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Regulated amusement devices in BC

As of June 25, 2019, the list below details what amusement devices we currently regulate in BC. These regulated amusement devices require installation and operating permits. 

MAJOR RIDES 
  • Bobsled/ skeleton (guided experience)
  • Bumper cars
  • Dark rides (e.g., haunted house with cars on a track)
  • Dining in the sky (unique and novel design)
  • Ferris wheels
  • Flume water rides (e.g., water log ride)
  • Fun houses (with automated/ moving features)
  • Large dry slides (that fall outside of playground code)
  • Merry-go-rounds (large)
  • Mountain coasters (alpine slides)
  • Roller coaster installations (large)
  • Spinning rides (large)
  • Simulators (large with multiple passengers)
  • Swing rides (e.g., wave swinger)
  • Tower rides (e.g., drop towers)
  • Wakeboard park tows
ZIPLINES
  • Permanent ziplines
  • Travelling ziplines (portable installations)
INFLATABLES (require constant air supply i.e., blower)
  • Inflatable climbing walls
  • Inflatable obstacle courses
  • Inflatable wet and dry slides
  • Large inflated slip and slides (e.g., Slide the City)
  • Standard inflatable bounce houses
CHILDREN’S RIDES
  • Bumper boats
  • Car rides (small)
  • Dry slides (small)
  • Merry-go-rounds (small)
  • Roller coasters (small)
  • Spinning rides (small)
  • Train rides (small)
WATERSLIDES (over 3.03 meters high)
  • Enclosed and open waterslides
  • Summer hill tubing
  • Waterslides designed for use with a sliding device (tube or mat)
  • Waterslides with lane and pool discharge
TRAIN RIDES
  • Non-heritage/non-commercial/non-industrial rail with a tack gauge over 250mm

Unregulated amusement devices in BC

A number of amusement devices are not regulated by Technical Safety BC and do not require installation or operating permits. Trampoline parks are not currently regulated as an amusement device in BC under the Safety Standards Act. The current CSA Z267 Safety Code for Amusement Rides and Devices, which is adopted under the Elevating Devices Safety Regulation, does not address trampolines. Other devices that are currently not regulated are go-karts, tree top adventure courses, and bungee devices.

At the end of 2019, Technical Safety BC forwarded recommendations to the Ministry to amend the amusement ride regulations. This included a summary of what we heard from industry and the public during the consultation, which is also available here in the consultation summary report. The Ministry will ultimately decide whether regulatory changes will be introduced, and if so, how the industry would be regulated.

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