Right to Repair

Right to repair is the principle — increasingly backed by law — that the person who owns a device should be able to diagnose, maintain, and fix it without being forced back to the manufacturer. For Bitcoin miners, this is not abstract: an ASIC is a high-value, hard-used machine, and the freedom to swap a hashboard, reflow a chip, or reflash control-board firmware is the difference between a repairable asset and disposable e-waste.

Why it matters for ASIC owners

Manufacturers often guard repair behind digital locks (technological protection measures, or TPMs), proprietary diagnostic tools, and parts restrictions. Canada took a decisive step here: Bill C-244, "An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair)," received Royal Assent on November 7, 2024, making it lawful to circumvent a TPM for the purpose of diagnosing, maintaining, or repairing a product. A companion bill, C-294, addresses interoperability. Note the limits: the act of circumvention is permitted, but manufacturing or distributing circumvention tools is not.

How it applies in Quebec

Quebec moved first at the provincial level. Bill 29, "An Act to protect consumers from planned obsolescence and to promote the durability, repairability and maintenance of goods," came into force October 5, 2023 and is being phased in through 2026. It strengthens the legal warranty of good working order, bans goods designed for planned obsolescence, and requires merchants and manufacturers to disclose the availability of replacement parts, repair services, and maintenance information. For a Longueuil-based shop like ours, that framework underpins how we approach refurbishment and hardware support.

This is general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified professional before relying on it for compliance or a repair dispute. For related coverage, see our notes on digital sovereignty in Canada and Quebec data residency.