A TRADITION OF CHARITY
The team at CARSTAR Thunder Bay knows that the best way to celebrate being a community landmark is by giving back, and give back they have, earning them special recognition from CARSTAR for their years of service.
The Northern Ontario bodyshop just celebrated 25 years in the CARSTAR network and to mark the occasion, owner Daniel Trevisanutto pledged $1,000 to the network’s go-to charity, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, at CARSTAR’s recent national conference.
Trevisanutto also serves as event chair on the board of directors for childcare non-profit “Our Kids Count,” and through his programming, helped raise nearly $30,000 for the charity.
When war came to Ukraine last winter, CARSTAR Thunder Bay was quick to act, banding together to raise $80,000 to fund relief efforts in the country. In the fall of 2021, the shop donated $100,000 to support the renovation of Roots to Harvest building, a non-profit that provides educational opportunities and resources to the Thunder Bay community.
CARSTAR’s press release stated: “In addition to their charitable credentials, CARSTAR Thunder Bay is also certified by Certified Collision Care, a non-profit organization that is laser-focused on maintaining the proper tools, equipment, and training to adhere to OEM standards.”
OPEN IN OTTAWA
Copart Inc., a global leader in online auto auctions, has announced that it is opening a new location in Ottawa, Ontario. The newly built facility, 300 Somme St., provides 44 acres of vehicle storage space. The site is conveniently located 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa. “Copart continues to invest in Canada by expanding our national footprint with a focus on accommodating future growth,” said Steve Macaluso, Managing Director of Copart Canada.
“We’ve been purchasing and developing facilities that offer excess capacity to ensure we support our customers’ growing needs for years to come.” The opening of the new facility coincides with an important milestone in the history of Copart Canada, he added. “In 2023, we’re celebrating 20 years of business in Canada, and this new facility illustrates how we’re preparing for the next 20,” Macaluso said.
TESLA CHARGES AHEAD
Tesla owners continue to gain Canadian connections with the company officially opening up its Supercharger network in the country. Recently, Tesla activated Supercharger Magic Dock networks in North Bay and Deep River, Ontario.
With this activation, non-Tesla owners will also be able to pay to plug their electric vehicles (EVs) into the Supercharger network–although, not for free. As with non-Tesla Supercharger sites in the US, Europe, and Australia, there is the option for customers to purchase a Supercharging membership, which in Canada will cost $16.99 per month, comparable to the price in the US at $12.99. With that membership, non-Tesla EV owners will pay the same flat rate as Tesla owners, $0.47/kWh at Deep River or $0.48/kWh at North Bay.
North Bay and Deep River were selected as pilot locations, as announced by the federal government earlier this year, with Tesla agreeing to open 750 Supercharger stations across Canada by 2025.
The new Supercharger networks have been fitted with a built-in Combined Charging System (CCS) adapter with Tesla also adding a new section on their mobile app that shows the pricing options for non-Tesla drivers.
At this time, the locations of future Magic Dock networks is unknown, but previous press releases from this year indicate that the focus will be on the Trans-Canada route from Ottawa to Calgary.
THE GREAT GUARINOS
Daniel Guarino, owner of Leon’s Auto Body, recently announced that his team was recognized by Tesla as a top customer service performer for Q2 2023. The collision repair facility, which is part of Tesla’s certified collision repair network, achieved a customer service index (CSI) score of 96 percent after receiving 22 surveys.
“On behalf of the Tesla Collision Team, we would like to congratulate you and your team for an important achievement,” wrote the OEM in an email to Leon’s. “Over the last quarter, we have been monitoring your performance and we are excited to share that you’ve met the criteria [that] makes you a top performer in [your] entire region.”
According to Tesla’s email to Leon’s, a collision repair facility must receive a minimum of 10 customer surveys and achieve a CSI score greater than 95 percent to be considered a top performer.
