The Current E-waste is on the rise in Canada, here’s why you should care
Mar 19, 2026
Josh Leposki, a geography professor who studies e-waste flows and policy, and Kamal Habib, an expert on consumer behaviour and repairability, discuss rising electronic waste in Canada. They explore why working devices get tossed, repair barriers and right-to-repair laws, software-driven obsolescence, where collected e-waste ends up, and policy levers to curb production and pollution.
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Most Discarded Devices Still Work
- Two-thirds of electronic devices Canadians discard are still fully functional.
- Kamal Habib's survey of 800 households found many working phones, computers and appliances are thrown away instead of reused.
Canadians Prefer New Over Secondhand
- Nearly 70% of electronics sold in Canada are brand new and only 5% are secondhand.
- Kamal Habib highlights a strong cultural preference for new devices limiting reuse markets.
Repair Costs Often Drive Replacement
- Repair often costs nearly as much as replacing, pushing consumers to buy new products.
- Kamal Habib recounts paying nearly the same as a new laptop for a repair, tipping her decision to replace.