You might be surprised to hear this wasn't already the case, Ottawa has brought in new legislation that gives the minister of transport the power to order a vehicle recall.
Transport Canada can also now force manufacturers to pay for repairs and fix a new vehicle before it is sold. The agency has the ability to perform more in-depth vehicle inspections. A fine of up to $200,000 can be imposed against the manufacturer, per violation.
The legislation was first introduced by the Harper government in 2015, after a major recall over malfunctioning air bags.
"It's a step in the right direction," says Brian Patterson of the Ontario Safety League.
He says this will force manufacturers to be more vigilant before putting a vehicle on the market.
"I think they may do a little bit more front-end testing," Patterson says. "And it creates a legal framework to attack a dealer if they don't do what they were asked to do."
He adds, though, that there is still something missing on the repair side - making sure defective parts are replaced or fixed in a timely manner.
"I think that might be the next step," he says. "If the vehicle cannot be repaired within 30 days, then they should be required to provide a replacement."