It sounds as if the information you are quoting came from eBay.com. I suspect this will have little or no effect on Canadian sellers, or if it does, it will be considerably modified.
EBay has usually recognized that there needs to be a somewhat different set of parameters for Canadian sellers (we are, after all, "foreign" sellers as far as eBay is concerned). The delivery estimates, returns requirements, TRS qualifications, and a number of other factors imposed on U.S. sellers are already different here. I wouldn't worry too much yet.
On the other hand, I think it will have a significant and immediate impact on U.S. sellers, as I suspect is intended. If this initiative does take place, it will be another notch in "raising the bar", and many will fall off because they won't or can't meet all the standards. Like the other seller 'gold stars' that eBay has been displaying over the past year or so - TRS seals, 100% positive FB, Experienced Seller, etc. etc.-- it will get its buyers used to recognizing one particular performance logo, and anyone without it, well, good luck.
We shouldn't be at all surprised. This process has been accelerating over the past year especially. What eBay wants, I expect, is to ultimately rid itself of all sellers except those who can meet its commercial-style standards and volumes, which will be difficult for most "Mom and Pop" operations.
Or, at the very least, make sure such "little people" go to the bottom of the heap where buyers will ignore them. Why? Because eBay likely no longer makes the most money off independent small vendors. They don't want that demographic as their core anymore. What causes more trouble, time and expense for eBay -- a horde of individual trouble-making, whining and complaining, non-professional sellers, or a few dozen big commercial retailers? I think the answer is pretty obvious. Its analogous to what Wal-Mart did to small, local businesses in countless towns across North America, and eBay took lessons.
No smaller seller should expect any favours from eBay nowadays.
