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 (Oct. 30). Both bills amend the Copyright Act and represent a historic step forward in the right to repair movement.  

The bills passage follows AIA Canada’s testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy, where we encouraged Committee members to adopt both bills due to their importance on Canada’s auto care sector. 

Bill C-244 allows consumers and businesses to bypass digital locks on products, including vehicles, to make repairs without violating copyright laws. Bill C-294 focuses on allowing different technologies to work together without breaking copyright laws.  

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.