Transport Canada to Mandate Vehicle Recall Info on Automakers’ Websites

Did you know that 116 different companies issued as many as 785 safety recalls affecting over 8 million vehicles in Canada in 2024 alone? It’s no surprise that, by Transport Canada’s estimations, more than 20 percent of vehicles on the road right now have an unresolved safety recall.

In order to help drivers find this information more easily and see through it more clearly, the government will now require automakers and vehicle equipment manufacturers to publish recall information on their websites. Many already do, but not all of them.

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This amendment stems from the Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act, which granted Transport Canada the authority to require manufacturers to provide more safety information to Canadians. All manufacturers must be in compliance with the updated regulations by mid-2026.

Up until now, the only obligation was to send recall information to affected owners by mail. However, mail can go missing, undelivered or unread. A change of address or owner can be a problem, too.

Transport Canada is also requiring automakers to provide a new Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) lookup tool so that people can quickly determine which recalls apply to their vehicle by looking up their 17-digit VIN on their manufacturer’s website.

“Easy access to recall information online is an obvious step to ensure the safety of Canadians,” said Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. “I encourage everyone to check if they have any outstanding recalls on their vehicles, tires, or child car seats.”

Naturally, recalls issued by automakers and vehicle equipment manufacturers will remain accessible via Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.