Government of Canada launches consultation on right to repair to better meet Canadian consumers’ needs
Government of Canada launches consultation on right to repair to better meet Canadian consumers’ needs
Canadians rightfully expect that their purchases, from phones to washers and dryers, work well and last for years, and that’s why the Government of Canada is committed to improving Canadians’ ability to repair home appliances and consumer electronics. Every generation should be able to repair their ...
I figured that right to repair is a topic many of us are interested in. The survey below by ISED Canada, a department of the Government of Canada, is open until September 26, 2024.
Canadians can provide their input at the following link: https://ised-isde.survey-sondage.ca/f/s/RTR
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I filled mine out - please note that this covers both traditional appliances (i.e. your fridge) and consumer electronics. E-waste is a serious issue that some pretty light regulations could meaningfully reduce!
Definitely bring up the problem of e-waste!
I also responded that manufacturers shouldn't be allowed to artificially inflate the cost of replacement parts, as it would firewall any benefits from having a right to repair law. If found doing so, they should be fined. It needs to be a law that parts be made available at a reasonable cost, in my opinion.
I'd say the specifications of the design should be made public domain after some time (say 5 years for high-tech and 10 otherwise) or if the OEM shuts down the factory.
It's a bit unreasonable to keep parts in stock 50 years after the product was last sold, but if the designs are available any company can start a new run, or even just a guy with a nice shop. The big exception to this is silicon chips, there are only a few companies that can even make integrated circuits, let alone processors. Public access to designs might encourage competition though...
It’s a bit unreasonable to keep parts in stock 50 years after the product was last sold
Depends on the part, of course :)
But realistically, if manufacturers were forced to... say... keep batteries and parts available for 10 years, they may actually start to design their products using more efficient (i.e. same parts), lower waste, and with durability in mind.
It would certainly slow down or stop manufacturers from making proprietary parts for every new model they make.
But having designs public domain sounds like a great idea, and if the right to repair becomes a thing, I would expect schematics to be made available anyway.
batteries
And actual new batteries, not 10 year old "new old stock" batteries that only last a week in use.
Right to repair is good but a few other things need to happen as well.
- Longer mandatory warranties like in Europe. Stop manufacturers from using cheap components that die quickly in a race to the bottom price. 2 years on consumer electronics and 5 years on major appliances
- Include significantly higher deposits on purchase that are refunded if repaired instead of replaced.
- ensure manufacturers can supply parts for the more extended warranty cycles and nearly at cost with inexpensive shipping.
- Incentivize trades schools to train people for appliance repair