TECHNOLOGY NEWS
MORE TECH, MORE TROUBLES New vehicle technology comes with an understandable learning curve for drivers, though a recent J.D. Power report suggests these additions affect driver satisfaction in ways more nuanced than it may seem. In its 2022 Tech Experience Index (TXI) studies and Initial Quality Studies (IQS), J.D. Power measured vehicle quality via a […]
OEM NEWS
DOUBLE DEALS The Canadian government has inked deals that will see Mercedes- Benz and Volkswagen Group each gain access to the nation’s largest stores of key battery materials—like lithium cobalt, nickel and graphite—for use in electric vehicles (EVs). The twin Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will see Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz receive priority access to Canadian battery […]
INSURANCE NEWS
INTACT IMPACT Intact Insurance’s personal auto insurance claims grew by 28 percent in Q2 2022, though its CEO Charles Brindamour say the gains are more than just “pricing-driven.” “Equally important is how we manage claims and our supply chain,” the CEO referenced during Intact’s Q2 2022 earnings call. The insurer tours relations with collision repairers […]
BUSINESS NEWS
HEAD ABOVE WATER One in six small business owners are considering going out of business, according to a report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). The CFIB’s report, released on August 11, says official small business bankruptcy numbers have been “steadily increasing since the beginning of the year and are currently at a […]
INDUSTRY NEWS
TO EACH THEIR OWN A deep dive into the consolidation trends of the collision repair industry published by the Financial Post on August 25 offered scathing criticism of the business practices of insurers in the auto repair space, and solutions. Titled “Self-preferencing is cannibalizing Canada’s autorepair industry,” Vass Bednar, head of McMaster University’s Public Policy […]
TOWING NEWS
HEAD ON A SWIVEL The province of Alberta is taking steps to better protect tow truck drivers while on the job, with the launch of a one-year pilot project to assess the efficacy of blue emergency lights on tow trucks. Industry advocates from the Towing and Recovery Association of Alberta and the Alberta Motor Association, […]
RECYCLING NEWS
A MCGREGOR MOOD McGregor Auto Parts in St. Thomas, Ontario celebrated its sixtieth year in business a couple of weeks ago; not with a trip to Value Village to take advantage of the 30 percent off seniors discount, but with a huge community barbecue packed with food, classic cars and prizes. St. Thomas locals were […]
INSURANCE NEWS
FOLLOW THE MONEY An interactive map published by British Columbia’s provincial insurer delves deep into the specific intersections on Vancouver Island where the most auto collisions occur—incidentally, also giving shop owners a good idea of where to invest in advertising. According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s data, which is as recent as April […]
BUSINESS NEWS
AXES UP Members of southern Ontario’s aftermarket community unleashed their inner viking on a hot Saturday afternoon in July, as Treschak Enterprises raised $11,500 at its third annual Axes Up for the Fonthill Legion fundraiser. The afternoon of axe throwing, taken part in by a record 50 throwers this year, has become an annual tradition […]
INDUSTRY NEWS
BOOTS ON THE GROUND July 15 marked World Youth Skills Day, and this year the federal government put particular stress on addressing the labour gap soon to be left by Canada’s rapidly retiring workforce. In observance of the day, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Ginette Petitpas […]
