Inside Canada’s first dedicated OEM training centre
Story by ALLISON ROGERS
Canada officially has an OEM-dedicated training centre, thanks to a lucrative collaboration between Volkswagen Group Canada and the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB).
First announced in October 2022, the Canadian Collision Repair Academy (CCRA) is a state-of-the-art training facility located at CWB’s Milton, Ontario, headquarters, featuring top-notch equipment from companies like Pro Spot, Flatline, Filco, Spanesi, Car-O-Liner, Celette and more. Through training and certification, the CCRA aims to improve the competency of Canada’s collision repair technicians by offering welding and other certifications, in addition to hosting events with industry partners.
Cumulatively, the investments funding the creation of the CCRA would exceed $1 million, according to Scott Wideman, wholesale and collision manager for Volkswagen Group Canada, had it not been for the support of the OEM and CWB’s industry partners.
Canada has long been without a dedicated OEM training centre, forcing shopowners to send staff to the United States for credited OEM training. Initial plans for the CCRA first began in January 2021; the first classes at the facility were held in November 2022.
“I was shocked to hear that this country was missing such important tools for the industry’s development,” Pierre Boutin, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group Canada, told audiences at a CCRA open house. “To have the opportunity to develop [collision repair] expertise right here in Canada—this is critical for us.”
The Canadian Collision Repair Academy is located at 8260 Parkhill Drive, in Milton, Ontario.
