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Hi guys,
I'm hoping some of you might be able to help me out here:
If I want to come over to Canada and do a show in Ontario - what IS it with this new stuffing labelling??? Clearly, I would fall into the hobbyist/homeworker category, by the govt definition, but you have to be a Toronto resident to apply. Surely I wouldn't have to apply as a manufacturer and stump up $400??????
I even e-mailed the woman in charge - who must think me very stupid because she just posted a link to all the info I had already got from the website, doh! The nub of it is, is that there doesn't seem to be a category for overseas hobbyists. Is there any way around this??
You can pm or e-mail me privately if you prefer me not to bore the pants off everyone else with the minutiae of government regulation! 
Thanks!!
Chrisx
Newcastle, OntarioChristine,
I have just sent you an email with the Ontario law attached, It doesn't say anything about overseas people - just if you want to sell in Ontario, you have to have a licence. Excuse all the other stuffing stuff - the Ontario one is near the bottom. No matter what I did, I couldn't cut out the bit I wanted, so I sent the whole thing. It's dated 2000 and unless there is a newer version, I don't know why they would have told you that. I can't imagine you would have to pay $400.00!
hugs,
Brenda
Little Bear GuyChristine I have never had a stuffing license for our bears. I am assuming we have just been lucky and never had anyone check on us in the past 5 yrs of doing shows. Some people do it but I dare to say most people don't that are doing teddy bears.
big hugs
Shane
Thanks Brenda - much appreciated!!
Unfortunately, I have just received a response to an e-mail I sent to the woman at the TSSA and she has said that the hobbyist category only applys to Ontario residents and that I would have to apply as a manufacturer - for $400!!!!!!!!! 
This is not going to happen, so I guess I won't be looking to do any shows in Canada any time soon 
Before I write off the idea completely, my husband has got hold of ther contact details for someone higher up in the organisation, so maybe she can help...
Hugs,
Chrisx
Christine I have never had a stuffing license for our bears. I am assuming we have just been lucky and never had anyone check on us in the past 5 yrs of doing shows. Some people do it but I dare to say most people don't that are doing teddy bears.
big hugs
Shane
Really??? On the TSSA website it looks like SUCH a big deal. It does seem ludicrous that I should get hammered for $400 just because I don't live in Ontario. The insane part is that I can legally sell and ship a bear to a collector in Ontario without having a stuffing license. Sheesh - and I thought our government was the worst for pointless and expensive legislation - I can't even blame the EU for this one!!
I am sure it wasn't meant to catch people like me - I guess it's the law of unintended consequences...
Oh well, let's see what the Head Honcho at TSSA says when she e-mails me back.
Thanks all you guys!!
Chrisx
Newcastle, OntarioHi Christine,
Here's another thought - try emailing Mark & Sue McKay from Teddy Bears on Vacation. They have had European people at their shows and may be able to advise you. Here's a link to their website and their is a "contact us" button.
http://www.teddybearsonvacation.com/
Good luck - it would be a shame to miss out because of beaurocracy!
hugs,
Brenda
I agree - thanks for the link, I will check it out!
Hugs,
Chrisx
Shane- are you telling me that you have never had a stuffing license and that you do not attach labels to your bears with your registration number on the new white material only label? Should you get caught by an inspector the fine is $5000.00 for both you and the show promoter. The cost for the license is only 20.00 a year ( if you make < 100 bears per year ) so not worth taking a chance on not having one.
Hugs
Gail
Little Bear GuyThat's right Gail, I know of maybe three artist who actually do it at any of the shows. I don't like the labels I think they cheapen an artist bear. My tag has all of our information on it, I know it's not the same but at least we provide the information to go with the bear. Even some of the artist who do have them they don't sew them in to the bear, that's illegal as well as they must be sewn into the bear, not attached by a tag.
Well fingers crossed that I don't get caught.
big hugs
Shane
Newcastle, OntarioShane,
I'm surprised that you haven't been nabbed! A bear show is one of the places I would think an inspector would show up. I'm surprised that it's not a requirement of Mark and Sue's shows, same as a vendor's license. I knew the fine was rather steep, but I also understood they could confiscate everthing on your table as well. That's why I don't sell in Ontario, even though I live here. Hate the stupid stuffing law and you try sewing one of those labels onto a two inch bear :crackup:
hugs,
Brenda
Bears by EdieChristine, as far as I know that stuffing license requirement is only in Ontario, not the rest of Canada. I've gone to Ontario and done shows there and didn't even know about the license thing ahead of time- guess I was lucky I didn't get caught!
Only problem is I don't think there are shows anywhere else in Canada any more besides Ontario!!
Newcastle, OntarioEdie,
You're right - it is only in Ontario. It's the Ontario regulations for Upholstered and Stuffed Articles. It seems absolutely ridiculous that we have it and the rest of Canada doesn't.
hugs,
Brenda
Little Bear GuyActually there are three provinces including Ontario that have similar legislation. Manitoba and Quebec are the other two and they do have a reciprocal agreement with each other.
Brenda we have never had a license for this, knock on wood I have never seen an inspector at one of the shows either. We do have a business license but just never did anything with the stuffing act or whatever they call themselves. Funny that it's not government agency though, not sure who sits on the council and makes those decisions. I understand why they have the stuffing act and I could understand if I was a big time manufacturer , but even though they give me a license they still have no idea what I am putting inside the teddy bear I am making.
With all of the recalls in the last yr apparently it's not what's inside that they should be worried about, it's what is on the outside of the products.
hugs
Shane
Newcastle, OntarioShane,
That's really amazing. When I did craft shows for about 25 years, they were around EVERY year! I can't believe they haven't discovered Teddy Bear Shows!
hugs,
Brenda
Goodness me, it does seem to be a minefield!! And Brenda has a good point - what if your 'stuffed article' is too small for a label, given that they have to be a specific size?? By the end of yesterday I was bouncing off the ceiling with frustration, so my (calm and rational) husband called them and explained our situation. The lady he spoke to agreed that it seemed pretty draconian that I would have to register as a manufacturer and she gave him the e-mail address of someone higher up in the organisation. We are waiting for a reply.
In the meantime, I guess I could say that I was only going to sell wholesale - I think you only need the license if you are selling retail. Or claim the bears are samples and not for sale on the day. There has to be a way around this nutty legislation!!
Hugs,
Chris
Newcastle, OntarioChristine,
You might be on to something, saying they are just samples. That is the ploy we all used, when we took our bears to the U.S. for shows. At the beginning we even put little "sample-not for order only" on our bears. It's quite possible that would work.
The wholesame angle might also work - I would definitely keep at it, until you find a way around it. "Where there's a will, there's a way", so to speak.
The UK artist I was thinking of was David Hogenson - he's a miniature bear artist. Are you familiar with him? If you can find contact info, it might be worth asking him how he got around it.
hugs,
Brenda
MerBear OriginalsOn another note - if you do come to a show please let us know which one!
Marion
bears by beesley TMHi Christine. I have no idea why the rules are so different and difficult. Each province has their own rules. Alberta is less stingent in so many ways. Come here! Sorry Ontario!
Hugs Louise
Hi Guys,
You are so kind and helpful - thank you SO much! 
I will see what the woman at the TSSA says and then decide on the best course of action.
Louise - are there any shows in your area??
Brenda - I have not heard of David Hogenson; I will have to google him!!
Hugs,
Chrisx
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Or claim the bears are samples and not for sale on the day.
You might be on to something, saying they are just samples. That is the ploy we all used, when we took our bears to the U.S. for shows. At the beginning we even put little "Sample-Not for Sale; Orders only" on our bears. It's quite possible that would work.
That's exactly what we were advised to to for Ontario & BC, though BC seemed to be so less mindful of Materials Included. But that was a province that sent The Tax Man on the day of the show.
B
Drea's BearsOh yes Christine if you do come please let us know which show and when!
AndreaM
Newcastle, OntarioChristine,
I used to see David's minis in the British magazines all the time and was thrilled to see him at the TBOV show in Toronto. I remember he wore a kilt, so I don't know if he was from Britain or Scotland, just know it was somewhere in the UK. I tried emailing Mark McKay and he gave me the email address he had on file for him, but my email came back. Mark said that he had moved so didn't know if it was current or not. I've tried googling him and he isn't on the internet that I can find, so maybe he's not making bears anymore? I never thoght to ask Mark if they've had any other Europeans at the shows.
hugs,
Brenda
Bears by EdieChristine, in case Louise doesn't see your question, I'll answer for her. We do not have any bear shows in Alberta at the present time. Heather, one of our TTer's, put on a show in Calgary last year in August and it was small but great - she was going to do it again this year but had trouble finding a venue. I haven't heard anything more so I have to assume it isn't going ahead. It is really too bad as there was a lot of interest in the show after last year and there used to be a huge show in Calgary called Bear Fair that ran for 10 years with great success until the promoter died and no one took over - that was about 6 years ago that it ended. Alberta is a great place to do a show as there is No sales tax to collect and no rules like the Ontario stuffing rule - plus Alberta is really booming from oil and gas, so there is a lot of money in the province right now. (Okay, have I convinced anyone to start up a show here yet!) :crackup:
Little Bear GuyBrenda , David was from England I can't remember where exactly. We were lucky enough to receive one of his little bears as a gift when he was here the one time, but I checked and there was no tag on it. I know at Mark's Christmas show last yr there were a couple of German artist, but I'm not sure what they did regarding the stuffing labels. I know when we go to any shows in the US we also state we are going to show our bears and not sell them, only to take orders. Majority of the time I ship my bears by UPS ahead of time so I don't have them on me when we cross the border through customs.
big hugs
Shane
Newcastle, OntarioHi Shane,
I did get a contact email for David from Mark, but it's not a current one - my email came bacK I can't find any reference to him on the internet. Maybe he's not making bears anymore?
hugs,
Brenda
