We are of course very much in favour of establishing a right to repair in Canada. On a practical level, we have a legal information service. Many consumers are contacting us right now regarding a device that has become defective prematurely, either a home appliance or an electronic device. Consumers often tell us it is difficult to obtain repair services and replacement parts, at an affordable price, in any case.
We would like the government to move forward as quickly as possible, take action on its announcements, and adopt a framework that is broad enough to make a difference for consumers. To our minds, the right to repair includes access to replacement parts, repair manuals and repair tools. It would also include a ban on anything that hinders repair, whether in the physical design of devices, in their electronics, and even in the restrictions that may be part of the manufacturer's contractual guarantee, for instance.
The last thing we would like to see in a future right to repair relates to all aspects of consumer information. A repairability indicator could be provided for certain consumer products so that consumers could consider the repairability of the product at the time of purchase.
With these announcements, we hope the government will move forward and establish a strong right to repair in Canada.