The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association announced the formation of a new Canadian Truck Division (CTD) within the association and has hired a veteran from the industry to oversee its new area of operations. The division was created to better meet the needs of heavy- and medium-duty truck dealers. The expert in question that CADA hired... Read more » The post CADA launches Canadian truck division appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Ontario had been underperforming the rest of Canada for much of the year in terms of new light vehicle sales — but it gained traction in July, much as it did in June, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. The province saw new light vehicle sales rise 8.8% in July, while other provinces performed well. This... Read more » The post Ontario finally gains traction in provincial new light vehicle sales appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Dealer Huguette Koller of Otto’s BMW & Otto’s Subaru, who was also known as an automotive trailblazer, philanthropist, and arts patron, died on July 23. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. A private invitation-only “Celebration of Life” will be held in her honour on September 5 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa,... Read more » The post Otto dealer Huguette Koller passes away appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Shahin Alizadeh’s dream of developing the first North American multi-use Autoplex featuring residential, commercial and automotive components under the Downtown Auto Group (DAG) banner is expected to be completed sometime in 2026, but there will be the addition of a new car brand in the next few weeks. Lexus will join Toyota, Ford, Lincoln, Hyundai,... Read more » The post Downtown Auto Group adding Lexus to its Autoplex appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Dealers following the latest updates of the North American electric vehicle market may be interested to note that collision claims for battery electric vehicles have decreased in the United States. At the same time hybrid claims are surging, according to Mitchell International, a developer of auto physical damage technology solutions for claims management and collision... Read more » The post BEV claims drop as hybrid claims rise, while incentive changes impact adoption appeared first on Can...| Canadian Auto Dealer
Following a consistent, and challenging interview process will help you find great candidates The importance of having a consistent recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training and ongoing coaching program for your dealership and all departments is critical. It is the stuff your business and reputation are built on. Here are some interesting ideas you might find... Read more » The post Good candidates are interviewing you too! appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
How dealers can increase their enterprise value during recessionary periods Today’s volatile economic environment has created significant challenges for dealers. New tariffs and supply chain issues are raising concerns on dealers’ ability to continue as a going concern. Dealers’ must remain resilient, focus on what they can control, and not get overwhelmed with the changing environmental... Read more » The post Tighten the ship appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Based on our observations most dealerships are missing out on opportunities for tire and alignment sales When we ask general managers or dealer principals: “Are you in the tire business?” 99 per cent of the time the answer is yes. Once we look into how they do business in aftersales we come back with the question... Read more » The post Are you in the tire business? appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Survival strategies for Canadian dealers How can dealers maintain sales momentum if a 25 per cent U.S. automotive tariff is sustained? The Canadian auto landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by the implementation of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian automobiles that came into effect on April 3, following earlier steel and aluminum levies. While the industry grappled... Read more » The post Navigating the tariff storm appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Cutting a cheque is just the beginning — you need to build an event strategy Sponsoring an event can provide many benefits for your business, particularly when properly aligned with your target audience and brand positioning. Participation can generate familiarity, trust and positive brand sentiment with an audience you otherwise may not have the ability... Read more » The post How to maximize ROI on event sponsorships appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
As dealers brace for what comes next, they need to factor in their succession plans As I sit here today and look back on the first few months of the year, I must say that the results are much better than expected for automobile dealers. The tariff fears, originally thought to be detrimental at least... Read more » The post Waiting for the next shoe to drop appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.| Canadian Auto Dealer
Chasing solutions to the skills shortage in the auto sector The auto sector is no different than other highly-skilled and tech-based industries that face a wave of retirements in the coming years. And while skills training and recruitment has been a priority for several years, there is a need to step up efforts to address this critical challenge. Our industry is rapidly evolving and the NCDA has received extensive feedback from members, suggesting we are approaching a tipping point — especi...| Canadian Auto Dealer
British Columbia and Manitoba were on the weaker side when it came to provincial sales results for June, according to an update from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. DAC said June revealed interesting dynamics at the provincial level for the new light vehicle sales market. Their data showed general weakness in western Canada, with British Columbia seeing a mere 0.3% increase for the month. Manitoba was the only province to see sales decline from June 2024, with a decrease of 0.2%. “Outs...| Canadian Auto Dealer
After starting out as a business selling farm equipment and then evolving into a car dealership, Metcalfe’s Garage has stood the test of time. The Manitoba dealership celebrated its 125th anniversary last week. It is the oldest Ford dealership in Manitoba, based in Treherne, an agriculture community that has a population of only 800 and is about 100 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. They held a party to commemorate the achievement in the local hockey arena to accommodate the crowd of 400. I...| Canadian Auto Dealer
An Artificial Intelligence tsunami is on the way. The people that understand how to use the power behind it are going to have a new lease on their careers. The depth of value offered by artificial intelligence to a dealership’s operations is not yet fully known. What is understood can be compared to the tip of an iceberg, with AI’s full potential still hidden below the surface. To many providers, including those of conversational and agentic AI services, the tip of the iceberg has alre...| Canadian Auto Dealer
Automation Anywhere, a company that focuses on Agentic Process Automation, detailed key barriers and breakthroughs shaping the adoption of Artificial Intelligence agents by businesses in its latest study. The company’s new research report, developed in collaboration with Forrester Consulting, is based on a survey of global decision-makers overseeing organization-wide AI strategies. It addresses the implementation challenges organizations will need to address to realize their full potential....| Canadian Auto Dealer
One challenge dealers have is that most have spent a lifetime inside the auto industry — they drive dealership demo vehicles, and don’t have a current sense of what it’s like for a consumer to shop for or purchase a vehicle, especially a used one. I mean the nitty gritty stuff. The shady world of curbside operators, and stolen vehicle reVINning or rebuilt titles, or hiding accident records or neglected maintenance. Well, to be fair, they do deal with all of that daily when they acce...| Canadian Auto Dealer
This week, Canadian Black Book reported the used wholesale market experienced a decline of -0.35% in pricing for the period ending on June 7. That’s down from the previous report’s -0.18% and the 2017-2019 average of -0.12%. Car segment prices were down -0.21% from -0.14% a week earlier, while truck/SUV segments decreased by -0.47% compared to the prior week’s -0.21%. The largest declines from the car segments came from mid-size cars and prestige luxury cars. For trucks/SUVs it was full...| Canadian Auto Dealer
