Toronto, Ontario -- Last year, Canada became the first North American country to enshrine the right to repair in national law.
At the federal level, bill C-244 -- which became law in November -- allows consumers and technicians to circumvent digital locks for repair. Another bill C-294, which also became law late last year, promotes interoperability. Together the two pieces of legislation chip away at legal barriers but do not compel manufacturers to make repair manuals, software or parts available.
In general, however, the automotive sector is also bound by the Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard, a voluntary agreement dating back to 2009 -- which does oblige them to provide repair manuals and parts. OEM participation is uneven, however, as enforcement is absent and some major automakers, including Tesla, haven't even signed on.
This situation leaves many independent garages without reliable access to telematics, over-the-air updates and other connected car technologies that are increasingly essential to vehicle maintenance.
As a result of these shortfalls, the protections offered to repairers in the True North lag behind those found in Australia, which has operated the mandatory Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Scheme since 2022, compelling manufacturers to sell diagnostic and software data at fair market value.
Unlike in Canada, where there has been no significant enforcement activity, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission fined Honda Australia $18,780 for breaching the scheme by failing to offer its diagnostic software to independent repairers unwilling to pay for an annual subscription.
At the provincial level, some Canadian legislatures are working to bolster repairer protections. In Ontario and Quebec, provincial governments are moving to fill in the gaps left by the federal legislative packages.
Ontario’s Bill 187 seeks to address the gap by requiring manufacturers of vehicles, electronics and appliances to provide manuals for free and sell parts and tools at fair cost. As a private member’s bill put forward by three NDP backbenchers, its chances of becoming law are slim.
Quebec has gone further, passing legislation that obliges companies to disclose whether products will remain repairable and to ensure parts can be installed with common tools, with vehicles included in its scope.
While Canada still lacks a national standard with enforcement mechanisms, its right to repair legislation is more comprehensive than many other developed regions.
In the European Union, vehicle approval rules oblige OEMs to release repair and maintenance data. Pressure is mounting for a dedicated law in 2025 to guarantee independent access to connected car data, which campaigners say is critical as telematics become the new choke point for repairs.
Across the English Channel, the United Kingdom requires manufacturers to provide independent garages with information essential for maintenance. A new directive adopted in 2024 also strengthens repair rights for electronics and appliances, but this does not yet cover vehicles.
In the U.S., the push to expand the right to repair has only found traction at the state level.
Massachusetts became the first state to pass an automotive right-to-repair law in 2012. It requires automakers to share diagnostic and repair information with independent repair shops. A 2020 update expanded the law to include telematics and wireless vehicle data. It remains the strongest state-level auto law in the U.S.
In November 2023, Maine voters approved a ballot measure giving independent repair shops access to vehicle data and diagnostic tools, similar to Massachusetts. The law is being implemented in phases starting 2024–2025.
In several other states, including California, New York, Oregon, Minnesota and Texas, right-to-repair laws have passed, but these most focus on electronics, appliances, farm equipment or consumer goods rather than vehicles. Some proposals to extend automotive repair rights exist in these states, but none have been approved by lawmakers.
