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.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. pleaded guilty to six different counts of criminal charges of violating the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
The six guilty pleas were all for failing to send out notices of safety defect within 60 days. The company will also pay a fine of $360,000 for these charges.
The safety defects in question are related to six recalls issued by Hyundai in 2020 and 2021. These defects were serious in nature.
While Hyundai eventually notified owners, they did not do so within prescribed timelines, necessitating the criminal charges filed against the company.
With Hyundai's guilty plea and fine, Transport Canada now considers this matter resolved.
The department will continue to closely monitor Hyundai's compliance with Transport Canada's requirements.
Transport Canada encourages all vehicle owners to have safety defects corrected as soon as possible. Vehicle safety recalls are available on Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
