Yes, corded blinds are still legal in Canada, but since May 1, 2021, Health Canada's Corded Window Coverings Regulations have limited how those cords can be built. Any cord a child could reach must hang no more than 22 cm free, and no accessible loop, including an inner lift cord, can measure more than 44 cm around. The rule covers new blinds, shades and shutters sold here, and recalls for non-compliant products are still turning up years later, so it is worth knowing what is actually hanging on your own windows.
What does the regulation actually require?
The short version: cords have to be short enough, or contained enough, that a young child cannot form a loop around their neck. A free-hanging pull cord or chain can extend at most 22 cm from the point it is attached. Any loop that a child could put their head through, including a continuous loop cord or an inner lift cord inside the fabric, cannot exceed 44 cm in perimeter. Many products meet this with cordless lift systems, enclosed cord cleats that hold the cord taut and out of reach, or by retracting the cord mechanically. The rule applies to window coverings sold here after it took effect, not to older products already in homes before that date.
Why do corded blinds keep getting recalled years after the rule took effect?
Recalls have continued well past 2021, and they still show up through Health Canada's recall notices in 2026. Most of them come down to the same thing: a looped pull cord, a continuous loop, or an inner lift cord that measures longer than the limit once it is tested. It is not always obvious from looking at a blind in a showroom or a box, which is part of why the recalls keep happening. If you want to check a specific product, Health Canada publishes recall notices by brand and model on its recalls and safety alerts site.
Which window coverings in a GTA home are most likely to be a problem?
Age matters more than anything else. A mini blind or roman shade that came with a house in Scarborough or Etobicoke a decade ago, a corded roller shade left behind in a rental in North York, or a set of vertical blinds inherited with a condo resale near the Gardiner are all more likely to predate the current rule than anything bought new today. Continuous loop cords on older vertical blinds and traverse drapery rods are a common one people overlook, since the loop sits low enough for a toddler or a crawling baby to reach. A blind that still has a free-hanging bead chain or cord pull, with no retractor or cleat holding it taut, is worth a closer look regardless of how old it is.
Can a cord cleat or shield make an older blind compliant?
Health Canada's own safety guidance is clear that a cord shield or cleat added afterward does not turn a non-compliant product into a compliant one; compliance is about how the product is built, not an accessory fastened on later. That said, anchoring a loose cord to a cleat mounted high on the wall, well out of a child's reach, is still a sensible precaution while you plan a longer-term fix, and it is far better than leaving a cord to hang free. It just is not a substitute for replacing the blind if you want it to meet the current standard.
What should you do with an older corded blind you are not ready to replace?
In any room where young children spend time, move furniture such as cribs, beds and play areas away from the window, anchor any free cord to a cleat well above reach, and never tie cords together to shorten them yourself, since that does not match the tested compliant designs. When you are ready to update the window, cordless and motorized options remove the risk rather than managing it. A cordless lift, a continuous loop with the correct built-in retractor, or a motorized shade run by remote or app all keep a child's reach out of the equation entirely.
Do the same concerns apply to drapery rods and tracks?
The regulation is specific to blinds, shades and similar window coverings, but the same risk shows up on drapery. A traverse rod with a long pull cord, or a cord-operated track left within reach, deserves the same caution: keep it short, keep it anchored, or move to a cordless or motorized track. If you are choosing new custom drapery for a nursery or a family room, ask about cordless and motorized track options up front.
How do you choose a safer replacement without losing the look you want?
Cordless and motorized products now cover nearly every style, so safety does not mean giving up the window covering you actually want. Cellular shades and roller shades both come in cordless and motorized versions, plantation shutters typically use a wand rather than a cord at all, and even drapery can run on a motorized track. If children or grandchildren spend time in the home, it is worth asking specifically about cord-free operation on every product you look at, not just the ones in the main living areas.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if the blinds in my home meet the current rule?
Check for a free-hanging cord longer than about 22 cm or a loop you could fit a hand through; either is worth addressing. You can also search Health Canada's recall notices by brand and model if you still have the packaging or a label.
Does the regulation cover shutters as well as blinds?
Plantation shutters are usually operated with a solid wand rather than a cord, so the cord-length rules rarely apply to them. If a shutter system does use a cord or chain anywhere, the same limits apply.
Are cordless blinds automatically safe for a home with young children?
Cordless operation removes the strangulation risk that the regulation targets, but it is still worth keeping furniture away from any window and checking that nothing else near it, like a nearby blind on an older window, still has a loose cord.
Is it against the law to keep an older corded blind that I already own?
No. The regulation targets products sold here going forward, not what is already installed in an existing home. Keeping an older blind is your choice, though anchoring any loose cord and considering a cordless replacement is the safer path where children are present.
Does a condo building have its own rules about this on top of Health Canada's?
Some condo declarations address window covering appearance rather than cord safety, so check your own declaration and ask your property manager if you are unsure what applies in your building.
If you want to replace an older corded blind with a cordless or motorized option, book a free in-home consultation and we will go through the choices for your windows, or call 437-599-5020.