Ottawa, Ontario — With 1,786 signatures, the petition for Right to Repair legislation has reached the House of Commons.
Presented on June 21, this petition surpassed its initial goal of 500 signatures by a wide margin. Supported by MP Brian Masse (Windsor-West), this legislation advocates for the rights of consumers to allow independent repair shops access to their data for the fixing of their vehicles.
The Government of Canada has 45 days to respond to the AIA’s formal petition.
Right to Repair legislation aims to give vehicle owners the autonomous choice on where to fix their vehicles, skirting a monopoly on the repair of vehicles to those that own consumer data, or the planned obsolescence of the vehicle itself. MP Masse has been a key force in driving this issue on the federal level; in February, he reintroduced the cause as a private members bill aimed to:
- Amend the Competition Act to authorize the competition tribunal, to make an order requiring vehicle manufacturers, to provide independent repair shops access to diagnostic and repair information and service parts on the same terms and manner as a manufacturer makes that information and parts available to their own authorized repair providers;
- Update the voluntary Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard (CASIS) agreement in place since 2009 to include the rights of digital software that will cover future innovations and technologies as we move to zero-emissions vehicle standards and EVs;
- Ensure that consumers have a right to choose where they get their vehicles fixed, and to help the environment by making sure vehicles with emissions are stronger and also cleaner
Since 2009 Masse has worked alongside global automakers to try and standardize aspects of OEM repair procedures in an effort not only to keep our collision repair industry competitive but to promote more sensible legislation surrounding issues around emissions and electronic waste.
“OEMs need to be respected in that we follow the right processes; but at the same time there needs to be some protection for the consumer to go to alternative sites, especially because OEMs can’t even service their entire fleets on their own,” Masse told Collision Repair in April. “There needs to be respected for the fact that, at the end of the day, it’s your money from your wallet and that needs to be balanced out. The OEMs don’t have the right to own your capabilities for what you can do as an individual.”
One Response
What about a persons right to have their collision repairs completed at a shop of their choice. We do not see anything pertaining to this. The insurance industry is recommending Direct Repair Shops and literally advising the owners that there is no warranty unless they choice a shop on their direct repair list. Well the shop’s warranty is the first to cover the owners concern only after this do the insurance get involved. These same repair shops should be required to have certified auto technicians completing the appraisals and not average people who can work the software. I am seeing it every day. The customer is the one suffering. Vehicles that can be repaired are being total loss due to the shop’s appraiser not having knowledge of repair process as they are not trades persons having worked in the industry. Cosmetic damages are totaling older vehicles and newer vehicles that are in total loss zone are being repaired. The customers are put in a situation to replace the older vehicle they own which now puts them in a financial situation that they are not responsible for. On a newer vehicle a Carfax is attached to the vehicle that has lowered the vehicle’s retail value. The owner will now suffer financially when trade in time or trying to sell it privately. I would like to hear from others pertaining to this as well.
Thanks.