Mr. Chair, honourable members, my name is Derek Willshire, and I'm the regional vice-president for Canada at LKQ. I'm here today with my colleague, Tyler Threadgill, vice-president and head of Federal Government Affairs.
Thank you for giving LKQ the opportunity to comment on Bill C‑244, an important bill that seeks to improve the right to repair. Comprehensive regulation of the right to repair is urgently needed. Small businesses and consumers, particularly those in rural areas, will suffer significant negative impacts if action is not taken. For more information, we invite you to read the brief that we submitted on Bill C‑244.
LKQ distributes quality automotive replacement parts, whether OEM parts or aftermarket parts, for consumer vehicle repair, as well as a comprehensive diagnostic and calibration services throughout Canada and the United States.
LKQ is also the largest automotive recycler, recycling more than 900,000 end-of-life vehicles per year in North America.
LKQ employs 1,175 people at 37 locations across Canada. I work in office in Lévis, a suburb of Quebec City, alongside 92 men and women I'm very proud to consider my family. Our employees in Canada represent only a small portion of the 491,000 employees in the automotive aftermarket in Canada.
For many Canadians, a car is one of their most important purchases after buying a home. While innovation and technology have allowed for greater mobility, automobiles can be difficult to maintain. What we've seen and heard from the majority of our customers is that consumers have less and less choice in where they can have their vehicles serviced. According to the Auto Care Association, 70% of car repairs are done in the independent aftermarket. We are here today to advocate for the advancement of Bill C‑244 to ensure that Canadians continue to have that choice.
The Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard, or CASIS, a voluntary agreement reached in 2009, is outdated, as vehicle repair professionals now use technology that did not exist in 2009.
Consumers deserve a vibrant aftermarket that allows them to choose how and, above all, where their vehicle is serviced. That's a real need for them. Bill C‑244 does just that.
My colleague Mr. Threadgill will address some of the current obstacles.