As in other parts of the world, Canada is figuring out what the right to repair means for its population. The federal government said in its 2023 budget released Tuesday that it would grant Canada the right to make repairs. At the same time, it is considering a universal charging port mandate, as the European Union (EU) implements with USB-C.
In the Canadian federal government’s 2023 budget, repair entitlement is introduced in the chapter “How to make life more affordable and support the middle class.”household appliances and electronics in 2024”. The government plans to hold consultations on the matter and has said it will “work closely with the provinces and territories”to implement the right to repair in Canada:
When it comes to broken appliances or devices, high repair fees and lack of access to certain parts often means Canadians are forced to buy new products rather than fix the ones they have. It is expensive for people and creates hazardous waste. Devices and home appliances should be easy to repair, spare parts should be readily available, and companies shouldn’t be able to prevent repairs through complex programming or hard-to-find custom-made parts. By reducing the amount of devices and appliances that are thrown away, we can make life more accessible for Canadians and protect the environment.
The budget also hints that right-to-repair legislation could make third-party repairs cheaper than, for example, repairing a phone at the manufacturer, where it could cost “much more than it should.”
The budget is published the same month that the European Commission passed a proposal requiring vehicle manufacturers to provide repairs for 10 years after purchase, depending on the product category. The European Parliament and the Council must approve the proposal before it becomes law.
A broader look at right-to-repair debates around the world reveals the difficulty in creating a system that appeases consumer advocates and tech companies. The strength of right-to-repair EU law has been criticized for things like failing to cover certain types of electronics and not ensuring that necessary items such as spare parts, tools and manuals are affordable.
But some, such as Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, CEO of DigitalEurope trade group, believe such legislation should be based on “manufacturer-driven repair networks.”
At the (very) end of 2022, New York became the first state to enact an electronics repair right statute, but the significant changes made to the Fair Digital Repair Act are detailed.
Meanwhile, self-repair initiatives by tech giants such as Samsung and Apple have been scrutinized due to the lack of supported products and, in Apple’s case, the need for remote OEM authorization for repairs.
In July, India announced the formation of a committee to develop a right-to-repair mechanism, and its legislation could cover four categories: electronics, automobiles, agricultural equipment and consumer durables.
A universal charging port is also being considered
Canada’s 2023 budget also revealed government interest in introducing a standard charging port for electronics. The budget states that the government “will work with international partners and other stakeholders to implement a standard charging port in Canada.”It says the universal charging port can help residents save money and e-waste.
“Every time Canadians buy new devices, they have to buy new chargers for them, which drives up costs and e-waste,” the budget says.
The EU Universal Charging Port requires smartphones, tablets and other consumer gadgets with wired charging to be equipped with a USB-C port by December 28, 2024. Laptops will have to do the same by April 2026. The legislation pushed Apple into reluctant work on iPhones with USB-C.
Incoming EU requirements have also begun to spread around the world, with many countries currently considering some kind of universal charging port regulations of their own. India is considering adopting such a mandate by March 2025 and possibly excluding wearables, headphones and mobile phones due to the costs involved. Brazil also held a public consultation on USB-C charging requirements for smartphones, which ended in August. And although there is no noticeable movement around such a law in the US, some politicians have asked the Secretary of Commerce to develop a strategy.
As governments, technology makers and consumer advocates seek to define legislation that affects how consumers use and buy electronics and create e-waste, disputes over repair and charging rights standards abound. This has brought increased attention to these issues, including among consumers, some of whom demand maintainability and accountability for e-waste in their products, whether legally permitted or not. Framework, a modular notebook company that continues to expand its portfolio, is one indicator of consumer interest in maintainability and choice. Regardless of how the governments of various geographic regions decide to do business, these kinds of discussions have rightfully become impossible to ignore.