The Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, has just tabled in Quebec his bill aimed at putting an end to planned obsolescence for consumer goods.

Quebec therefore wants to put a spoke in the wheels of manufacturers tempted to offer lower quality products in order to ensure that consumers are forced to renew them prematurely.

The Consumer Protection Act will be amended to include “a legal warranty of proper functioning for certain new commonly used goods”.

Among the concrete measures included in this bill, the obligation for manufacturers to ensure that spare parts for their products are available, should the product break down.

Manufacturers must also ensure that consumers will know how to perform the repair.

With the Act protecting consumers against planned obsolescence and promoting the durability, repairability and maintenance of goods, Quebec wants to ensure a longer life for material goods.

For vehicles, the bill would like car lessors to be entitled to a free inspection before the end of their lease.

In the case of problematic vehicles that frequently require repairs, commonly referred to as lemons, the owner could have their “seriously defective vehicle” declared by the court.