The Motorcycle & Moped Industry Council (MMIC) is lobbying each province and territory to approve the use of helmets that conform to the Economic Community of Europe safety standard ECE 22-05.

According to the MMIC, Quebec is the only province to date that has amended its legislation and regulations to include ECE 22.05 approved motorcycle helmets. The ECE standard is internationally recognized by over 50 countries and is arguably a more stringent and accurate measurement of a helmet’s ability to protect motorcyclists’ heads from injury. Contrary to the random testing currently being performed as part of other testing standards, ECE 22.05 requires mandatory sample testing of each new batch of helmets produced by a manufacturer. This requirement ensures that any previously attained helmet rating is maintained with each production run and that their quality remains consistent. 

Motorcycle helmets are mandatory safety gear in Canada for both street and off-road riders. At present, all helmets sold here must meet the testing standard set either by the Canadian Standard’s Association (CSA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), or the Snell Foundation. This means that many helmets – especially those from European manufacturers like the high-tech Schuberth SR1 pictured here – can’t be legally sold in Canada. Although it has been done in the past, it’s generally cost prohibitive for a manufacturer to redesign an existing ECE 22.05 approved helmet to meet either the DOT or Snell standards for our relatively small market.