Whereas the longevity of items is decreasing because manufacturers are deliberately designing products to be disposable; And whereas residents and businesses are deterred from repairing their belongings by companies that claim ownership over the intellectual property in their products, fail to provide parts or other aspects that make it hard to repair items: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to draft and enact Right to Repair legislation.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Action Strategy The Province is working with federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment CCME on the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste the Plan. The Plan includes commitments for the development of targets and standards for repair by the end of 2022, facilitation of economic incentives for repair and other value recovery activities, and consideration of how regulatory and non-regulatory approaches can support product life extension. Additionally, the Province continues to work with the federal government to support efforts to advance the zero plastic waste agenda, including federal work underway to develop a national strategy for supporting and reducing barriers to value retention processes including repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing in all sectors of the Canadian economy. Through the Provinces Extended Producer Responsibility programs, producers are required to take responsibility for the lifecycle of their products, including the financial cost of managing these products. By making regulated producers financially accountable, they are incentivised to design products that can be more readily reused and recycled for future use rather than going to disposal. Extended Producer Responsibility is one of the key pillars that supports a circular economy approach where resources are continually conserved and reused. The Province is committed to moving toward a circular economy where products can retain their value in the economy as long as possible, reducing waste and associated carbon emissions and protecting the natural environment.