Hives trying to fix a dishwasher that stopped working after six months and expensive trips to the car dealership would soon be a thing of the past. The government wants to force manufacturers to repair goods that give up the ghost too quickly.
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“It is essential that Quebec families get their money’s worth when they buy their property,” said Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette during the presentation of his bill against planned obsolescence.
Deeming it “intolerable” that devices are designed with an expiry date, Mr. Jolin-Barrette wants to take measures to prevent goods from ending up in the dump when they could be repaired.
“When our computer fails us, it becomes a stress or a burden. It is not normal that it is more economical to buy a new device than to have it repaired, ”he illustrated. “This is the kind of practice that costs Quebecers dearly and harms the environment.”
So if they put products on the shelves that aren’t made to last, manufacturers and marketers will have to be held accountable. They will then face a maximum fine of $125,000.
The bill tabled Thursday at the end of the parliamentary session will be studied next fall.
- Listen to the interview with Simon Jolin-Barrette, Minister of Justice of Quebec on QUB radio:
A new warranty for devices
A performance guarantee will be created if the bill is passed. This warranty will apply to several goods, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, televisions, heat pumps, air conditioners, telephones and tablets. If you buy a device and it stops working, all you have to do is call the retailer who sold it to you, who will make sure the manufacturer carries out the repair. If he refuses, he will have to call the Consumer Protection Office. The bill provides that the repair must be done within a reasonable time. Manufacturers will also need to make spare parts easily accessible, and ensure that they can be installed with commonly available tools.
No more monthly garage subscriptions
The government wants to put in place an “anti-lemon measure” for automobiles, to protect consumers against “seriously defective vehicles”. Nobody wants to be the one who buys a recent car, and who finds himself despite everything “with a monthly subscription at the garage”, underlined Simon Jolin-Barrette. If the bill is adopted, it will be possible to more easily cancel the purchase of a vehicle. The government also wants to oblige manufacturers to make spare parts and relevant information available so that it is possible to have your car repaired in any garage without being forced to pay more at the dealership. These measures have been welcomed by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada. “Consumers must be able to choose where to have their vehicle repaired,” said Association President Jean-François Champagne.
One wire for all electronic devices
“It’s nonsense to have as many charger wires as electronic devices at home,” said Simon Jolin-Barrette, with a pile of cables by his side. The bill therefore provides for the implementation of standard wires so that a universal charger is compatible with all cell phones, tablets and computers sold in Quebec.