Share
))
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
…
continue reading
Manage episode 522285958 series 3588104
Content provided by Auto Care Association. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Auto Care Association or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
A year can change the ground under your feet. We sit down with AIA Canada’s President and CEO, JF Champagne and their VP of Government Relations, Emily Holtby to unpack how Canada moved from talk to traction on Right to Repair, why Quebec’s new consumer-backed law is a true milestone, and what it will take to scale those gains nationally with real enforcement and penalties. If you care about fair competition, consumer choice, and the future of independent repair, this conversation connects the dots from policy to shop floor.
We trace the path from Parliament’s C-244 and C-294—key updates to the Copyright Act that enable bypassing digital locks—to Quebec’s adaptation of the Consumer Protection Act, now allowing complaints and fines when automakers block diagnostic data. The ripple effects are spreading as provinces like Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan explore similar moves, while industry pushes for a single federal framework to avoid a patchwork of rules. Along the way, we pull insights from Australia, the EU, and US states such as Massachusetts to show how global coordination strengthens arguments, anticipates OEM counterpoints, and accelerates compliance.
Beyond policy, we spotlight the workforce engine that makes access matter: college partnerships in Ontario bringing EV and ADAS training to techs, tool grants for newcomers, and the culture shifts needed to recruit and retain women and underrepresented talent. We talk candidly about flexible schedules, inclusive policies, and early outreach that sparks interest before high school graduation. Then we face the hard edge of geopolitics... tariffs, cross-border supply chains, and the possibility of new vehicle mixes changing parts demand... and explain how shops can adapt stocking strategies and training plans while advocating for stable, harmonized standards.
If you want clear steps to help, head to righttorepair.ca to send a letter to your local official, share this episode with a shop owner who’s feeling the pinch, and subscribe for more frontline insights. Your voice moves policy, your team powers access, and together we can secure a fair, innovative aftermarket.
To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org.
To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast
Chapters
1. Welcome And Setup At AAPEX (00:00:00)
2. One Year Later On Right To Repair (00:01:05)
3. Federal Bills C-244 And C-294 (00:01:44)
4. Quebec’s New Consumer Protection Law (00:02:35)
5. Complaints, Compliance And Penalties (00:04:22)
6. Provincial Interest Beyond Quebec (00:05:25)
7. Global Collaboration And Lessons (00:06:28)
8. Cross‑Border Realities For Shops (00:08:08)
9. Heavy Duty Scope And Limits (00:10:35)
10. Grassroots Action For Canadians (00:11:18)
11. Toward A Federal Framework (00:12:54)
12. Workforce: Recruiting And Upskilling (00:14:10)
13. Making The Trades Attractive (00:15:58)
14. Engage Earlier And Include Girls (00:17:47)
15. Retention And Workplace Change (00:19:45)
16. Funding, Tech Skills And Colleges (00:21:51)
17. Trade Tensions And Supply Chains (00:23:20)
18. Tariffs, China And Parts Mix (00:25:47)
19. Outlook And Hopes For Enforcement (00:27:48)
20. Closing And Listener Reminders (00:29:10)
86 episodes
