Manitoba’s proposed right-to-repair law is moving closer to final approval after facing scrutiny from a series of expert presenters.
Bill 15, The Consumer Protection Amendment Act, was introduced in March by Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister Mintu Sandhu. It would require suppliers to provide the parts, tools, software and manuals needed to fix products, within a reasonable time and at a reasonable cost.
The bill has passed second reading and was reviewed this week by the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs. It now moves forward, with many details to be decided later through regulations.
That approach — setting broad rules now and filling in the details later — was a major focus during the meeting. Aaron Perzanowski Rosborough, an assistant professor at Dalhousie University and co-founder of the Canadian Repair Coalition, said the bill reflects a growing trend.
“Right to repair legislation like Bill 15 is becoming the norm rather than the exception in North America,” he said.
He said the bill is a strong starting point because it recognizes that repairs today often depend on software, not just physical parts.
“It sets a really solid framework that establishes a general obligation to make the means of repair available… including information, parts, tools, software, and services,” he said.
But he warned that leaving key issues to regulation could weaken the law.
“A fairly significant concern here is leaving… remedies and enforcement to regulation… that could exempt certain classes of goods… through regulation,” he said.
Industry representatives said those problems are already showing up in real-world repairs. Rick Vincent, sales manager at Piston Ring Service and chair of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada’s Manitoba division (pictured), said modern vehicles often cannot be fixed without access to manufacturer-controlled software.
“A routine repair is no longer just about replacing a part. It often requires access to diagnostic software, calibration systems, and real-time vehicle data,” he said.
He said independent repair shops are being blocked.
“They simply cannot access the information or tools they need… because the access is controlled by the vehicle manufacturer,” he said.
Vincent said the impact is worse in rural areas, where there may be no dealership nearby. “If you’re rural or northern, that could mean significant delays, added costs, real disruptions,” he said.
He called the bill a positive step, but said the outcome depends on how it is put into practice. “The effectiveness of this bill will depend entirely on how it’s implemented,” he said.John Graham, director of government relations at the Retail Council of Canada, said that responsibility should fall on manufacturers, not retailers.
“Repair obligations should be manufacturer-led, not retailer-led… Manufacturers control design, software, and security systems,” he said.
“Assigning obligations where there is no control creates a structural imbalance,” he said.
He also warned that strict rules could reduce the availability of lower-cost products.
“Applying uniform repair obligations… risks reducing the availability of these lower-cost options,” he said.
From the agricultural sector, Manitoba farmer and National Farmers Union member Dean Harter said the bill does not fully address farm equipment.
“Bill 15… only creates a right to repair for consumer goods… Manitoba farmers also deserve the right to repair,” he said.
He said software restrictions and proprietary parts have made repairs more expensive for farmers.
“These machinery companies have historically been able to tightly control when and how farmers access repair services,” he said.
Harter urged the province to deal with farm equipment directly, rather than leaving it to future regulations.
During the meeting, Sandhu pointed to his own experience, saying he had been forced to go to a dealership because an independent shop lacked the software to fix his truck.
“They said sorry we can’t fix it because we don’t have the software… I have to go to the dealership shop,” he said.
Bill 15 is expected to move to third reading. Presenters said the next step — writing the regulations — will determine how much access consumers and independent repair shops actually get.
