The safety and security of Canadians is a top priority for Transport Canada. We expect automobile manufacturers and importers to uphold their responsibilities under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and we will never hesitate to take the appropriate enforcement action to protect public safety when a company fails to comply with the law.

“Canadians have a right to obtain timely information about safety issues impacting their vehicles. It is alarming that Hyundai failed to notify vehicle owners of a recall in a timely manner on six different occasions, which is why Transport Canada pursued criminal charges against the company. We expect all vehicle manufacturers to abide by the law, and Transport Canada will not hesitate to act when safety has been compromised.”  

The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport

• The charges relate to six different notices of defect (recalls) dating back to 2020 and 2021, affecting nearly 300,000 vehicles. Some of these recalls addressed safety risks relating to possible vehicle fires, reduced braking performance, and sudden loss of engine power.

• The prescribed timeline for issuing a recall is within 60 days.

• Transport Canada uses a graduated enforcement approach which looks at the severity of the violations to determine the appropriate response.

• In 2022, there were 749 recalls issued in Canada affecting just over 3.8 million vehicles, tires, and child restraint systems.

Associated links

• Motor Vehicle Safety Act
• Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database
• Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act

Nadine Ramadan
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
nadine.ramadan@tc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
media@tc.gc.ca