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Collision Repair
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Monday, 06 May 2013 15:21 |
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Ottawa, Ontario -- May 6, 2013, Ottawa -- The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada congratulates Premier Kathleen Wynne and her cabinet for their emphasis on road safety in the 2013 budget.
“By encouraging Ontarians to ‘Invest in Safety,’ the Liberal government has taken a positive step towards ensuring Ontario’s roads remain among the safest in North America,” said Marc Brazeau, President and CEO, AIA Canada. “Ontarians who take voluntary steps to properly maintain their vehicles and who prepare themselves for driving in inclement weather by installing winter tires are ultimately less of a burden on the insurance system.”
Maintenance and repairs are becoming increasingly important as Canadians drive their vehicles longer. The average age of a vehicle in Canada was 9.3 years in 2011, with the average vehicle now being retired at 320,000 kilometers, according to AIA Canada’s 2012 Outlook Study.
Nevertheless, nearly 40 per cent of all recommended light vehicle maintenance and repairs are now being postponed or abandoned altogether. Underperformed maintenance grew by 15.3 per cent in the last two years to reach nearly $12 billion in 2010, illustrating that as Canadian families face tough economic decisions, all too often it is the periodic maintenance of their vehicle that suffers. This can lead to safety and performance issues for the general driving public and potentially higher social costs related to collisions.
Continued investment by drivers in preventative automotive maintenance has been proven to catch serious problems early, minimizing overall repair costs to consumers while reducing their risk of collision and the number and size of insurance claims.
“It only makes sense to provide incentives that encourage this proactive, preventative behaviour,” said Brazeau.
Fortunately, according to another study conducted by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, 85.6 per cent of Canadians are prioritizing vehicle servicing and repairs. Reasons for maintaining their vehicles included avoiding large repair costs in the future, increasing family safety, enhancing environmental performance of their vehicles, and protecting its resale value.
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 May 2013 15:22 |
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Collision Repair
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Monday, 06 May 2013 15:07 |
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| Jasmin Lajeunesse, above, manages the new CARSTAR store in St-Lin-Laurentides. |
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Hamilton, Ontario -- May 6, 2013 -- CARSTAR is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Quebec network as it welcomes CARSTAR St-Lin.
CARSTAR St-Lin is located at 985 St-Isidore Rd., in the heart of St-Lin-Laurentides, which is an ideal location for providing service to St-Lin and neighbouring areas.
Owned by father and son team Jacques and Maxime Lajeunesse, CARSTAR St-Lin is managed by Jasmin Lajeunesse, who brings 16 years of experience to his role.
The CARSTAR St-Lin facility includes six work bays, parking for 12 vehicles and will also offer repairs to trucks and motorcycles
The decision to join the CARSTAR team was based on CARSTAR’s industry reputation and branding.
“With CARSTAR, we now have the essential tools to successfully provide best in class service and operations,” says Jasmin Lajeunesse.
Please join us in welcoming Jasmin, Jacques and Maxime to the CARSTAR family.
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| CARSTAR St-Lin is the newest member of the CARSTAR network in Quebec. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 May 2013 15:14 |
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Collision Repair
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Friday, 03 May 2013 15:57 |
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By CRM Staff
Toronto, Ontario -- May 3, 2013 -- The Board of Directors for the Ontario College of Trades has approved the creation of stakeholder advisory groups and will begin with the motive power sector, according to a statement from the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA). AIA submitted a request for the creation of a stakeholder advisory group on April 8, 2013.
The stakeholder group is expected to consist of AIA and other interested parties. We’ll bring you updates on how the stakeholder groups will be informed as information becomes available.
The Ontario College of Trades was formed by the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009. Under the legislation, the OCT has the mandate and powers to regulate all approved trades in Ontario.
Fees for the OCT will cost individual tradespeople between $60 and $120 per year, depending on the trade. There are two main categories of skilled trades used by the OCT. The first category are voluntary trades. A tradesperson practicing a voluntary trade in Ontario can join the college, but it is not required. Those in mandatory trades must join.
Automotive glass technician and automotive painter are officially voluntary trades. Auto Body and Collision Damage Repairer and Auto Body Repair are mandatory.
The OCT is managed and administered by the Board of Governors. The board has 21 members, appointed by the College of Trades appointments council. Members of the appointments council were recruited through the public appointments secretariat.
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 May 2013 15:16 |
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Collision Repair
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Thursday, 02 May 2013 16:20 |
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By CRM Staff
Dublin, Ireland -- May 2, 2013 -- The first collision repair facilities in Ireland have been awarded the country’s new Certified Steel Standard (CSS). CSS is a voluntary standards program developed by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) and is supported by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
This is the first standard in Ireland that covers all aspects of shop operation and is in line with the standards used in the U.K. CSS details minimum requirements for competent personnel, appropriate and well-maintained equipment, suitable repair methods and quality of repair materials. The CSS standard incorporates all levels of repair, including aluminum and cosmetic repairs.
The standard also embraces all of the aspects of repair process management, with an emphasis on continual improvement.
Shops who wish to achieve the new certification must pass an independent audit NMU Auditing & Inspection Services.
The collision repair facilites were presented with the newly awarded certification at the Dublin Institute of Technology by Alan Lyons, President of SIMI. A statement from SIMI notes that the organization expects that this new standard will become best practice in the sector, and that there should be a network of certified CSS shops across Ireland by early next year.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 02 May 2013 16:24 |
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Collision Repair
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Thursday, 02 May 2013 15:22 |
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| Matthew Ohrnstein at a recent CCIF meeting in Toronto, Ont. Ohrnstein passed away suddenly on Tuesday, April 30. |
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Irvine, California -- May 2, 2013 -- It is with great sadness that we report that Matthew Ohrnstein, managing director of Symphony Advisors and co-host of the Collision Repair Executive Webcast (CREW) passed away Tuesday, April 30 while jogging near his home in Southern California. He was 57.
He is survived by Marcy Tieger, his wife and companion for the past 19 years, along with his sons Michael and Steven and daughters Jessica and Rose. Prior to founding his consulting firm, Symphony Advisors, Ohrnstein served as chairman and CEO of Caliber Collision Centers from 1997 until October 2004. Caliber Collision Centers added 68 facilities in California and Texas during Ohrnstein’s eight years with the company.
Ohrnstein was a frequent speaker at industry events, sharing his knowledge and pain staking research into the collision repair industry with fellow industry stakeholders. He was also a frequent contributor to a number of industry trade publications, including Collision Repair magazine.
A memorial service to celebrate his life took place on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at University Synagogue, located at 3400 Michelson Drive in Irvine, Calif. Personal rememberances can be shared here.
The family has asked that donations be made to Rady Children's Hospital in lieu of flowers. Please choose "Heart Institute" in the designation section, and in the comments section please indicate "at the discretion of Dr. John Lamberti." Dr. Lamberti is the surgeon who conducted five needed heart surgeries on Ohrnstein's son Steven.
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Last Updated on Monday, 06 May 2013 20:55 |
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Collision Repair
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Thursday, 02 May 2013 14:38 |
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By Andrew Ardizzi
Winnipeg, Manitoba -- May 2, 2013 -- The Boyd Group announced they will be releasing their fiscal update for the first quarter of 2013 on May 15.
Immediately following the release of the fiscal report, the company will hold a conference call beginning at 10 a.m. EST that will be hosted by Boyd Group President and CEO Brock Bulbuck.
Interested parties may listen in on the conference call by dialing 647-427-7450, or 1-888-231-8191. A taped replay of the call will also be available from May 15-22, 2013, in addition to being broadcast live online at www.theboydgroup.com. The call's reference number is 59338924.
The Boyd Group is North America's largest operator of collision repair centres in North America, with shops across western Canada and in 14 states in the United States.
For more information on the Boyd Group, please visit www.boydgroup.com.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 02 May 2013 15:07 |
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