Canada / smartphone/Fairphone
Fairphone smartphone owners in Canada.
5 statutory rights, plus Fairphone's own self-service repair channels and known controversies.
Figure 01 — Fairphone repair channels
Self-service availableFairphone repair channels
Self-service portal
shop.fairphone.comFairphone is widely regarded as the gold standard for repairability. All spare parts are sold direct-to-consumer at transparent prices, and modules can be swapped by users with a standard Phillips screwdriver - no proprietary tools or pairing required. Fairphone 5 (2023) ships with 8 years of OS/security updates and 8+ years of spare parts availability. Step-by-step repair guides are co-published with iFixit.
Authorized providers
support.fairphone.comSample spare parts
- Fairphone 5 display modulesee source
- Fairphone 5 batterysee source
- Fairphone 5 USB-C port modulesee source
- Fairphone 5 rear camera modulesee source
- Fairphone 5 back coversee source
Known repair issues
- Limited geographic availability. Fairphone devices are sold primarily in Europe, which limits the impact of its repairability advantages on consumers in North America, Asia, and other regions.
Figure 02 — Statutory rights in Canada
Statutory rights in Canada
- 01
Right to circumvent TPMs for diagnosis, maintenance and repair (federal)
Bill C-244 amended the federal Copyright Act so that bypassing a technological protection measure (TPM) is no longer an infringement when done solely to diagnose, maintain or repair a product that contains a copyrighted work — for example, the firmware on a phone, laptop or appliance. The amendment took effect on Royal Assent, 7 November 2024. It does not by itself force manufacturers to provide parts, tools or documentation.
An Act to amend the Copyright Act (Diagnosis, Maintenance and Repair) — Bill C-244, S.C. 2024, c. 24 - 02
Right to circumvent TPMs for device interoperability (federal)
Bill C-294, given Royal Assent the same day as C-244, allows TPM circumvention for the sole purpose of making one computer program interoperable with another. Useful when a manufacturer locks a part to a specific device or accessory.
An Act to amend the Copyright Act (Interoperability) — Bill C-294, S.C. 2024, c. 25 - 03
Right to spare parts and repair information (Quebec only)
Quebec's Loi 29 (assented 5 October 2023) amended the Consumer Protection Act to require, among other measures, that manufacturers and merchants make spare parts, repair services and the information needed to perform a repair available to consumers and independent repairers for a reasonable period after the contract, at a reasonable price. Provisions are phased into force between 2024 and 2026.
Loi modifiant la Loi sur la protection du consommateur afin notamment de lutter contre l'obsolescence programmée — S.Q. 2023, c. 24 (Bill 29) - 04
Right to be told a product's expected useful life (Quebec only)
Quebec's Loi 29 obliges merchants and manufacturers to disclose the average duration over which a product is expected to operate normally, and prohibits 'planned obsolescence' techniques that shorten that duration. Consumers can rely on this representation in disputes about premature failure.
Quebec Consumer Protection Act, R.S.Q., c. P-40.1 (consolidated) - 05
Implied warranty of durability and fitness
Outside Quebec, federal and provincial sale-of-goods and consumer-protection statutes imply that goods must be of reasonable durability and fit for their ordinary use. Consumers who experience premature failure can demand repair, replacement or refund from the seller — though the standard is judge-made and varies by province.
Provincial consumer-protection and sale-of-goods statutes (varies by province)