Canada Is Working To Implement a Right To Repair (arstechnica.com) 20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Like in other parts of the world, Canada is working out what the right to repair means for its people. The federal government said in its 2023 budget released Tuesday that it will bring the right to repair to Canada. At the same time, it's considering a universal charging port mandate like the European Union (EU) is implementing with USB-C. The Canadian federal government's 2023 budget introduces the right to repair under the chapter "Making Life More Affordable and Supporting the Middle Class." It says that the "government will work to implement a right to repair, with the aim of introducing a targeted framework for home appliances and electronics in 2024." The government plans to hold consultations on the matter and claimed it will "work closely with provinces and territories" to implement the right to repair in Canada:
"When it comes to broken appliances or devices, high repair fees and a lack of access to specific parts often mean Canadians are pushed to buy new products rather than repairing the ones they have. This is expensive for people and creates harmful waste. Devices and appliances should be easy to repair, spare parts should be readily accessible, and companies should not be able to prevent repairs with complex programming or hard-to-obtain bespoke parts. By cutting down on the number of devices and appliances that are thrown out, we will be able to make life more affordable for Canadians and protect our environment."
The budget also insinuates that right-to-repair legislation can make third-party repairs cheaper than getting a phone, for example, repaired by the manufacturer, where it could cost "far more than it should." Canada's 2023 budget also revealed the government's interest in introducing a standard charging port for electronics. The budget says the government "will work with international partners and other stakeholders to explore implementing a standard charging port in Canada." It says a universal charging port could help residents save money and e-waste. "Every time Canadians purchase new devices, they need to buy new chargers to go along with them, which drives up costs and increases electronic waste," the budget says.
"When it comes to broken appliances or devices, high repair fees and a lack of access to specific parts often mean Canadians are pushed to buy new products rather than repairing the ones they have. This is expensive for people and creates harmful waste. Devices and appliances should be easy to repair, spare parts should be readily accessible, and companies should not be able to prevent repairs with complex programming or hard-to-obtain bespoke parts. By cutting down on the number of devices and appliances that are thrown out, we will be able to make life more affordable for Canadians and protect our environment."
The budget also insinuates that right-to-repair legislation can make third-party repairs cheaper than getting a phone, for example, repaired by the manufacturer, where it could cost "far more than it should." Canada's 2023 budget also revealed the government's interest in introducing a standard charging port for electronics. The budget says the government "will work with international partners and other stakeholders to explore implementing a standard charging port in Canada." It says a universal charging port could help residents save money and e-waste. "Every time Canadians purchase new devices, they need to buy new chargers to go along with them, which drives up costs and increases electronic waste," the budget says.
Don't count on it (Score:2)
Prime Minister Trudeau tends to avoid wanting to upset anyone so anything he does tends to be watered down so badly it does no real good at all. Things like the airline traveler's protection regulations with so many loopholes the airlines rarely have to pay compensation.
Never thought I would miss Jean Cretien, Paul Martin or even Steven Harper but here we are.
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Prime Minister Trudeau tends to avoid wanting to upset anyone so anything he does tends to be watered down so badly it does no real good at all.
As a lifetime law abiding gun owner I hope you are correct, but I think he can be a major douchebag when he sets his mind (sic) to it.
Never thought I would miss Jean Cretien, Paul Martin or even Steven Harper but here we are.
Indeed.
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Prime Minister Trudeau tends to avoid wanting to upset anyone so anything he does tends to be watered down so badly it does no real good at all. Things like the airline traveler's protection regulations with so many loopholes the airlines rarely have to pay compensation.
Never thought I would miss Jean Cretien, Paul Martin or even Steven Harper but here we are.
Aw look, the hat is trying to be a bit independent!
What will the masters to the south say?
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I wouldn't be shocked if the LPC calls a snap election to take advantage of the CPC weak leadership position. Truedau should be able to pull off another election win by scaring people about Poilievre. I keep waiting for the moment that the CPC remembers most Canadians want fiscal conservatives and not social conservatives.
Changing the rules (Score:5, Insightful)
When companies play by the rules, the ones who exploit them best tend to survive. As manufacturing improved, things started being built so they'd last as long as required to get past the warranty period but only enough past it that there would be relatively few that failed prior - for the optimal net profit. After all, if it lasts as long as you promised, the consumer has no real complaint... but if it fails when that promise expires, they can buy another one.
In that marketplace, there is zero incentive to make an easily repairable item. Instead, you get the cheapest thing they can get away with. And with the exception of the occasional luxury brand, anyone who chooses a different business model can't compete.
So changing the rules is the right move - the entire marketplace must be forced by regulation to encourage the creation of readily repairable merchandise. Companies will adjust to the new reality, and our landfills will be better for it.
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The poor should have to get new stuff every time.
When you're poor you either learn to repair stuff yourself or you buy another used piece of crap that hopefully doesn't also immediately break. Hell, I personally know a few middle class folks who only ever do DIY repairs, because even their budget is stretched kind of thin.
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Oh man, I didn't know the poor could already easily repair their existing items and don't have to buy new when their stuff breaks, and that this law will change that!
I'm completely 180 on my opinion now!
Obviously this opens repair options for poor people too. Targeting the middle class gets votes and makes it more likely to pass.
Conflating two separate issues (Score:2)
Some companies do make it difficult to obtain replacement parts and/or lock things down with various forms of DRM. That is something right-to-repair laws should be addressing.
Then there's this, though:
"When it comes to broken appliances or devices, high repair fees and a lack of access to specific parts often mean Canadians are pushed to buy new products rather than repairing the ones they have.
First world labor costs are primarily why most consumer-grade appliances aren't repaired. Even Apple outsources a good portion of the repairs to their broken/defective devices back to China.
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Even at 1st world labor prices, a great many consumer devices can be repaired for say $100-$200 by swapping a failed chip or connector, where Apple or a certified Apple repair shop charges $1000 to replace a whole motherboard because they do not conduct nor permit component level repairs.
Labor is usually not the primary factor for the cost of electronics repair.
We need removable and standard Li-Ion batteries. (Score:2)
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Niche portable computer maker Clockwork Pi [clockworkpi.com] uses them.
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We need more brands to follow the example of what fairphone is doing. https://www.fairphone.com/ [fairphone.com] [fairphone.com]
We need more customers making the decisions to support such companies. Speaking as a happy owner of a Fairphone 4, those phones tend to be more expensive for the same spec than a samsung/xiamo, or even an apple phone. A bit bulkier too, because as part are not tightly glued together, it takes a bit more space so you end up with a bigger phone.
But being able to change anything on the phone with a simple screwdrivers (12 screws total), and without fear of breaking anything, is priceless.
For those looking at t
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You can get USB-chargeable AA/AAA Li-Ion batteries now. They have voltage converters and should work in most devices. I am a bit doubtful for audio applications, but even they should work with high enough switching frequencies and the right type of voltage converters.
Re: We need removable and standard Li-Ion batterie (Score:1)
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I have two sets, AA and 9V. Both work well. Capacities are comparable to Alkaline (1700mAh, 450mAh). Zero-load and very low load conversion is a solved problem. The converter goes to sleep and only wakes up occasionally. The converter itself draws next to nothing when idle and conversion efficiencies of > 95% are standard.
There have been a lot of advances in the last 20 years in switching power converters with all the mobile devices around.
I'll believe it when I see it (Score:2)
The Canadian government does not have a good track record of fighting for consumers' rights. Our "competition" landscape is essentially nonexistent and big corporate lobbyists put the kibosh on anything they don't like.