COVID CANCELS CALGARY AUTO SHOW
Calgary Motor Dealers Association has announced that the 2021 Calgary International Auto and Truck Show will be cancelled due to uncertainty regarding the pandemic.
“It is an unprecedented time for everyone from both a business and personal perspectives,” said Jim Gillespie, executive director of the Calgary Motor Dealers Association and Auto Show. “We remain committed to our valued relationships with manufacturers, partners, the many charities the association and the foundation supports and the devoted attendees who enjoy the Calgary International Automotive and Truck show and the Vehicles and Violins Gala.” Gillespie explained in the press release Wednesday that as apart of the commitment to their valued customers, partners and manufacturers, their safety was of utmost concern.
The decision to cancel is disappointing for everyone involved, including partners and attendees, but was “The only responsible decision that could be made at this time,” according to the press release.
The Calgary Auto and Truck Show was going to be scheduled to take place at the BMO Centre at Stampede Park from March 10-14, 2020. However, with all of Canada’s large auto shows cancelling their 2021 events, the Calgary Motor Dealers Association had no choice but to follow suit. This will be the first time in 40 years that the show has been cancelled.
NO BLAME GAME
A bill passed by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta last week is likely to present big changes to how the province’s auto insurance process is carried out, aimed to mirror similar models used in Ontario and New Brunswick.
Bill 41, passed in the assembly on November 18, will see Alberta pivot toward a “no-fault” auto insurance model designed to reduce costly insurance prices by way of placing new restrictions on certain claims and streamlining aspects of the litigation process.
The most significant change this bill will introduce is that it will require the insurer to pay the insured for any damage to their vehicle and its contents regardless of fault.
Presently, if a not-at-fault motorist in Alberta has an accident, their insurer pays for repairs to their vehicle and its contents and then pursues a claim against the at-fault driver.
This new detail is modelled in part after the no-fault system used in Ontario where, in the effort to mitigate the delays and costs involved in determining fault on each claim, the insured parties are paid out in nearly all cases.
As well, Bill 41 limits each party to either one to three expert witnesses depending on if the claim exceeds $100,000. A party can retain more experts if they get permission from the court or if all parties agree.
Dentists, psychologists, and occupational therapists are now providers of adjunct therapy under the new model with each claimant limited to $1,000 in coverage from these providers.
TRIPLE THREAT
CSN has announced the addition of CSN Autolab Calgary as the latest repair facility to join its network. CSN has been recruiting high-quality repairers in the prairies for quite some time, but when it comes to CSN Autolab, “it’s a far cry from your average collision centre,” according to a press release from the company.
The leadership team at CSN Autolab consists of three childhood friends from elementary school. “Starting this venture together gives us the autonomy to provide our clients with the level of service we’ve always felt they’ve deserved while allowing us to determine what the future of our industry holds going forward. The bonus of getting to do it with your childhood best friends is a dream come true,” said Ryley Churchill, CEO of CSN Autolab.
Churchill started in the collision centre industry as a detailer, fresh out of high school. Afterwards, Churchill transitioned into a collision damage analyst position and eventually became the western Canadian business development manager under another banner. Curtis Proulx, CSN Autolab CTO, had thrived on the shop floor from a young age, leading him to take the technical path. In 2011, he received his Red Seal Journeyman credentials.
President and COO Troy Bozarth, the last of the leadership team, said his passion for cool cars, good business and great friendships led him to join the collision repair industry after a decades-long career in oil and gas as a geophysicist. “Curtis and I are industry guys, we have a combined 25 years experience between us but with that said, we’re definitely still the youngest operators in the room at every industry event we attend,” Churchill said.
