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THE RIGHT TO REPAIR WITHOUT THE FREEDOM OF CUSTOMER CHOICE , YOUR JOB SECURIT Y HANGS IN THE BAL ANCE
BY MAX REID
A
s an industry, we need to level with the fact that today’s customer experience of getting a vehicle repaired is only a few steps short of a hostage negotiation. Drivers spend their hard-earned savings on vehicles they trust and depend on to get them through daily life but are often kept voiceless when the most important decisions about their vehicle are being made. A spirit of non-competition prevails in a space where international automakers are granted absolute authority over a vehicle and allowed to make demands of the common consumer. “For OEMs, I do understand that they want to see the products respected and be compensated for the research and the investment and so forth,” said Brian Masse, federal member of Parliament representing the Ontario riding of Windsor West for the New Democratic Party. “But, to give them a pure monopoly for the life of the vehicle in perpetuity is not acceptable and is not part of our culture for any type of manufacturing, nor is it part of a wider argument for consumer choice, public safety, or the environment.” Masse has been one of the few Canadians in the House of Commons championing the cause that has come to be known as the “Right to Repair” movement and having tabled legislation in February to amend aspects of the Competition Act, in order to create a fairer business environment for repair shops. The proposed amendment to the Competition Act would authorize the competition tribunal to mandate that vehicle manufacturers provide independent repair shops access to diagnostic and repair information and service parts on
the same terms as with their own authorized repair providers. Since 2009, he has been working alongside major automakers from across the world to try and standardize aspects of OEM repair procedure, in an effort not only to keep our collision repair industry competitive, but to promote more sensible legislation surrounding issues around emissions and electronic waste. A voluntary agreement among global OEMs operating in Canada has since been launched to serve as a venue for collaboration between automakers and the federal government. Many internationally recognized automakers have signed onto the agreement, including the “Detroit Three”; Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. The way Masse sees it, mandating that certain repairs must be carried out by OEM-affiliated technicians at a dealership effectively devalues the existing collision repair environment in that region. If Bob from Athens, Ontario, is given no choice but to have his truck repaired at a dealership in Kingston, an hour’s drive and nearly 70 kilometres from home, then every collision centre in the Athens area misses out on competing for Bob’s business. Not only does this drive down business for local shops, but it keeps damaged, less-fuel efficient vehicles on the road for longer as, in the case of many rural communities, some drivers will never be able to take the time off to get repairs done in the city. “Sometimes you’re looking at towing vehicles greater distances and that creates an even more complex situation where you’re
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“OEMs need to be respected in that repairers follow the right processes,” says Masse. “But at the same time there needs to be some protection for the consumer to go to alternative sites, especially because OEMs can’t even service their entire fleets on their own.”
