Chair

• Emily Holtby: Vice President, Government Relations, Automotive Industries Association (AIA) Canada

Speakers:

• Keldon Bester, Executive Director, Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project (CAMP)

• Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner at the Competition Bureau of Canada

• Geoffrey Hendra, Manager of Reporting, Analytics, and the Post-Purchase Program at Canadian Tire Corporation

• Hugues Mousseau, Belron Canada Inc.

Throughout the panel Repair and the Economy, panellists explored various economic aspects of the right to repair. Through these diverse perspectives, attendees were able to gain a deeper, more profound understanding of how repair influences consumer choice, competition, and affordability.

Emily Holtby (chair) explained that repair is no longer a technical debate and isolated consumer issue, but rather it is fundamentally an economic one. She emphasized that this is now a “question of who controls the markets.” Given the current political climate and the ongoing threats to Canadian sovereignty, this statement carried significant weight, raising broader questions of economic control and influence. In this sense, the right to repair felt both essential and transformative, positioned as a key part of building a strong and resilient Canada.

Across the panel, competition was highlighted as a key driver of the economy. Panellist Brad Callaghan echoed this point, reinforcing the idea that “competition drives better outcomes.” He explained that competition provides more choices for consumers, drives innovation, lowers prices, and builds a more productive economy. Beyond this, he emphasized the importance of competitive pressures on manufacturers, arguing that without it, original manufacturers become lazy, leading to a lack of innovation and at higher costs.

In this sense, the right to repair was framed as a mechanism that sustains competition in the economy. Building on this, Emily Holtby explained that at its core, the right to repair is a relatively straightforward idea. When products are purchased, individuals should have the ability to choose where they get them repaired. Further, she explained that this then raises the question of “what conditions are necessary for repair markets to function competitively.” Similarly to Julia Madden from the panel on Repair and the Environment, She emphasised that repair markets often restrict access to parts, tools, diagnostics, and software, placing independent repair shops at a significant disadvantage. Building on this discussion, Keldon Bester argued that “competition in the right to repair is a question of agency.” His comment reinforced that when access to repair resources is restricted, competition is fundamentally weakened. As a result, reducing consumer choice, thereby limiting consumer agency.

As explained throughout the panel, automakers are in control of much of the data necessary to service vehicles. This causes many independent repair shops to be at risk of losing the ability to repair vehicles, which can ultimately force them to close. To highlight the significance of this, Ms. Holtby drew upon an example. A young mom who lives in a rural community depends on her 2015 RAV4, as well as her local repair shop, to keep it running at an affordable price. The closest dealership is 75km or roughly an hour away. If  her local repair shop closed, she would have to pay roughly 460 additional dollars in annual service costs, and about $215 per visit in fuel costs, in addition to lost wages for that day. This is now not only a competition issue, but an affordability one.

Throughout the panel, panellists often returned to the idea that when consumers are denied this access to independent repair options, they are frequently left with fewer choices and higher costs. Panellist Hugues Mousseau shared his belief that “vehicle repair is a consumer right, not a privilege.” He, similarly to Ms. Holtby, explained that dealerships are often located further away from consumers, and repairs at these dealerships are often the single largest expense for Canadian families.

Interestingly, panellist Geoffrey Hendra highlighted how consumer decisions are often shaped by convenience, despite alternative options being available. Speaking from the perspective of a retailer, he explained that while customers are often given a decision between repair and replacement, the final decision often depends on instant gratification and ease of access. To highlight this, he described a scenario where a vacuum fails on a busy Saturday morning. Although repair is within warranty, consumers may choose the immediate replacement unit, rather than waiting for repair services located further away with a longer turnaround time.

While both Mr. Mousseau's and Mr. Hendra’s perspectives seemingly felt different when first heard, they ultimately point to the same underlying reality. Both panellists emphasized that the limited access to local independent repair shops fundamentally constrains consumer choice and agency. As a result, consumers are often pushed towards a more convenient or expensive option, despite repair being more sustainable and cost-effective.

As Emily stated at the beginning of this panel, the right to repair in response to the economy is fundamentally a “question of who controls the market.” Building on this idea, and amid broader efforts to strengthen Canada’s domestic economy in response to current economic uncertainty, one of the more interesting discussions emerged when she asked her fellow panellists, “How can the right to repair specifically contribute to growing our domestic economy?” In response, Hugues Mousseau emphasized the need to rely less on the global supply chain by extending the duration and durability of products. However, he noted that achieving this also depends on consumer awareness. He argued that many consumers are unaware of their repair rights, while dealers and manufacturers have little incentive to inform them.

Building on this discussion, Geoffrey Hendra emphasized that it comes down to getting something repaired rather than replaced. He explained that when you get a product fixed, a bulk of that cost is labour, and that labour stays within Canada. Whereas when you replace an item, it is often imported from outside the country. Ultimately, for Mr. Hendra, the goal is to keep the money within Canada. Similarly, Brad took an approach of resilience. Stating “a competitive economy is a resilient economy,” he emphasized the need for stronger competition, and in doing so, he highlighted that the path to this is through the right to repair.

As Emily Holtby stated earlier in the panel, “in a world where we feel very unstable within our economy, these conversations are important.” Throughout this panel, it was evident that the right to repair is increasingly being viewed as a critical aspect for the growth and resilience of the economy.