Two federal bills key to the automtoive right to repair movement are set to become law in Canada, according to the Automotive Industries Association of Canada.
“AIA Canada is celebrating the passage of Bills C-244 and C-294, which are poised to become law imminently after being adopted by Parliament yesterday,” the group said in an announcement.
The two bills are not specific to automotive right to repair but do make amendments to the Copyright Act. Bill C-244 would allow end-users and third-party repairers to maintain, repair and diagnose products by bypassing digital protection measures but avoid breaking copyright laws. This, according to law firm Torys, would “bolster sustainable consumerism and facilitate accessibility in seeking aftermarket repair.”
This bill was introduced in October 2023. It was initially introduced as Bill C-272 in 2021 but was scrapped that same year due to a fall federal election despite passing first and second reading.
Bill C-294 focuses on allowing different technologies to work together without breaking copyright laws.
“Both bills amend the Copyright Act and represent a historic step forward in the right to repair movement,” AIA Canada’s statement said.
Copyright and privacy expert Michael Geist has noted that Canada’s exemptions in the act previously didn’t go far enough to allow for a level playing field.
“Canadian anti-circumvention laws (also known as digital lock rules) are among the strictest in the world, creating unnecessary barriers to innovation and consumer rights,” he wrote soon after the introduction of Bill C-294 in 2022.
In mid-October, members of Canada’s auto care industry urged for the passage of both bills during testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy, citing the importance for Canada’s automotive aftermarket.
As neither bill directly addresses automotive right to repair, the association continues to push for legislation directly tied to the issue.
“These two bills are a step in the right direction and are viewed as a necessary precursor to any right to repair legislation, however standalone legislation will still be needed to help reinforce a manufacturer’s requirement to allow access to diagnostic and repair information, which would address systemic issues around data ownership and ensure consumer choice,” AIA Canada noted.
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