Q&A: What new right to repair laws mean for Canadians with products in need of a fix
New changes to Canada's Copyright Act have become law, aimed at making it easier for people and independent repair technicians to fix the products they own, such as phones, fridges, and in the case of farmers, their tractors.
Many modern devices contain software and computer code, which is protected by copyright, preventing third-party repair technicians from being able to fix those products.
Bill C-244 allows individuals or third-party repair companies to bypass digital locks to make software fixes without violating copyright, while Bill C-294 allows those locks to be circumvented "to make (a) computer program or a device in which it is embedded interoperable with any other computer program, device or component."
In a major win for the right to repair movement, both bills received royal assent last week and became law.
Alissa Centivany, an assistant professor of information and media studies at Western University, helped advise the drafting of the legislation. She spoke to Afternoon Drive host Matt Allen.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
LISTEN: New laws a big win for Canadian's right to repair movement
Matt Allen: How exactly do Canadian copyright laws limit our ability right now to make repairs?
Alissa Centivany: What they have done in the past is that they have allowed manufacturers to use what are called technological protection measures, or digital locks, to prevent consumers, but also independent third-party repair technicians, from being able to get into a device or a piece of equipment to be able to diagnose it, maintain it or fix it.
What these bills have done, that just passed last week, is they've removed that barrier. Now any of us, or any repair technician that we might choose, can break those digital locks to be able to fix the things that we have.
MA: It's important, isn't it? As we've become more digital, there was a time when things were mechanical, so getting in to fix it wasn't that difficult. But the digital age is a different one now, isn't it?
AC: Absolutely. Things are more sophisticated, more complicated. The average Canadian might not feel confident in being able to fix some of these things. But manufacturers are also pretty savvy about designing them in ways that sort of lock us out and don't invite us to get in there and fix them.
I think these bills are going to really take an important step forward in terms of levelling the playing field.
MA: My mind automatically goes to Apple devices and how limiting it can be to get in and repair a phone. But I understand this applies to many other different types of technology across broad industries. Could you describe some of those for us?
AC: The impediments to repair and interoperability really do cross all sectors and industries. I'm in Montreal right now at the Food Secure Canada convention, which is a convention of farmers getting together to talk about issues relating to their industry. I was invited because farmers have been one of the most notable industries affected by repair and interoperability restraints.
It affects agriculture. It also affects military defence, soldiers or other members of the military fixing things like tanks or other equipment. It affects the automotive sector. It affects the healthcare sector. Biomedical engineers can't fix their medical equipment.
And it, of course, affects us as consumers, with our home appliances and other consumer electronics.
MA: What exactly does this legislation change?
AC: It basically prevents manufacturers from being able to use this one little piece of copyright law — misuse it, in my opinion — to be able to control the repair of the products they produce and also stop other companies from being able to create interoperable products with their products.
MA: Practically, what would this mean? You mentioned a home appliance, like a fridge. How would this affect somebody trying to repair their fridge?
AC: My refrigerator broke a couple years ago. It was really difficult to find someone locally who could come and fix it, and that's in part because independent repair service providers have been squeezed out over time.
(The legislation) would enable any independent repair provider from being able to contact the manufacturer, request the parts that are necessary, be able to access the manuals and schematics, to be able to understand what needs to be fixed and how to fix it, and then come to your home and be able to fix it there.
MA: What have you learned going through this journey yourself about this, and why do you think people should care about having the right to repair?
AC: What it comes down to is our habits of consumption are really just not sustainable. I think a lot of average Canadians struggle with an affordability crisis, so it's really unethical, inequitable and oftentimes unlawful for us to have our ability to fix things and keep things working smoothly restricted by manufacturers in these ways.
It's really about creating a better world, a healthier planet, keeping more things out of the landfill and more money in our pockets, and just being able to exercise a little bit more autonomy about our decisions and our daily life, which is especially important when we all rely so heavily on these technologies