Quebec tables bill to adopt universal charging standard for smartphones
The days of missing the right charger for your cellphone could be a thing of the past in Quebec.
A new bill tabled in the provincial legislature Thursday aims to amend the Consumer Protection Act to require universal charging for devices like smartphones and tablets.
According to Bill 29, An Act to protect consumers from planned obsolescence and to promote the durability, repairability and maintenance of goods, would give Quebec the "regulatory power to determine technical or manufacturing standards for goods, including standards for interoperability between goods and chargers."
Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette introduced the bill.
The federal government already has its eyes set on a similar law. Tucked into the March 2023 budget, the Liberal government announced plans to implement a standard charging port across Canada in order to save Canadians money and reduce electronic waste.
Last year, the European Parliament passed a law to force Apple and other cellphone manufacturers to adopt the USB-C charging standard, which is already used by many Android devices around the world. The new EU law will take effect on Dec. 28, 2024.
PROTECTIONS FOR CAR OWNERS
Bill 29 has several other provisions aimed at preventing what the government calls "planned obsolescence" or, in other words, devices breaking down right after their warranties expire. If a company is found to be taking part in the practice, it could face sanctions under the Quebec law, if it is passed.
Minister Jolin-Barrette said he wants Quebec "to be a leader" in the consumer protection field by introducing its own law, as other U.S. states have already done.
Marwah Rizqy, the Quebec Liberal Party's consumer protection critic, said she spoke with Jolin-Barrette about the bill and supports it.
"He said, 'It's a very good bill you introduced. Do you mind if I put my name on it?' I said, 'Go ahead, I have no ego' because we need the bill," she said in a press scrum Thursday.
"Consumers are tired and exhausted of paying [for] their dryer and washer, more than $4,000, and after four years, right after the warranty is over — oh, it doesn't work."
Bill 29 also brings in anti-lemon laws for cars owners. It will require manufacturers to provide a car's data and repair history for free. The proposed legislation would also mandate consumers who purchase a vehicle to be entitled to an inspection free of charge before the end of the lease.
The bill would force manufacturers to repair certain goods at "a reasonable price" to avoid having the consumer discard them all together.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.