Spring cleaning for some Port Moody residents means a buying opportunity for others.
More than 70 households across the city will be participating in Port Moody’s annual city-wide garage sale on Saturday, April 20, as residents clear out the detritus from their basements and garages that might be a found treasure to someone else.
According to the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, 85 per cent of Canadians participate in the second-hand economy and the buying and selling of used goods is worth more than $28 billion.
But even with the wealth of bargains that might be available, the Canada Safety Council says prospective shoppers should be cautious when it comes to children’s items like car seats, baby gates, cribs, strollers and toys.
“With certain products, the savings may not be worth the risk,” said a bulletin on its website, adding older items might not meet current safety regulations or may have deteriorated over time.
That’s especially true for car seats, said the Safety Council.
If a car seat is more than 10 years old, it shouldn’t be used anymore as its plastic components have likely started to break down.
As well, a car seat’s integrity could be compromised if it wasn’t installed correctly or if it had been involved in a collision.
“You have no assurance of how old the seat is or what has happened to it,” said the bulletin.
Bargain hunters should also be wary of old strollers, cribs, walkers and baby barriers which may not conform to safety standards, or, in the case of baby walkers, were banned in Canada in 2004.
“Getting something potential dangerous to you, your family and others is not worth the savings,” said the bulletin.
The Safety Council also advises shoppers and sellers should be careful about electrical appliances.
Shoppers should keep an eye out for the CSA certification mark on any appliance they’re thinking of buying, but even then there’s no certainty about its electrical components or what abuse its taken.
Sellers could also be on the hook under the Hazardous Products Act if a faulty appliance that didn’t meet safety standards if it injures someone.
“Even with informal transactions such as those at yard sales, vendors must take responsibility,” said the bulletin. “It is illegal to sell hazardous or unsafe items.”
A list of households participating in Saturday’s city-wide garage sale event, along with a map, is available on the city’s website. Most sales are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. but times may vary.
