When something breaks, can you fix it yourself or take it to an outside repair shop? The federal "right to repair" (Bill C-244), manufacturers that will not supply parts, warranties and repair disputes (what to do in B.C.)

1. A few terms to understand first

Digital lock (technological protection measure). The legal term is technological protection measure, or TPM for short. As section 41 of the Copyright Act puts it, a TPM is a technology, device or component that controls whether others can access and use a work protected by copyright, and computer programs count as works. Phones, washing machines, cars and tractors today all have software inside, and software is a computer program, so all of these may contain digital locks. For example: if the software in a machine is encrypted, so that the fault records the machine keeps cannot be read without the manufacturer's tools and passwords, that encryption may count as a digital lock.

Circumvent. What section 41 of the Copyright Act means is: without the copyright owner's authority, descrambling or decrypting a scrambled or encrypted work or program, or otherwise avoiding, bypassing, removing, deactivating or impairing the digital lock.

Manufacturer's warranty. The federal Office of Consumer Affairs describes it as a written guarantee from the manufacturer to the buyer that, for a period after purchase, it will repair or replace the product if needed; it is usually already included in the price.

Extended warranty. Coverage that a retailer sells you on top of the manufacturer's warranty, usually at extra cost; it is also called a service agreement, service contract or maintenance agreement.

The quality protection the law gives you. B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act says: what you buy must match its description and must be durable for a reasonable length of time; if you bought it by description from a seller who deals in such goods, it must also be of acceptable quality. When you buy new goods at retail from a business in B.C., these protections generally apply whether or not the business mentions them and whether or not there is a warranty card, and a contract cannot take them away; used goods and goods bought for business use are treated differently (explained in section 8).

Means of diagnosis or repair. This is a term in section 75 of the federal Competition Act. It includes: information for diagnosis, maintenance, repair and calibration; technical updates; diagnostic software or diagnostic tools; related documentation; and repair parts.

Refusal to deal. A situation under the Competition Act: a business cannot obtain something it needs for its business in the market, because there is not enough competition among the businesses that supply it, and this has had, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on competition in the market. Explained in section 6.

2. Which law is C-244, and when did it take effect

Full name and number. The C-244 in this guide is Bill C-244 of the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament of Canada. Its full English title is An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair). It was a Private Member's Bill, introduced by Wilson Miao, who at the time was the Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre.

When looking things up, check the Parliament and session as well. Every time Parliament starts a new session, bill numbers start over. Parliament is now in the 1st Session of the 45th Parliament, and Bill C-244 of this session is a different bill, one that amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act; it has nothing to do with repairs. So when you see "C-244" online, first check that it is from the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament (the web address shows 44-1).

Steps it went through (dates as shown on LEGISinfo, the Parliament of Canada's bill tracking website):

After Royal Assent, its official citation is Statutes of Canada 2024, chapter 26 (S.C. 2024, c. 26). The 1st Session of the 44th Parliament ran from November 22, 2021 to January 6, 2025.

When it took effect. The Act has only two sections, both amending provisions of the Copyright Act, and it does not set a separate date for coming into force. Subsection 5(2) of the federal Interpretation Act says: if a law does not state when it comes into force, it comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent. So C-244 has applied since November 7, 2024. The current version of the Copyright Act on the federal Justice Laws website also shows that it was last amended on November 7, 2024 (when we checked, the website showed the version current to October 19, 2026).

3. What C-244 allows

C-244 added section 41.121 to the Copyright Act. Broken down, this section means three things, and all three must be met:

First, the only purpose must be to repair or maintain the product, including diagnosing the problem as part of that repair. The section uses the words "for the sole purpose", meaning the only purpose. Doing something else under the cover of "repairs" is not covered by this section.

Second, the thing the digital lock controls must be part of the product itself. The section says that the work, sound recording or performance in a sound recording that the digital lock controls access to must form a part of the product. For example, the software in a washing machine that controls the wash programs is part of the washing machine.

Third, if you infringe copyright, you cannot use this exception. Subsection (3) states clearly that if copyright is infringed during the repair, this section cannot be relied on.

Repairing for someone else counts too. Subsection (2) specifically states that it also applies when this is done for another person. So it is not only owners doing their own repairs; if you ask an independent repair shop, or a friend who knows how, to repair something for you, that is also covered.

Which prohibition this exception lifts. Subsection 41.1(1) of the Copyright Act contains three prohibitions: paragraph (a) prohibits circumventing a digital lock; paragraph (b) prohibits offering services to the public that circumvent digital locks, which covers services that are mainly for circumventing digital locks, that have no real commercial use other than circumventing digital locks, or that are advertised as being for circumventing digital locks; paragraph (c), in the same three situations, prohibits manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling or renting such technologies, devices or components. Section 41.121 only says that "paragraph (a) does not apply"; it does not mention paragraphs (b) and (c) (more on this in the next section).

Some examples to help you tell the difference:

The table says "possibly" because whether the exception applies depends on what was actually done, and in the end a court decides. CanDo Studio cannot promise you anything.

4. What C-244 does not cover (where people most often get confused)

First, it does not force manufacturers to give you parts, repair manuals or diagnostic software. The whole text of C-244 only amends the Copyright Act; nothing in it requires manufacturers to sell parts, publish diagrams or provide repair software. If a manufacturer will not provide them, see the Competition Act in section 6.

Second, it does not change your warranty terms. If your warranty card says "not covered if you repair it yourself", C-244 did not change that. Whether your warranty still applies after you take something apart is covered in section 8.

Third, it is not a pass to sell unlocking tools or run an unlocking service. As the previous section explained, section 41.121 only says that paragraph (a) of section 41.1 does not apply. Paragraph (b) covers "services that circumvent digital locks" and paragraph (c) covers "tools that circumvent digital locks", and section 41.121 mentions neither. So: a repair person fixing something for a customer may be within the exception; but someone who openly sells a "universal unlocker", runs a business that specializes in "unlocking", or advertises that they can "unlock" things cannot claim to be legal on the basis of C-244 alone. If you run a repair shop and are not sure which category your practices, tools or advertising wording fall into, please ask a lawyer (you can check a lawyer's licence in the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory; see section 11).

Fourth, it does not override other laws and safety rules. Only the copyright law was changed this time. The safety rules, licensing requirements and contract terms you must follow when repairing things all still apply.

Fifth, "unlocking a phone to switch carriers" is a different matter. Unlocking a phone from one carrier's network so that you can use it with another carrier falls under telecommunications rules, not the right to repair discussed here. Your provider must unlock your phone for free; see section 5 of Guide No. 29, New rules for cellphones and home Internet.

Sixth, it does not mean "everything must be repairable for life". When we checked, we did not find any rule in federal or B.C. law saying that "everything must be repairable, and parts must be available for a set number of years". The federal framework on durability and repairability that is being discussed has not become law (section 12).

Related: for the general rules on copyright (music in videos, using images, playing music in a shop), see Guide No. 17, Copyright in Canada.

5. The "interoperability" law passed the same day: C-294

On the same day as C-244, November 7, 2024, Bill C-294 (also from the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament) received Royal Assent. Its full English title is An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability). It was introduced by Jeremy Patzer, who at the time was the Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills—Grasslands, and its official citation is Statutes of Canada 2024, chapter 27.

"Interoperability" means letting a product work with another company's software, devices or accessories. C-294 amended section 41.12 of the Copyright Act. The current text says: for a computer program that was obtained lawfully, you may circumvent the digital lock that protects the program in order to make the program, or a device in which it is installed, interoperable with any other computer program, device or component, or to obtain the information needed to do so.

This section also has limits: the information and tools obtained may only be used for interoperability; and if copyright is infringed, this exception cannot be used. How the section applies to particular products, for example whether a certain brand's accessories can be used, depends on the actual situation; this guide does not draw conclusions for you.

6. When a manufacturer will not supply parts or information: how far the federal Competition Act goes

Often what actually stops people is not "whether repair is allowed", but that the manufacturer will not sell parts, diagnostic software or repair information to independent repair shops. This falls under section 75 of the federal Competition Act, "refusal to deal", which is a separate matter from C-244.

The 2024 amendments. The federal Competition Bureau's guide says: on June 20, 2024, Bill C-59 (short title: Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023) received Royal Assent, and a set of major amendments to the Competition Act became law. Two of them relate to repairs:

• before, this section covered only the extreme case where "the whole business is substantially affected"; now, "part of a business being substantially affected" also counts;
• "means of diagnosis or repair" are now expressly included, to help independent repair shops get the information and parts they need to fix things.

It does not mean a manufacturer must supply anyone who asks. Section 75 says: the Commissioner of Competition, or a private person who has been granted leave, applies to the Competition Tribunal; the Tribunal can make an order only if it finds that all five of the following are true:

1. the person cannot obtain adequate supplies anywhere in the market on usual trade terms, and as a result their whole business, or part of it, is substantially affected, or they are even unable to carry on;
2. the reason they cannot obtain supplies is insufficient competition among the suppliers of the product;
3. the person is willing and able to meet the usual trade terms of the suppliers. "Trade terms" in the section means terms on payment and units of purchase, and reasonable technical and servicing requirements;
4. the product is in ample supply; or, for means of diagnosis or repair, it can readily be supplied;
5. the refusal to deal has had, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on competition in the market.

What orders the Tribunal can make. It can order one or more suppliers to accept the person as a customer, or to supply them with the means of diagnosis or repair, within a specified time and on terms the Tribunal considers appropriate. If the application was made by a private person, the Tribunal can also order the supplier to pay an amount, not more than the benefit it got from the conduct, to be distributed among the applicant and others who were affected. The section also states that it does not require anyone to disclose trade secrets.

How a private person applies. Under section 103.1 of the Competition Act, you must first apply to the Tribunal for leave, with an affidavit setting out the facts. The Tribunal grants leave only if it finds that the applicant's business, in whole or in part, is directly and substantially affected, or that granting leave is in the public interest. The application must be made within one year after the conduct stopped. The Bureau's guide says that the amendments expanding private applications took effect on June 20, 2025. Getting leave only gets you through the door; it does not mean you have won.

What an ordinary household can do. Section 75 is mainly for people who run a business. Not being able to find a part once or twice is generally not enough to meet these conditions. What you can do is:

• First ask clearly, and ideally keep a written record. You can ask the manufacturer: "Do you sell this part to independent repair shops or to customers? If not, could you tell me why in writing?"
• Write down the model, the part number, what they said and the date they said it.
• If you suspect that a manufacturer is deliberately preventing independent repair shops from doing repairs across the board, you can report the facts to the federal Competition Bureau (the complaint form link and phone number are in section 11).

If you run a repair shop, keep a few more records: written records of refusals; quotes and orders showing you were willing to pay; which other sources you asked; what business you lost as a result and how much less you earned; and the effect on competition in the market. If you really want to apply, please see a lawyer who knows competition law (to check a lawyer's licence, see section 11).

The Competition Bureau does not get money back for you. The Bureau's complaint form states that it does not provide legal advice, that it is not a consumer protection agency, that it cannot act on your behalf to get your money back, and that it cannot settle disputes between you and a business. To get back repair costs or a refund, follow the steps in section 11.

7. Exaggerated repair ads and repair shops that mislead people: what federal and B.C. law say

Section 74.01 of the federal Competition Act. When the following kinds of representations are made to the public to promote a product or a business, the Competition Act lists them as "reviewable conduct", which can be dealt with under the law:

• making a representation that is false or misleading in a material respect;
• making a representation about how long a product will last, how well it works or how long it is guaranteed for, without adequate and proper testing; the burden of proving the testing is on the person who made the representation;
• making a representation to the public about a warranty or guarantee, or a promise to replace, maintain or repair an article, or to repeat a service until it achieves a specified result, if the form of the promise is misleading in a material respect or there is no reasonable prospect that it will be carried out.

Sections 4 and 5 of B.C.'s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act: no deceptive acts. This Act, known in short as the BPCPA, covers "consumer transactions": a business, in the course of its business, selling goods or services to an individual primarily for personal, family or household use. Subsection 4(3) of the BPCPA lists a series of representations and practices that are deceptive; those related to repairs include:

• representing that a service, part, replacement or repair is needed when it is not;
• claiming to be an authorized repair centre, or to be connected with a certain brand, without the manufacturer's authorization;
• representing used or reconditioned parts as new;
• telling you about your rights, remedies or obligations in a way that is not true;
• using exaggeration, innuendo or ambiguity, or failing to state a material fact, in a way that misleads;
• a business's estimate being materially less than the price you are later asked to pay, when you did not expressly consent to the higher price before the goods or services were supplied to you.

Section 5 says: a business must not do these things; if someone alleges that a business acted deceptively, it is up to the business to prove that it did not.

Sections 8 to 10: no unconscionable acts. To decide whether a business acted unconscionably, the court considers all the circumstances that the business knew or ought to have known, including:

• putting heavy pressure on you to sign;
• taking advantage of your physical or mental infirmity, ignorance, illiteracy or age, or your inability to understand the character or nature of the transaction or the language of the contract, so that you could not protect your own interests;
• a price that greatly exceeds the price at which similar goods or services are readily available to similar consumers in similar circumstances;
• terms so harsh that they are inequitable.

Section 10 says: if there is such an unconscionable act, the consumer transaction is not binding on you. Something being expensive, or poor service, does not necessarily count as unconscionable on its own; all the circumstances are considered together.

People who are not in business are generally not covered by this Act. The BPCPA covers transactions between "a business acting in the course of business" and "an individual buying for personal use". A friend helping you fix something, or buying and selling on a second-hand website with an individual who is not in that business, generally does not count. A repair person who takes on jobs independently is running a business, so they are covered.

Where to go if you have suffered a loss. Section 171 of the BPCPA says: if you have suffered a loss because the other party broke this Act, you can sue in the Supreme Court of British Columbia or the Provincial Court of British Columbia, or apply to B.C.'s Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). The CRT website states that since March 31, 2025, the CRT can deal with losses of $5,000 or less caused by a breach of the BPCPA, for example a business describing a product differently from what it really is. In addition, Consumer Protection BC, the province's consumer protection agency, handles complaints about deceptive and unconscionable practices (section 11).

8. When something you bought in B.C. breaks: the protection the law gives you, the manufacturer's warranty, and "taking it apart voids the warranty"

For repair disputes, first tell three things apart: the protection the law gives you, the manufacturer's warranty, and the agreement between you and the repair shop. Each covers different things, and you go to different people for each.

The protection the law gives you: B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act

Section 17: goods must match their description. Goods sold by description must correspond with the description.

Section 18: quality, fitness for purpose and durability.

• If you told the seller what you were buying the goods for, in a way that shows you were relying on the seller's skill or judgment, and the seller is in the business of selling such goods, the goods must be reasonably fit for that purpose. But if you specify goods under their patent or trade name, there is no condition of "fitness for a particular purpose";
• If you bought goods by description from a seller who deals in such goods, they must be of "acceptable quality" (the legal term is merchantable quality). If you examined the goods before buying, defects that the examination ought to have revealed are not covered by this condition;
• The goods must be durable for a reasonable period of time. What counts as reasonable depends on how such goods are normally used and on all the circumstances of the sale. So durable does not mean they will never break, and it is not limited to however long the warranty card says;
• A separate guarantee written by the manufacturer or the business does not cancel out the protection the law gives you, unless the two are inconsistent.

Section 20: for new goods sold at retail, the business cannot contract out of these protections. When a business, in the ordinary course of business, sells or leases new goods to you at retail, any term in the contract that tries to remove or reduce the protections in sections 17 to 19 is void. So statements like "the manufacturer only covers one year" or "final sale" cannot simply wipe out the protection the law gives you.

Section 20 also has exceptions:

• Goods that are obviously used, or that the business says are second-hand, are not covered by the "cannot contract out" rule. That does not mean used goods have no protection at all; it depends on the description, the promises made and the terms of the contract;
• Goods bought for resale, goods mainly for business use, goods sold to a company or business, and goods sold by a trustee in bankruptcy, a liquidator or a sheriff are not retail sales for this purpose.

Who to go to for the protection the law gives you. The Sale of Goods Act deals with contracts of sale, so you generally go first to the business that sold you the goods, not to the manufacturer.

An example. You bought a new washing machine from an appliance store in B.C. and used it normally at home, and it developed a major problem just after the manufacturer's one-year warranty ended. You can go to the seller, explain what the fault is, how you used the machine and how long you have had it, and ask the seller to deal with it. Whether it can be repaired or compensated depends on the cause of the fault and the evidence of "reasonable durability"; you cannot say it will definitely be covered just because it is "just past one year", and you cannot say it definitely will not be covered either.

Manufacturer's warranties: who wrote it and what it says

The federal Office of Consumer Affairs suggests asking these questions before you buy something expensive:

• whether the warranty costs extra or is already included in the price;
• how long the warranty lasts;
• where repairs under the warranty are done: whether the seller is responsible, or whether you have to pay to send the item somewhere else;
• whether the warranty comes with conditions on how you use the product;
• whether it covers parts and labour;
• whether you can cancel the warranty.

It also mentions a few things:

• for appliances such as fridges, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, the warranty may start on the date of purchase or on the date of delivery; it usually covers workmanship and defects, but not improper installation or misuse;
• before sending a phone, tablet or computer in for warranty service, back up the data on it so that it is not erased;
• if you buy from a foreign online store or while travelling abroad, the manufacturer's warranty often does not apply in Canada, even if the same model is sold in Canada;
• if you pay by credit card, some credit card companies extend the warranty; ask your card issuer first;
• to make a warranty claim, go directly to the manufacturer or company, with the warranty information and the original receipt.

If you have taken it apart yourself or had it repaired at an outside shop, are you still covered?

First, what the official guidance says. The federal Office of Consumer Affairs warranties page says that if you try to fix an appliance yourself, or have someone other than an authorized person repair it, most warranties will be void. For cars, it also reminds you to consider whether you need regular maintenance, and whether it must be done at the dealer, to meet your responsibilities as an owner and not void the warranty.

C-244 did not change this. C-244 only amended the copyright law; warranty terms saying "not covered if you repair it yourself" still stand.

But the protection the law gives you is a separate matter. A void manufacturer's warranty does not mean the protection under the Sale of Goods Act automatically disappears as well. However, whether a problem comes from the product itself or was caused later during a repair affects whether the seller is responsible. This depends on the specific evidence; if you cannot agree, a tribunal or court decides in the end.

So before you start:

1. If the item is still under warranty, generally use the warranty first;
2. Save the warranty terms (take photos or download them);
3. If you want to repair it yourself or use an outside shop, first ask the manufacturer or seller in writing which protections would be affected. You could ask: "If I have this repaired by an independent shop, will it affect my warranty? Please tell me in writing which clause applies."

If your warranty claim is refused, ask them to explain in writing: which clause of the warranty they are relying on; what the inspection results were; which items they are refusing; and whether they think an earlier repair caused the current problem.

Related: for how to use the legal quality protection when something you bought online breaks or you want to return it, see section 7 of Guide No. 45, Online shopping problems and returns.

9. Before you send something for repair and when you pick it up: making things clear with the repair shop

A few tips from Consumer Protection BC (the original is about car repairs, but they work for repairing other things too):

• ask the repair shop roughly how much it will cost;
• ask a few shops for opinions or quotes, and check reviews online;
• ask friends which shops they have used and which they recommend;
• get a written estimate that sets out which parts will be repaired and how much each will cost;
• ask the repair shop to contact you first if they think more work is needed or the cost will go over the estimate.

When you drop something off, keep some records yourself too:

• the model and serial number, photos of what the item looks like, and what the problem looks like (a video is even better);
• how much the diagnostic fee is, and whether you have to pay it even if you do not go ahead with the repair;
• parts costs, labour costs and tax;
• roughly when it will be ready;
• whether they will use new, used or refurbished parts;
• the amount above which they must get your consent first;
• how long the repair is guaranteed for, which problem it covers, and whether you are charged labour and shipping if it has to be redone;
• ask them to give you back the old parts they replace.

You could say:

• Please give me a written estimate.
• Please call me before doing any extra work, or if the cost will go over $___.
• Are you using new, used or refurbished parts?
• How long is the warranty on this repair, and what does it cover?
• Please give me back the old parts.

Why spell it out like this: as section 7 explained, under B.C. law, if an estimate is much lower than the price you are later asked to pay, and the business did not get your express consent beforehand, this may be deceptive. A written estimate and "ask me first if it goes over a certain amount" are your evidence later.

Being fixed does not mean it will never break again. When we checked, we did not find any rule in B.C.'s general laws setting a uniform number of days that a repair must be guaranteed for. How long a repair is guaranteed depends on what the repair shop promises you in writing. Do not apply the number of days used in other provinces or countries to B.C.

What to know about car repairs in particular. A 2012 article by Consumer Protection BC says that the auto repair industry has no dedicated regulator. Its current complaint page also states that it cannot help with buying a car, car repairs or car warranties (whether from a private seller or a dealer). If you are not happy with a car repair, first talk to the repair shop; if the shop is a member of an industry association, ask the association whether it has a complaint process; if that does not work, go to the CRT or the courts (section 11). To check whether a car repair technician has a trade certificate, you can look it up with SkilledTradesBC (section 10).

If the same problem comes back after the repair:

1. Make a timeline: the date of the repair, what was repaired, how much you paid, the date it broke again, and what the problem is;
2. Ask the original shop to explain whether it is the same problem, and under which guarantee they will redo the repair;
3. If you want to use another repair person, first get a written diagnosis, photos and a quote, and keep the old parts and all receipts.

Consumer Protection BC generally does not deal with quality. Its 2017 article says: problems with the quality of goods or services are not covered by the laws it administers. It suggests: first try to resolve it directly with the business; check whether a relevant law applies, for example the Sale of Goods Act may apply, in which case you would need to go to court; you can also look at the CRT.

10. A door-to-door salesperson says "your furnace needs replacing": B.C.'s new rules from August 1, 2026

The new rules. A B.C. government news release of August 6, 2026 says that a set of amendments to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act took effect on August 1, 2026. Among them:

• high-pressure door-to-door sales or direct sales of certain high-cost household products and services, such as air conditioners and furnaces, are prohibited;
• offering or arranging loans during direct sales is prohibited.

The same set of amendments also covers automatic renewals: for service subscriptions that renew automatically for a term of more than 60 days, the business must notify you 30 to 60 days before the renewal; you can cancel the renewal at any time before or after it, with no charge and no penalty.

What this has to do with repairs. If someone comes to your door and says "your furnace is no good and must be replaced right away", do not rush to sign. As section 7 explained, under B.C. law, representing that parts, replacements or repairs are needed when they are not is deceptive; and taking advantage of your inability to understand the language of a contract, or putting heavy pressure on you to sign, may be unconscionable. You can say: "I'd like to get another quote first. Please leave your written estimate."

For gas and electrical work, use a licensed person. Technical Safety BC licenses work on technical systems such as gas and electrical. It has two search tools:

• "Find a Licensed Contractor" to look up a company: enter the company name or licence number (in a format like LGA1234567, without spaces or hyphens), and you can see the licence type, what work it can do, and any enforcement action Technical Safety BC has taken against it since 2022;
• "Find a Certified Individual" to look up a person: enter the last name (required) and first name, and you can see whether the person is qualified to do regulated technical work.

If you cannot find the company by name, you can ask the repair person for their licence number and look that up.

For car and appliance repair technicians, you can check whether they have a trade certificate. Technical Safety BC does not regulate cars. SkilledTradesBC is the B.C. organization responsible for trades training; it sets training standards and issues trade certificates. It has a "Verify a Tradesperson's Certification" page, and the trades listed include Automotive Service Technician, Appliance Service Technician, and Auto Body and Collision Technician. You enter the technician's first name, last name and certificate number (without hyphens; the number is printed on the technician's certificate), and then choose the trade. You can ask the repair person: "Are you a certified technician? Could you give me your certificate number?" When we checked, we could not confirm whether these trades must be certified to work in B.C., so not finding a certificate does not mean the person is breaking the law; it just gives you one more thing to go on.

Related: for whether to go to your landlord, your property manager or a repair person you hire yourself when something breaks at home, see section 2 of Guide No. 44, Home repairs: who to call; for which products and services the door-to-door sales ban covers, how to cancel a contract signed at home and the limit on deposits, see section 10 of the same guide.

11. If you really need to stand up for your rights: five steps

Step 1: Gather your documents

Put your proof of purchase, the warranty terms (save the version that applied at the time), repair orders, estimates, payment records, screenshots of ads, text messages and emails, and photos and videos of the fault in one folder. Write down the business's legal name and address. If the item is a safety hazard, stop using it first so that the damage does not get worse.

Step 2: Work out who to go to and what you want

• To have the manufacturer repair it under warranty, go to the manufacturer;
• If the item broke too soon or does not match its description, go to the business that sold it to you, under the Sale of Goods Act;
• If a repair shop did not fix it properly or overcharged you, go to the repair shop;
• If the manufacturer will not sell parts, first ask the manufacturer to explain why in writing.

Write down clearly what you want: a repair, a replacement, a partial refund, or compensation of a certain amount, and how you worked out the amount.

Step 3: Write to the other party and give them a chance to respond

You can give them 7 to 14 days to respond. This is a reasonable deadline that you set yourself, not a number of days set by law. Keep the emails you send and the proof of mailing for registered letters.

A letter you can adapt:

Step 4: Go to the right place

First work out what you need to resolve, and do not send the same matter to lots of different places.

What to do at each place

Consumer Protection BC. Its complaint page says that before you complain, you need to: first try to resolve it directly with the business; use the self-help tool on its website for the relevant topic and complete the steps it gives; and gather the documents that support your complaint, which you upload when you complain. Then click "Start" on the complaint page to begin. If it is not something it handles, the page will send you to another page. It looks at: what happened, whether the matter falls under a law it administers, whether you have taken the steps you should have, and how serious the risk and harm are; it focuses on problems that are ongoing or widespread, that cause serious harm or financial loss, or that affect many people or vulnerable people. Not every complaint leads to a file being opened; some are referred to other agencies, the courts or a tribunal.

B.C.'s Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT).

1. Open the CRT's Small Claims page and choose which category your issue falls into; disputes about repairs and purchases are usually "Buying goods and services". If you are not sure, choose "Not sure? Make a general claim up to $5,000". For disputes about work done in your home, such as construction or renovations, there is also a "Construction and renovations" category; check whether that one fits better.
2. The Solution Explorer asks a few simple questions and gives you legal information, the options available to you, and templates for communicating with the other party; sometimes these alone are enough to settle things yourself. If you want to apply, it gives you the matching online application form.
3. Before you apply, have ready: the legal names, email addresses and mailing addresses of all applicants; the legal name and mailing address of the other party (the respondent); the names and email addresses of any representatives or contacts; a short description; what you want the other party to do and how much you want them to pay; and a credit card or cheque to pay the application fee. If the other party is a company, use its registered legal name.
4. Fees (CRT fees page): the application fee for claims of $3,000 or less is $75 online or $100 by email or mail; for claims of $3,001 or more, it is $125 online or $150 by email or mail. If you want a tribunal member to make a final decision, there is a further $50 fee. You can pay online with Visa, Mastercard or American Express, in cash at most Service BC offices, or by mailing a cheque or money order made payable to Minister of Finance (cheques can take up to 14 days to clear).
5. If you cannot afford it: individuals can apply to have the fee reduced or waived by choosing "Fee waiver" on the payment page at the end of the application, and must give their household income and the value of property in their name; the CRT may also ask for proof of income or other documents about your financial situation. You can generally have the application fee waived up to 3 times in any 12-month period, and more may be possible in extraordinary circumstances. Only individuals can apply; companies, partnerships, societies, cooperative associations and stratas cannot.
6. For cases with a file number starting with CS, SC or ST, if you settle through negotiation, the application fee can be refunded. If a tribunal member ends up making a decision, the losing party may be ordered to pay the winning party's CRT fees and other reasonable expenses.

Small claims court of the Provincial Court of British Columbia ($5,001 to $35,000). The B.C. government's guide to small claims (updated August 28, 2026) says:

1. Fill out a Notice of Claim, setting out who you are, who you are suing, what happened and how much you are claiming; at the same time fill out an address for service form, telling the court and the other party where to send documents to you. You can download the forms from the government's small claims forms page, use the online Filing Assistant, which fills them in for you as you answer questions step by step, or pick them up at a Provincial Court small claims registry or a Service BC office.
2. File them at the court registry nearest to where the other party lives or does business, or the registry nearest to where the events happened. For example, if the repair shop is in Victoria and the item was damaged during a repair in Victoria, file in Victoria. You can file in person, by mail (with a cheque made payable to Minister of Finance), by fax at some registries, or online through Court Services Online (an extra fee applies). If you are suing a company or society, attach a copy of a company search.
3. Filing fees (Schedule A of B.C.'s Small Claims Rules): for claims over $3,000, filing a Notice of Claim costs $156 ($100 for claims of $3,000 or less); filing through Court Services Online costs an extra $7 each time. There is no fee for filing an address for service form.
4. After filing, you must get the other party's copy of the Notice of Claim to them; this is called "service". You can send it by registered mail, or hand it to the other party in person (you can do this yourself, ask a friend, or use a professional process server). You must include: your address for service form, a blank reply form and a blank address for service form. A Notice of Claim must be served within 1 year, or it expires; to renew it, you must apply before the 12 months are up.
5. A defendant served in B.C. generally has 14 days to file a reply (30 days if served outside B.C.). If the other party does nothing, you can apply for a default order, which can be enforced just like a judgment a judge makes after a trial.

Federal Competition Bureau. The complaint form asks for: your own information (how much you give is up to you, but if you give too little they may not be able to reply to you; email is required); and information about the company, organization or individual you are complaining about, with as much detail as possible, along with all the supporting documents you have. The form also asks you to describe the products or services involved, and to answer whether you are a victim (this question is required); if you are, give the dollar amount directly related to those products or services. Once you submit the form, you will receive a notice confirming it was submitted. The form says that because there are currently a lot of complaints, reviews are slower than usual.

If you want to consult a lawyer, you can check whether a lawyer is licensed and whether they have any discipline record in the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory; you only need to enter the last name. The Law Society is the body that regulates lawyers; it does not refer people to lawyers.

Step 5: Do not miss the deadline

Section 6 of B.C.'s Limitation Act: for most civil claims, you must start a court proceeding within 2 years of the day the claim is "discovered". Section 13 of B.C.'s Civil Resolution Tribunal Act states that this limit also applies to the CRT, so you must also keep to these 2 years when you apply to the CRT. Section 8 says that "discovered" means the first day you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, all of the following: that a loss occurred; that the loss was caused by something someone did or failed to do; that the other party did it; and that going to court is an appropriate way to deal with it. So the 2 years do not necessarily start on the day you bought the item. Section 21 also sets an ultimate limit: generally 15 years at most from the day the act or omission happened.

Do not assume that the 2 years automatically stop running while you are talking with customer service, or after you complain to an agency such as Consumer Protection BC. Section 13.1 of the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act says that the limit stops running only once you formally file an application with the CRT. If you are getting close to 2 years and the matter is not resolved, ask a lawyer as soon as possible.

Final check before you act: Have you gone to the right party? Does your evidence show what the problem is and how much you have lost? Do you want it repaired, the parts supplied, or compensation? Thinking these three answers through will help you much more than just saying "I have a right to repair".

Related: to find phone numbers for federal government departments, see Guide No. 7, Phone directory.

12. What the federal government is still discussing and has not yet decided

The 2024 public consultation. On June 28, 2024, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) issued a news release launching a consultation to hear Canadians' views on the "right to repair", focused on the durability, repairability and interoperability of home appliances and consumer electronics; comments were accepted online until September 26, 2024. The news release said this was a commitment made in the federal Budget 2024. The consultation page now says that the online consultation has ended and the questionnaire is closed. When we checked, we did not find on federal government websites any right to repair policy decided after this consultation.

Bill C-267 (1st Session of the 45th Parliament) is still before a House of Commons committee. Its English short title is National Framework on the Durability of Electronic Products and Essential Home Appliances Act. It is a Private Member's Bill, introduced by Abdelhaq Sari, the Member of Parliament for Bourassa.

What it says (first reading text). It requires the federal Minister of Industry to consult the provincial departments responsible for consumer protection and, where appropriate, consumer advocacy groups, in order to develop a national framework on the durability and repairability of electronic products and essential home appliances sold in Canada. The framework must include: the minimum length of time products should last and how this is labelled; reasonable access to parts, tools and information; how long replacement parts must be available; technical documentation; and how long software is supported. Within 18 months after the Act comes into force, the Minister must prepare a report.

Remember: C-267 is not yet law. Even if it passes, what it requires is for the government to "develop a framework and write a report", not to impose specific obligations on manufacturers right away. When there are new developments, go by what LEGISinfo shows on that day.

13. Checklist before you act

• First work out what is actually stopping you: a "digital lock" (see C-244), "not being able to get parts and information" (see the Competition Act), or "something broke too soon or the repair shop is unreliable" (see the two B.C. laws).
• If the item is still under warranty, read the warranty terms first; if you want to repair it yourself or use an outside shop, first ask in writing whether it will affect the warranty.
• Get around a digital lock only to repair, maintain or diagnose; do not copy or resell the content inside, and do not use the chance to switch on paid features.
• For gas and electrical work, use a licensed person and check the licence with Technical Safety BC; Technical Safety BC does not regulate cars. To check whether a car or appliance repair technician has a certificate, use SkilledTradesBC.
• When you send something for repair, get a written estimate that says "ask me first if it goes over a certain amount", ask what parts they will use and how long the repair is guaranteed for, and get the old parts back.
• If someone comes to your door saying something "must be replaced right away", do not sign yet; get a quote from someone else.
• If there is a dispute: gather your documents and write to the other party with a date to reply by; for $5,000 or less, most disputes go to the CRT; for $5,001 to $35,000, go to the small claims court of the Provincial Court.
• For deceptive or unconscionable practices, you can complain to Consumer Protection BC; it does not handle car repairs or car warranties.
• If a manufacturer prevents independent repair across the board, you can tell the federal Competition Bureau, but it does not get money back for you.
• Remember the 2-year limit, which starts from the day of "discovery"; this applies both to the courts and to the CRT.

Related guides

• → No. 45 · Online shopping problems and returns
  The quality protection under B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act: goods must match their description, work properly, suit the purpose and last a reasonable time; "final sale" does not cover goods that are broken when you get them; and a manufacturer's warranty, an extended warranty and the legal protection are three different things (section 7); what to do when something you bought online never arrives, is wrong, or the business will not refund you after you cancel.
• → No. 44 · Home repairs: who to call
  When something breaks at home, first work out who to contact: your landlord if you rent, your property manager as well if you live in a strata, and a licensed tradesperson you hire yourself if it is your own home (section 2); how to check the licence of a gas or electrical tradesperson (section 9); and the rules on contracts, deposits and door-to-door sales when you have a tradesperson come to your home (section 10).
• → No. 17 · Copyright in Canada
  What permission you need to use music in videos, other people's images and fonts, or music in a shop; the legal exceptions for quoting, commenting and remixing; and how to read a YouTube copyright notice or a copyright notice you receive.
• → No. 29 · New rules for cellphones and home Internet
  Phones from your provider must be unlocked, and if your phone is locked to a network, your provider must unlock it for free (section 5); the new rules on activation and cancellation fees, how to keep your number when you switch providers, and going to your provider first and then the CCTS when a bill is wrong.
• → No. 7 · Phone directory
  What to prepare before calling a government office and what to do if you cannot get through; where to start when you are not sure who handles something, including the phone numbers for Consumer Protection BC and the CRT for online shopping disputes and small claims.

Main official links in this guide

All the official web addresses used in this guide are listed here, in the order they first appear in the guide; the end of each section also lists the ones for that section. The pages of LEGISinfo (Parliament's bill tracking website), the original text of the laws on the federal Justice Laws website, the Competition Bureau, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and its Office of Consumer Affairs, the original text of the laws on the B.C. Laws website, Consumer Protection BC, the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT), the Provincial Court of British Columbia, the B.C. government, Technical Safety BC, SkilledTradesBC and the Law Society of British Columbia were all opened and read on November 3, 2026; for the B.C. government's small claims forms page, we only confirmed the link and did not check the forms one by one. There is one thing we could not check, so this guide does not cover it: whether the fees of the Provincial Court's small claims court can be waived (this guide only covers the CRT's fee waiver).