The British Columbia Film Classification Office, part of Consumer Protection BC (legally known as the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority) in the Canadian province of British Columbia,[1] is responsible for rating and censoring films under the province's Motion Picture Act.
Film Classification Office originated the restricted cougar symbol in August 1960 as an icon that audiences could easily associate with the former "Restricted" category, which was much broader in application than today's category.
Film Classification Office chose the cougar not only for its dramatic presence but also its significance as the largest wild cat native to BC.
[7] The symbol was trademarked in 1965 and soon became identified with the movie-going experience, as an animated "Restricted Cougar" trailer typically preceded any film bearing the Restricted rating; according to the BCFCO, "the trailers also added a new excitement to the movie-going experience: when the Cougar made its way to the screen, audiences knew they were only moments away from the highly anticipated feature presentation.
In 2011, Consumer Protection BC made digital versions of several of the trailers available for viewing on YouTube.