The Government of Canada recently announced new safety legislation that gives the Minister of Transport the power to order a company to issue a recall. Up until now, only a manufacturer could decide to issue a safety recall in Canada.
“We are pleased to see the Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act (Bill S-2) officially become law,” says Jeff Walker, Chief Strategy Officer, CAA National. “This legislation strengthens consumer protection and the country’s vehicle recall regime, which will help keep our roads safer.”
The Act allows the government to proactively issue safety recalls, as well as:
- Order a company to pay for the cost of repairs so consumers don’t bear the cost;
- Order a company to conduct tests on a vehicle and to provide the results back to the Minister;
- Order a company to fix a new vehicle before it’s sold; and
- Negotiate a settlement with a company which is alleged to be in violation of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
For more information on how to report issues with a vehicle, or to see the list of current recalls, visit Transport Canada’s website.
See CAA’s submissions on Bill S-2: