Ottawa, Ontario — October 18, 2016 — The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada has officially launched the Canadian Collision Industry Accreditation Program (CCIAP). News on the new program first broke in June when CCIAP was announced. At that time, Collision Repair magazine reported that Andrew Shepherd, Executive Director of I-CAR Canada, had been tapped by AIA Canada to administer the program.
“For 30 years, Canadians have led the world in collision repair innovation,” said Shepherd in an interview with Collision Repair magazine shortly after the program was announced. “Our industry has built franchise-based MSOs that are global leaders and we’ve changed CCIF from a loosely-organized industry gathering into a collaborative engine which brings together repairers, insurers, representatives of the OEMs, suppliers and educators. Through that consensus we’ve produced an insurer-repairer agreement on First Notice of Loss templates which is a unique prototype for the future. We’ve also tailored an international collision repair training program to Canadian needs, generating innovative solutions which are admired and emulated world-wide. It’s time to bring the same Canadian energy to collision shop accreditation.”
CCIAP has received official support from a number of Canadian repair networks including Fix Auto, CARSTAR, CSN and Assured Automotive. A recent statement from AIA Canada says the program provides hands-on verification of repair facility qualifications from coast to coast. CCIAP is backed by a national field staff of auditors with a rigorous set of audit standards, and will also measure shops against participating OEM requirements. AIA Canada says the program will thus serve vehicle manufacturers who are seeking shop audits to support their certified repair network programs.
“AIA is very pleased to be providing a not-for-profit Canadian solution to meet the qualification needs of shops,” said AIA President Jean-François Champagne in an official statement. “CCIAP has been built by our industry, for our industry, and we welcome both vehicle manufacturers and insurers to rely on this new essential industry service.”
AIA Canada has provided a list of what the organization sees as the benefits and strengths provided the CCIAP program:
– CCIAP is run by the Canadian collision repair industry. The program is delivered by AIA Canada, a not-for-profit industry association. Oversight is provided by Canadian industry stakeholders with direct input from OEs, insurers and all CCIF stakeholders.
– CCIAP is designed to fit Canadian needs. It will synchronize with provincial accreditation systems (e.g. British Columbia and Manitoba). It will equally serve both official languages.
– CCIAP meets Canadian OE requirements, constantly updating to serve the Canadian context, and providing OE certified repair network administrators with on-demand views of shop performance against standards.
– CCIAP meets Canadians repair facility needs, providing instant online access to your shop status against OE requirements.
– CCIAP is affordable – as a not-for-profit association AIA Canada must deliver the program at cost-recovery fee levels.
For more information on the Canadian Collision Industry Accreditation Program, please contact Andrew Shepherd, Senior Director Industry Programs, AIA Canada, at andrew.shepherd@aiacanada.com or visit cciap.ca.
