Canadians need Right to Repair legislation now, we cannot afford to wait
By Emily Chung, president and CEO of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada
In big cities and small towns across our vast nation, Canadians want the power to choose where and how they spend their hard-earned money. As the cost of living continues to rise, these choices are being squeezed. A recent report from the Competition Bureau of Canada, Your Data, Your Control, proves that giving consumers control over their data is not just a technical issue—it is an economic necessity.
The Bureau’s report highlights the immense value of data portability. Using the home insurance industry as a case study, the Bureau estimates that data portability could save Canadians up to $3.83 billion annually. These savings come from reduced barriers to switching providers and lower market entry costs for new firms.
If data portability can unlock billions in savings for insurance, the case for extending these principles to the automotive sector is an undeniable next step.
Modern vehicles are computers on wheels, and currently, automakers control the data necessary to service them. When automakers restrict access to this diagnostic and repair data, they restrict consumer choice. This forces drivers away from their trusted local independent repairers and toward more expensive dealership options.
The cost of this monopoly on data is real and measurable. Independent repair shops, which make up 80 per cent of the market, offer drivers substantial savings—up to 30 per cent on common repairs compared to dealerships. Conversely, drivers forced to use dealerships could pay $460 more in annual service costs.
Consider Sally, a young mom in rural Saskatchewan who relies on her 2015 Rav4. Her local independent shop—a third-generation family business—keeps her car running for about $1,750 a year. If that shop cannot access the data required to fix her vehicle, Sally’s only alternative is a dealership one hour away. Beyond the higher service fees, she would spend $215 more per visit in fuel costs and face lost wages. For rural Canadians, who often have fewer local service options, the lack of data access threatens not just their wallet, but their mobility.
The impact extends to the small business owners who form the backbone of our economy. Canada’s auto care sector contributes $44 billion annually and supports over 500,000 workers. However, just one lost repair per week due to data restrictions causes a 16 per cent annual loss in profits for rural shops and a 9 per cent profit loss for urban ones. Nationally, this equates to $336 million in lost profits annually.
The Competition Bureau has provided a roadmap for responsibly launching a data portability framework that benefits consumers and boosts competition. There is enough information to prove that concerns about data security can be addressed, while the risk of failing to act will cause irreparable economic damage.
Right to Repair is about fairness, affordability, and freedom of choice. With 82 per cent of Canadians agreeing that manufacturers should be required to share repair data, the consensus is clear. We need a national Right to Repair framework now.
Emily Chung is the president and CEO of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada.
This article by AIA Canada was originally published in The Hill Times on 23 February 2026.