Transport Canada is looking to require manufacturers to publish safety recall information on their websites, in a bid to reach the owners of older vehicles who might not otherwise learn about the requirements.

The Motor Vehicle Safety Act currently requires companies to notify vehicle owners, retailers, distributors, and final stage manufacturers about such issues.

But older vehicles are more likely to have unresolved recalls because of factors like outdated addresses, or service activities outside company dealerships, a regulatory impact analysis says. Owners may not know how to access safety recall information, either.

Proposed regulatory amendments would standardize the availability and type of information to be published, timelines under which such information must be made available, and help Canadians find recall information – especially in cases where information about the current vehicle or equipment owner is missing, erroneous, or incomplete.

Companies would have to include online search tools that would provide recall information specific to vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

“Publishing safety recalls online will make safety recall information available faster and more accessible for vehicle owners, vehicle equipment owners, and prescribed persons, as well as for the general public,” a regulatory impact analysis statement says.

“The increased accessibility of recall information would also assist international partners for the purpose of identifying imported vehicles from Canada with an outstanding safety recall.”

About one in five vehicles on Canadian roads has an unresolved safety recall, according to government estimates. In 2021 alone, 127 companies issued safety recalls affecting more than 4 million vehicles and vehicle equipment.

Comments under the proposal are being collected until Aug. 31.