In British Columbia and Alberta, a lit sign must carry a certification mark or label from an organization accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, such as cUL, CSA or ETL marked for Canada. For electric signs the Canadian standard is CSA C22.2 No. 207. The mark goes on the finished sign, not only on its parts.
The rule in plain language
The Canadian Electrical Code requires electrical equipment to be approved, and it defines approved equipment as equipment certified by a certification body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. Each province enforces this through its own law.
- British Columbia. Section 21(1) of the Electrical Safety Regulation says electrical equipment must not be used, sold or offered for sale for use in BC unless it bears the mark or label of an accredited certification agency, or an approval label issued by Technical Safety BC.
- Alberta. The Electrical Code Regulation under the Safety Codes Act adopts the Canadian Electrical Code and requires that only certified electrical equipment is used.
Technical Safety BC publishes a bulletin listing examples of accepted marks (Information Bulletin B-E3 071019 3).
Why parts alone are not enough
Many imported signs list "UL LEDs" or a "UL power supply". Those parts may be certified, but the sign as built is a new piece of equipment. The approval mark the inspector looks for is the one on the finished sign, issued for that type of sign.
What if a sign arrives without a mark?
It should not be connected. In some cases an uncertified product can be field evaluated by an accredited inspection body, which then applies its own label. That takes time and costs money, and the sign may need changes before it passes. It is far easier to buy a sign that is already certified.
Certification and sign permits are separate
The approval mark covers electrical safety. Your city or district sign permit is a separate approval about size, placement and appearance. Most lit signs need both: a certified sign, and the municipal sign permit where one is required. The electrical connection is done by a licensed electrician under an electrical permit.
See sign permit guides by municipality.
How Loud Signs handles this
Every lit sign we sell ships with a cUL label to CSA C22.2 No. 207 from the factory. Our install crew works with a licensed electrician who pulls the electrical permit, or you can use your own contractor.