Have you ever tried to fix your broken phone or laptop, only to realize it’s prohibitively expensive or outright impossible? That’s no accident — it’s by manufacturer design.

Broad right to repair legislation in Canada would force manufacturing giants to make materials, resources, and repair manuals available to everyday people. That means stopping these companies from using us as a cash cow, and defending our land and water from overwhelming e-waste.

We NEED right to repair laws to protect us and our planet. Will you sign the petition demanding our government take action?

Why do we need broad right to repair legislation?

• It’s a matter of standing up to companies that exploit us. By making our electronics too difficult, expensive, or impossible to repair, manufacturing giants force us to replace our products more often or shell out huge sums for their in-house repair services. It’s an abuse of their market power, and particularly unjust at a time when everyday people are already struggling to afford basic necessities due to inflation. Bottom line: if we own a device, no manufacturer should be allowed to stop us from fixing it when it breaks. We don’t just deserve to have access to the information and parts that keep us connected and self-reliant — it’s our right.

• It’s a matter of protecting our planet. Our collective failure to enshrine the right to repair under law is enabling massive environmental damage. When devices like cell phones or laptops end up in landfills as e-waste, hazardous materials found in these products (like mercury and lead) contaminate our environment. According to the Global E-waste Monitor, in 2019 human beings dumped a record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste — a 21% increase over five years. When we’re forced to treat our electronics as disposable, we have no choice but to throw them out and buy new ones — a reality that threatens our climate, water, health and the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples everywhere. If we aim to keep our electronics out of landfills and bring us closer to a sustainable circular economy, Canada needs the broad right to repair enshrined in law NOW.

How close are we to securing our right to repair?

Right now, we’re on the cusp of making our broad right to repair a reality — but our government is stumbling at the finish line.

Without dedicated attention to push it forward, MP Wilson Miao’s right to repair bill C-244 hasn’t budged since April. And while PM Trudeau has directed our Innovation and Environment Ministers to take action on right to repair, we’ve STILL seen no meaningful progress from them nearly a year after the last federal election.

Now is our prime opportunity to end the stalling for GOOD. With Parliament back from summer break, we’ve got just a few short months to get right to repair legislation passed this year. Speak out: sign the petition demanding our government pass broad right to repair legislation in Canada!

Looking for a quick right to repair explainer? Check out this blog!