are corded blinds banned in Canada?
Corded blinds are not completely banned, but they are heavily restricted. Since May 1, 2021, Health Canada's Corded Window Coverings Regulations under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act have made it illegal to manufacture, import, advertise, or sell most window coverings with long, accessible pull cords or inner cords. Canada was the first country in the world to set a hard limit on reachable cord length. The goal is to eliminate the strangulation hazard that loose cords and looped chains pose to infants and young children. In practice, this means the traditional 'long dangling cord' blinds you grew up with can no longer be sold new in Canadian stores, but you are not breaking any law by keeping the ones already in your home.
What the Corded Window Coverings Regulations actually say
The regulations focus on how long a cord can be and whether it can form a loop a child could get their neck into. The core requirements are straightforward.
- Reachable cords must be 22 cm (about 8.7 inches) or shorter when the covering is installed, measured under a set force.
- Any cord that forms a loop cannot have a loop perimeter greater than 44 cm.
- Rules apply to both operating cords (the ones you pull) and inner cords (the ones running through the fabric or slats).
- The product must still work safely at any position, and cords cannot become dangerously long as the blind is raised or lowered.
- Covered products must carry a warning label and meet testing and documentation requirements.
- This applies to products made, imported, advertised, or sold in Canada, including online listings shipped to Canadian addresses.
Do you have to remove the corded blinds already in your home?
No. The regulations govern what can be sold, not what you own. Corded blinds installed in your home before the rules took effect are perfectly legal to keep, and there is no requirement to rip them out. That said, Health Canada strongly recommends retiring them in any home with young children. Older window coverings are involved in most cord-related child strangulation incidents, and the risk is real even in homes where cords are 'usually' tied up. If replacing them isn't immediate, keep cords wound high and out of reach, move cribs and furniture away from windows, and use cord cleats or tension devices as a stopgap until you upgrade to a cordless or motorized system.
Compliant, child-safe options that are allowed
The regulations didn't leave a gap in the market. Nearly every modern blind and shade style is available in a fully compliant, cord-safe version, so you rarely have to compromise on look or function.
- Cordless lift: a gentle push or pull raises and lowers the blind with no operating cord at all, ideal for bedrooms and low windows.
- Motorized and smart blinds: operated by remote, app, or voice through Alexa, Google Home, or Apple Home, with zero accessible cords.
- Wand-operated styles: a rigid wand tilts or traverses the blind instead of a looped chain, common on verticals and some venetians.
- Continuous-loop systems with a tension device: the chain is permanently anchored taut to the wall so it can't form a loose loop.
- Spring-assisted and short-cord designs that stay within the 22 cm reachable limit.
Choosing the right cordless style for your Calgary room
For most Calgary homes, cordless and motorized options solve the safety question while improving day-to-day convenience. Cordless roller blinds and honeycomb shades are clean, minimal picks for living rooms and bedrooms, and honeycomb's insulating cells help with our cold winters and hot summer afternoons. Cordless zebra (day-night) blinds give you flexible light control without a single dangling cord. For hard-to-reach windows, skylights, or families who want the safest possible setup, motorized blinds remove cords entirely and can be scheduled or grouped. If you're weighing styles, a Sunleo consultant can bring samples to your home, measure your windows, and show you compliant options side by side, all during a free in-home consultation. There's no showroom to visit and no obligation, just honest advice on what fits your rooms and budget.
