Signals Magazine, Fall 2022 Issue

Our vision is for member dealers and the dealer franchise system to be seen by the public as the best choice to fulfill all their automotive needs.

We are a small but dedicated and hardworking team of individuals serving all members of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. Should you have any questions, concerns or issues, or if you have any ideas for our organization to pursue, our staff is available to listen and help. Get in touch with us by phone or email at our Langley office.

Signals is THE flagship publication for the NCDA, the industry association that represents over 400 new car and truck franchised auto retailers in BC.

#380–8029 199 Street, Langley, BC V2Y 0E2 Tel: 604-214-9964 // Fax: 604-214-9965 newcardealers.ca // info@newcardealers.ca

NCDA Staff

Blair Qualey

President & CEO bqualey@newcardealers.ca 604-214-9964 Ext. 228

Shakira Maqbool

Manager, Finance & Administration smaqbool@newcardealers.ca

Joshua Peters

Manager, Member Services jpeters@newcardealers.ca

Ofir Sapoznikov

Membership and Operations Coordinator info@newcardealers.ca

Roni Sapoznikov

CleanBC Go Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Administrator goelectric@newcardealers.ca

Duy Le

CleanBC Go Electric Vehicle Rebate Coordinator goelectric@newcardealers.ca

Vancouver International Auto Show

Eric Nicholl

Executive Director enicholl@vanautoshow.ca 778-968-0440

Have a topic or story suggestion? Email us! And for article and ad submissions and rate card details, please contact: Joshua Peters | 604-214-9964 Ext. 225 jpeters@newcardealers.ca

For subscriber inquiries, please contact: info@newcardealers.ca

Janet Gairdner, Associate Group Publisher

818 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1E4 jgairdner@blackpress.ca

Published in Canada

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On the Cover: Taken on January 26, 2022, as repairs continued on BC Highway 5 (Coquihalla) at Othello. Photo courtesy BC Government.

Photo courtesy BC Government.

“We’re thrilled that BC automotive and business icon Jim Pattison has once again agreed to be the honorary chairman of the 100th edition of the VIAS, and he might even bring a special guest or two to the event!”

News From the Front Seat

We kick off this edition of our Signals maga zine with a big welcome to our new Vancou ver International Auto Show (VIAS) executive director, Eric Nicholl.

Eric comes to us from the Vancouver International Boat Show, where he ran the event for close to 14 years. He has a strong background as an event organizer, having executed numerous events around the world during his career.

Eric has already displayed a solid grasp of the complexities of putting on what will be the 100th edition of the Vancouver auto show. You may recall that the March 2020 edition of the auto show, which would have been our 100th, was postponed two weeks out from the event, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric and the VIAS team look forward to welcoming everyone back to the spectacular Vancouver Convention Centre West, from March 22 to 26 in 2023. We’re thrilled that BC automotive and business icon Jim Pattison has once again agreed to be the honorary chairman of the 100th edition of the VIAS, and he might even bring a special guest or two to the event!

Stay tuned for updates as the VIAS team reaches out to our members and other po tential exhibitors and sponsors to share the unique opportunity and anticipated atten dance that comes with an event of this profile. Invitations to participate in the auto show have been shared with dealer and associate mem

bers, and special discounted and early bird pricing is in place until the end of November. Look out for some special Black Friday tick et sales when they go online November 25!

Western Canada Dealers Summit

And speaking of Jim Pattison, the organiz ers of the Western Canada Dealers Summit, held in September at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas, were thrilled to have Jim join us for the entire event. I was privileged to join NCDA Chair Anthony Lunelli on stage, where a “Conversation with Jim Pattison” proved to be a highlight of the event. Jimmy answered questions provided by many attendees and shared stories and anecdotes about his vast life experience with the group.

Over the three days, I believe Jim spoke to each and every attendee. He shared with many people the first financial statement from his first dealership back in 1965. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have one-on-one time with the man who has built the largest private business in Canada. Many thanks to Gerald Wood and Denise Kubin from the Motor Dealers’ Association of Alberta and Larry Heggs from the Sas katchewan Auto Dealers Association for pulling together such a successful and im pactful summit.

Thanks as well to all of the speakers, spon sors and attendees who joined us. Keep an eye on your emails for details on next year’s event. You won’t want to miss it!

2022-2023

New Car Dealers Association of BC Board of Directors

BLAIR QUALEY PRESIDENT & CEO, NCDA

Blair Qualey President & CEO NCDA

Mike Hacquard WOLFE AUTO GROUP SURREY LANGLEY

James Carter Past Chair CARTER GM N. SHORE

Joey Prevost MACCARTHY MOTORS TERRACE

Anthony Lunelli

Chair

KELOWNA SUBARU

Peter Sia

NORTHLAND NISSAN PRINCE GEORGE

Peter Heppner

Past Chair

PRESTON GM LANGLEY

Peter Trzewik GAIN GROUP VANCOUVER ISLAND

Ben Lovie Vice Chair

OPENROAD AUTO GROUP

Jared Williams

JACK CARTER NORTH STAR CHEV BUICK GMC

Erik Jensen ROYAL BANK OF CANADA Member at Large

Justin Gebara COLUMBIA CHRYSLER RICHMOND

Darren Johnson FIRST CANADIAN FINANCIAL GROUP Member at Large

Ann Marie Clark Treasurer

STEVE MARSHALL FORD VANCOUVER ISLAND

Kai Hensler

Government relations

Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen a great deal of activity on the government relations front, and it seems this won’t be letting up in the near term!

On the federal government scene, we con tinue, with the leadership of our national as sociation, CADA, to work through the chaotic implementation of the Federal Luxury Tax. Our friends at MNP have also worked closely with CADA and the NCDA to get answers to the many questions our members and their customers have had. (See story on page 22.) CADA kept pressure on Ottawa to provide important details, after months of continued advocacy.

We thank both CADA and MNP for their hard work in providing answers to the com monly asked questions and for working with CRA and the Department of Finance Canada to get some answers to help dealers adjust and comply with the new legislation.

CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program

In August, the BC provincial government introduced several changes to the Clean BC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program, including a new income-testing program for consumers. (See page 8.) At the same time, the NCDA implemented a major upgrade to the backend systems of the online application portal. We recognize these changes created many questions and delays, and we thank our members for their patience as they worked with our Go Elec

tric team to resolve any issues.

The partnership that new car dealers have with the province in administering the Clean BC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program continues to produce very positive results. A report by Desrosiers suggests BC continued to lead the country during the first half of 2022 with 14.6 per cent of the light-ve hicle market share. And, despite significant supply-chain issues, in the first nine months of 2022, 10,171 rebate applications were submitted by consumers in BC.

Union of BC Municipalities Conference

NCDA participated in the Union of BC Munic ipalities (UBCM) conference in Whistler in late September where we were able to meet with many mayors, councillors, MLAs and BC gov ernment ministers to reinforce the importance of BC’s new car dealers to local communities and economies. We provided a Green Ride and Drive opportunity to allow attendees to try out some of the latest electric vehicles.

Local elections and NCDA Chairperson’s Tour

In mid-October, municipalities around BC held their elections with many high-profile changes taking place. We have been reach ing out to the successful candidates around the province to extend our congratulations on behalf of our dealer members.

The NCDA Chairperson’s Tour will return over this fall and winter season, so keep an eye out for emails on meeting dates coming

to a city near you. For opportunities to par ticipate and/or to sponsor the event, please contact our office.

Coquihalla updates

A huge thanks and shout-out to all the gov ernment staff at the BC Ministry of Transpor tation, engineers, road contractors, suppliers and vendors who have come together to repair a vital lifeline of the BC economy—the Coquihalla Highway. Rebuilding efforts con tinue after the November 2021 flood that devastated the route, and we hope you enjoy our cover story on the reconstruction efforts. (See page 14.) Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming has been leading this project and we were pleased to include him in this story.

It’s also that time of year when drivers need to be cognizant of winter driving con ditions, particularly at higher elevations. We are encouraging drivers to be prepared and ensure vehicles are equipped with appropri ate tires, in many cases, winter tires.

And in conclusion, on behalf of our associ ation, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our latest Silver Sponsor, JD Power. We look forward to working with you on the road ahead. Safe travels!

Sincerely, Blair Qualey,

New

President and CEO

Car Dealers Association of BC bqualey@newcardealers.ca 2022-2023

Heather Headley

David Jukes

Marnie Carter

Moray Keith

Anthony Lunelli Chair & Treasurer

KELOWNA SUBARU

John MacDonald ADESA RICHMOND

Blair Qualey President & CEO NCDA

Joey Prevost MACCARTHY MOTORS TERRACE

James Carter CARTER GM N. SHORE

Sharon Rupal OPENROAD LEXUS PORT MOODY

Amanda Chrinko WESTWOOD HONDA COQUITLAM

Peter Sia NORTHLAND NISSAN PRINCE GEORGE

Ryan Jones

John Wynia Vice Chair HARBOURVIEW VW VANCOUVER ISLAND

NATIONAL BUSINESS BROKERS

For 43 years, National Business Brokers (NBB) has been helping dealers across the nation to sell their stores successfully. It aims to help car dealers reach their business goals and get an accurate valuation of their store, connect them with qualified buyers and negotiate a smooth closing. NBB has successfully closed over 850 transactions in the auto industry, more than any other brokerage firm. nationalbusinessbrokers.com Contact: Amy Burgess, SVP of business development and operations at amy@nationalbusinessbrokers.com or 817-602-8651.

The New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia Congratulates Adil Ahamed

NCDA Welcomes Kai Hensler

A new board member joins the team

The NCDA welcomes Kai Hensler, of Weis sach Group, and new member of the board.

With the Weissach Group for over 15 years, Hensler has held several positions, representing multiple brands. This includes a new brand, Zenvo, which is currently be ing brought to Canada under the Weissach umbrella.

Hensler is originally from Germany and came to Canada in 2004. He joined Weis sach soon afterward, taking on a junior sales role and subsequently moving into various management positions within the group over the years.

Fully immersed in the Weissach brand, he is an experienced leader who brings an authentic approach to the entire business.

The NCDA is thrilled to have him help lead the team into the next decade. Hensler is also a family man and car nut!

Read more about the Weissach Group: weissach.com/dealership/our-team.htm

Thank You

Peter Heppner, former NCDA chair and now former CADA chair, speaks at the po dium as he retires from his term as CADA board chair. Heppner, who was NCDA chair from 2019 to 2021 (and who remains on the NCDA and CADA boards), chaired the CADA board from 2021 to 2022. On behalf of new car dealers across Canada, the NCDA thanks him for his service and dedication.

The CADA Laureate program acknowledges dealer contributions to the industry and to their communities. Laureate nominees are measured against the CADA Charter, which outlines the evaluation criteria within the Laureate program. The NCDA extends its congratulations to Adil Ahamed, 2022 Laureate Award Winner for Business Innovation.

OF DESTINATION AUTO GROUP

2022 Canadian Auto Dealers Association (CADA) Laureate Award Winner for Business Innovation

EV Rebate Levels Based on Income

The province of BC is improving accessibility to electric vehicles (EVs) by increasing maximum rebate amounts and ensuring they are going to people who need them most.

The maximum provincial rebate under the CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program on the purchase or lease of a bat tery-electric vehicle (BEV), fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) or long-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has increased from $3,000 to $4,000. The maximum rebate for lower-range PHEVs has increased from $1,500 to $2,000.

To ensure that EV rebates are available for people and families who need them most, eligibility for a rebate will be based on income levels:

• Individuals with annual incomes as much as $80,000 will be eligible for the maximum rebate amounts of $2,000 for lower-range PHEVs or $4,000 for BEVs, FCEVs and long-range PHEVs.

• Individuals with annual incomes between $80,001 and $100,000 will be eligible for rebates ranging from $500 to $2,000, depending on income level and the type of vehicle selected.

• Individuals with annual incomes more than $100,000 will not be eligi ble for provincial EV rebates.

Based on 2020 income tax returns, more than 90 per cent of British Columbians are eligible for the provincial electric vehicle rebate. When

combined with federal rebates, British Columbians can save as much as $9,000 on the purchase or lease of a new EV.

“British Columbia has reached a leadership position in zero-emission vehicle sales within North America because of the thoughtful approach by government and partner agencies, which has included rebates that make ownership as affordable as possible,” said Blair Qualey, president and CEO, New Car Dealers Association of BC. “The latest changes go a step further and ensure those at the lower end of the income spectrum have a greater ability to purchase a clean-energy vehicle—and that is good news for the sector, for government and, most importantly, for the environment.”

The province is also expanding the types of electric vehicles eligible for rebates. The price cap to determine eligibility for vehicle rebates remains at a maximum of $55,000 for compact and full-size cars. How ever, to support families and businesses requiring larger EVs, a second category has been added. For larger EVs that will be coming to market, including minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks, the cap has been set at a maximum retail price of $70,000.

This year, BC made used electric vehicles exempt from provincial sales tax, making the purchase of an EV more affordable and providing more options.

CleanBC’s Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program offers provincial rebates that can cover as much as 50 per cent of eligible purchase and installation costs for EV charging stations for single-family homes, con dominiums, apartments and workplaces.

Local dealer gets CADA nod

The NCDA gives a shout-out to Ann Marie Clark, dealer principal and owner of Family Ford and Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln, who was recently highlighted by CADA. In honouring Ann Marie, CADA said, ”She’s been lucky enough to work in every department in a dealership, and is so grateful for this experience. CADA is proud to support #WomenInAutomotive.”

Meet Ann Marie

Ann Marie is the dealer principal and owner of Family Ford in Parksville, BC, and Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln in Nanaimo, BC.

Her car of choice is the Ford Bronco. The Bronco has so many accessories for customization, it can be as unique as the owner! The roof is also removable, ideal for those hot summer months.

CADA supports #WomenInAutomotive. A proud member of the auto industry.

Construction Update

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© 2022 Nth Gen Software, Inc.

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Auctions Canada Corporation, ADESA Montreal Corporation, and/or ADESA Quebec Corporation.

The NCDA recently toured the new Porsche Richmond, which is currently under construction. Many thanks to Dimitri Kotsalis, vice president, regional operations, Open Road Auto Group, for touring Richmond councillors Carol Day and Matthew Wolfe through both the recently completed Richmond Toyota store as well as the Porsche Richmond store. Both new stores showcase leading technology in building materials, construction design and dealerships services.

NCDA’s Ongoing Work with Government

Association offers input and information to leaders and ministries

NDP leadership

The fall session of the BC Legislature is underway. However, everything has been overshadowed by the race to become the leader of the BC NDP and therefore the 37th premier of British Columbia.

In October, the BC NDP’s Executive disqualified leadership candi date Anjali Appadurai from the race, leaving just former Attorney Gen eral David Eby as the lone candidate to lead the party and become the next premier. Appadurai was disqualified as a candidate for allegedly violating BC NDP leadership contest rules, when she received in-kind campaigning from third party environment groups. This cleared the road for Eby to become the 37th premier of British Columbia.

Stewart’s defeat is his support to implement a “road tax” on vehicles driving into Vancouver. Sim’s key platform initiative was to “scrap the tax.”

The new mayors (and some re-elected mayors) are currently working on their transitional plans and will be aiming to learn the ropes, set their pri orities and hire staff to serve the citizens of their respective municipalities.

In early November, all mayors and councillors were sworn in across the province and at that point, the councils started the hard work of governing and actioning their platform commitments.

Government relations

In other business, an important aspect of government relations for the NCDA is ensuring that the association is active and involved in the decision-making processes of government. This includes participating in the formal and informal consultation process, which also includes providing written submissions on important policy issues that the prov ince is working on.

Recently these submissions included our involvement in the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. Also, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation is looking for input into its Zero-Emission Vehicles Act and Regulation: 2022 Formal Review Intentions paper; and, finally, the NCDA will submit to the Ministry of Labour regarding changes it is considering to the Workers Compensation Act. UBCM conference

The NCDA recently sponsored and participated in the 2022 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference in Whistler.

Once again, the NCDA Ride and Drive Day was extremely popular among both elected officials and city staff from across the province. The UBCM conference is an annual conference of all the municipalities across BC. It brings together mayors, councillors, MLAs and ministers to meet and discuss the urgent issues facing the province.

As a result, this year’s conference dealt with crime, public safety, transportation and climate action issues. The NCDA was present to promote how we impact and drive local communities with jobs, taxes and economic activities, and promote electric vehicles.

Municipal elections

This year was also the year for local elections. On Saturday, October 15, communities across BC elected new mayors and councillors to represent them for the next four years. Across the province, 37 incum bent mayors lost their jobs, including those in some of the province’s largest cities such as Vancouver, Surrey and Kelowna. In fact, just over half of the municipalities that make up the Metro Vancouver Regional District—12 of 22—will see a change in the mayor’s seat.

Smaller towns and villages also reached for change with challengers winning in Fernie, Williams Lake, Nelson, Sechelt and Cumberland.

Most notable of these changes in Metro Vancouver, however, was the election of Brenda Locke and her team in Surrey, with Locke defeat ing incumbent and embattled Mayor Doug McCallum and his slate. In cumbent Mayor Kennedy Stewart was defeated in Vancouver by newly elected Mayor Ken Sim and his “A Better City” slate of councillors.

The significance for the NCDA of the Vancouver race and Kennedy

Car dealerships need to store vehicles to sell vehicles. That’s the nature of the business. Despite this obvious fact, and without any consultation with, or direct notice to property owners and automobile dealers, Victoria City Council attempted to pass a zoning bylaw amendment, Bylaw No. 80-159, that would effectively prevent the majority of dealers’ principle locations and off-site properties from being used as vehicle storage lots. We found it particularly troubling that the decision to fasttrack this decision took place in the final meeting of council, prior to the October 15 civic election, in which most of the members were not seeking re-election. Quick action and collaboration involving local dealers and our association resulted in the matter being deferred—but it’s an issue we will be watching closely.

The NCDA’s government outreach continues to build our relationships with government and opposition MLAs as the year pro gresses, and as pandemic restrictions ease even further, we continue to highlight the advantages NCDA members are providing in all 87 ridings and communities across BC.

Photo courtesy BC Government

Quick action and collaboration involving local dealers and our association resulted in the matter being deferred—but it’s an issue we will be watching closely.

Vehicle storage bylaw deferred—for now

Your Insurance Portfolio: Managing Risk Gets Easier When You Combine Coverage

Commercial insurance—keeping the wheels in motion no matter what

In today’s uncertain landscape, insurance has never been more criti cal to a risk-management strategy. From catastrophic climate events that shape the future of a community to cyber-attacks that damage a company’s reputation and finances, there is a lot to consider when managing risk.

Personal insurance—managing what matters most

As an individual, you have a lot of things to consider from a personalinsurance perspective—your car, your home, your boat, your health and wellbeing and your online activity all need to be looked at with a careful lens to make sure you have enough coverage if the unexpected happens.

In times of crisis, making one call instead of four can help you save much-needed time and energy. Working with a single insurance broker offers this benefit. With the largest insurance broker footprint across BC and Canada, HUB offers the security and resources to make this happen.

From a business perspective, keeping your organization up and running or, if that’s not possible, getting the doors open again is a primary con cern when facing an emergency. Having all of your business insurance coverages through one broker will not only save you money, it will give you a single quick source for support and integrated care for your em ployees. It will also help create a more seamless recovery process, no matter what the cause.

HUB Insurance’s portfolio of insurance products and services con tains everything your business needs to get quickly back on its feet, from commercial and cyber insurance to employee benefits and group retirement.

So much over the last two years has changed how we live, work and play, and life continues to unfold in dramatic new ways. To keep up with these changes, you need a robust, practical plan to reduce loss while managing your current expenses.

To achieve this, your best partner is a trustworthy insurance broker who can help make sure your needs are met efficiently and thoroughly. HUB’s expert team is here to help you make it happen.

To learn more, visit hubinternational.com

An integrated strategy can save time and money when you need it the most

Driving Forces

Upgrades and efficiencies: new models hit the road

2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid

Kia’s fifth-generation Sportage is a big improvement over its prede cessor. The Sportage is 7.1 inches longer than before, boasting more legroom than the Toyota RAV4, and is also available in hybrid and plugin hybrid models. The hybrid Sportage has even has more cargo space than the popular Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

Riding on the same platform as the larger Kia Sorento mid-sized SUV, the Sportage has wild new styling that makes it stand out in a crowded marketplace. Compared to the hybrid, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Sportage swaps in a bigger 7.2-kWh battery pack for up to 55 kilometres of all-elec tric range. Thanks to its more powerful 67-kW electric motor, the PHEV is also quicker, producing a combined 261 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque.

Inside, you’ll find vastly improved interior trimmings, the latest cabin tech and Kia’s latest driver-assistance systems.

The 2023 Sportage starts at $28,595.

2023 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport

Can you believe that the Civic is now in its 11th generation? All-new for 2023, the Civic Hatchback is being built in the USA for the first time. By using new construction methods, Honda has made the Civic lighter, stronger, more efficient and more refined than its predecessors.

Although the Civic’s styling has become more sedate, borrowing many cues from its Accord big brother, the interior has been vastly improved. Indeed, the Civic Hatchback boasts the largest back seat of any Civic so far.

Under the hood of the Sport and Sport Touring hatchbacks is a snappy 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 180 hp. All trim levels of the hatchback can be fitted with a CVT automatic or six-speed manual at no price premium.

Niceties inside include an expanded Honda sensing suite of active safety features, including lane assist and an improved adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist. Owners can also enjoy a Bose premium sound system and wireless Apple CarPlay.

The Civic Hatchback Sport starts at $32,150.

2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee is based on the fifth generation WL platform, first introduced in long-wheelbase seven-passenger form as the “L” in 2021. Built in Detroit, the Grand Cherokee continues Jeep’s “trail rated” reputation for off-road capability, while balancing every day road manners.

With a premium cabin, a good deal of refinement and better fuel economy than before, the Summit Reserve trim is the top-level model with almost every option box ticked. This includes everything from a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system, front passenger interactive screen, front and rear ventilated seats, heads-up display, night vision, premium Palermo leather and all of the latest cabin tech toys and active safety features you can imagine.

Although the Grand Cherokee’s base engine is a 293-hp 3.6-litre V6 mated to an eight-speed auto, the Hemi 5.7L V8 with 357 hp is still available as a thirstier (but more satisfying) option, particularly attrac tive to those who tow.

The 2023 Grand Cherokee starts at $52,545.

2023 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport and Sport Plus

With a striking front-end grille and a distinctive-yet-elegant design, the redesigned Genesis G80 mid-sized luxury sedan is a formidable vehicle that no longer plays backseat to luxury German brands. Based on an all-new platform shared with the GV80 SUV, the G80’s quiet and refined interior is packed with many standard features that you’d find optional in its German rivals.

The new G80 Sport gains a uniquely tuned adaptive suspension that is stiffer by up to 12 per cent. The Sport Plus trim adds rear-wheelsteering for even more agility, although the ride is still more smooth than sharp. Although the base G80 is equipped with a 2.5-litre turbo charged four-cylinder engine with 300 hp, the G80 3.5T Sport comes with a stronger 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 with 375 hp. All Genesis G80s sold in Canada are fitted with standard all-wheel drive.

The G80 also offers an upscale interior showcasing soft-touch surfac es and rich-looking materials. Besides the large infotainment screen, the multi-coloured ambient interior lighting and the heads-up display expected in this segment, the G80 further delights with unexpected tech, including a 3D digital gauge cluster.

The 2022 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport starts at $76,000.

2023 Mazda CX-50

Slotting in between Mazda’s mid-sized CX-5 and full-sized CX-9 SUVs is the new CX-50. Based on the same shared platform as the CX-30, the CX-50 targets customers with outdoor lifestyles.

With more cargo space than the CX-5, the CX-50 is the first of three new Mazda SUVs coming in 2023. The CX-50 also has a higher towing capacity compared to the CX-5, at 3,500 lbs vs 2,000 lbs.

Two engine choices are offered, a base 187-hp four-cylinder engine and a much more powerful turbocharged version with 256 hp. Both are matched with a six-speed automatic transmission. A high level of active safety and driver assist tech is standard, including lane depar ture warning and assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, auto high beams, and cross-traffic detection.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 starts at $37,900.

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge

The C40 Recharge is Volvo’s first four-door coupe in SUV format and the first Volvo to be offered exclusively with a battery-electric power train. Aimed at other similarly styled SUV coupes, the C40 is the first C model from Volvo in over a decade.

The C40’s CMA platform and most of its mechanical base are shared with the XC40 Recharge, the conventional SUV version of the C40. Like other four-door SUV coupes, the C40’s fastback design sacrifices some cargo hauling capacity for a more dramatic profile.

Powering this sharp Swedish ride is a set of front and rear motors producing an impressive 408 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 100 km/hr sprints flash by in a quick 4.7 seconds. The 78-kWh battery can charge from dead to 80 per cent in 40 minutes with a 150-kW DC charger (the max the C40 can handle), and the estimated range is 364 kilometres. Inside, you’ll find a handsome albeit minimalistic interior, Volvo’s revamped infotainment system and all of the latest active and passive safety systems.

The 2022 C40 Recharge starts at $59,950.

Content and images courtesy of Andrew Ling.

Building…And Re-building the Coquihalla

BY JOHN ATKINSON, BLACK PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

Back in 1985, it took a team of 3,000 people 20 months to build the 186-kilometre Coquihalla Highway (part of Highway 5) in time for Vancouver’s Expo ’86.

Following the extreme, almost biblical-like flooding of late last year, the BC government has once again been impressing—this time with its speed of repair.

Jennifer Fraser, executive project director at the Highways Reinstatement Program, explained: “On Highway 5 there are 27 sites that were damaged and those 27 sites were located across a 130-kilometre section of the highway.

“The damage was a combination of debris flows, bridge collapses or

undermining in the bridges; and then also some plugged and eroded culvert issues that led to road washouts. We also had areas where the rivers—Coquihalla and Coldwater—eroded lanes away.”

The Globe and Mail reported that the Coldwater River event was estimated to be a one-in-one-thousand-year event, while the flow along the Coquihalla was estimated to be a one-in-500-year event.

But from the time of the initial damage, it took just 35 days to make temporary repairs and get traffic flowing again, even if it was down to two lanes in places.

“It was one month of intense activity involving over 300 people and more than 200 pieces of equipment, and moving about 400,000 cubic metres of gravel, rock and other material to reopen the Coquihalla to commercial vehicles by December 20, and to all traffic by January 19,” said Fraser.

By that time, The Globe and Mail reported, the province had spent roughly $50 million on temporary repairs. It has now embarked on an unusual collaborative approach to a permanent solution: it hired design and construction firms at the same time, to accelerate the work. The repairs are scheduled to be substantially complete by the end of this year.

The contract for development and early construction work on sections of the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt has been awarded to KEA5, a joint venture between Peter Kiewit & Sons and Emil Anderson Construction.

The work to return the Coquihalla to the previous full, four-lane capacity began this summer at three sites: Bottletop Bridge, 50 kilometres south of Merritt; Juliet Bridge, three kilometres south of Bottletop; and Jessica Bridge, 48 kilometres south of Juliet.

The project will be completed through a collaborative construction model where the owner and contractor work together to complete the design and construction of the project, including sharing risks and incentives.

“The damage was a combination of debris flows, bridge collapses or undermining in the bridges; and then also some plugged and eroded culvert issues that led to road washouts. We also had areas where the rivers—Coquihalla and Coldwater— eroded lanes away.”

In the longterm, full repairs are scheduled to be completed by this coming winter, with a few extra projects slated for 2023.

“Our goal is for users to be driving a four-lane Coquihallla by December,” said Fraser. “We don’t want to go through another winter where we have lane crossovers.”

The Coquihalla originally took 3,000 people to build over 20 months, using 1,000 pieces of heavy machinery and requiring the bulldozing of 2,000 hectares of land and the blasting of five million cubic metres of rock to move 22 million cubic metres of earth.

“Right now we have two locations on the highway where damage from the atmospheric river is requiring us to be down to two lanes,” said Fraser. “One location at Othello and the other at the Juliet and Bottletop bridges.”

Dr. Matthew Lato, a senior geotechnical engineer for BGC Engineering, identified this location on the side of Highway 5 south of Merritt as one of the five biggest landslides detected along the corridor after the storms. This single slide dumped more than 60,000 cubic metres of debris into the Coldwater River.

“At Othello, the Coquihalla River took out both of the southbound lanes and started in on the northbound lane. So right now users are travelling one lane in each direction in the northbound lanes. And then the second crossover on the highway due to the atmospheric river is actually on the Coldwater system—at the aforementioned bridges— so, much closer to Merritt.”

Fraser added, “At the Bottletop bridges, we have one entire bridge which we were able to rebuild in a temporary way, but the second bridge is currently unusable. And similarly at Juliet Creek we were able to repair one of the two bridges—so again drivers have one lane in each direction. Our permanent repairs will restore and revamp both additional bridges.”

The other Coquihalla site requiring repair is at the Jessica Bridge, where the temporary repair has allowed four-lane traffic to resume using lock-block walls.

Fraser said that repair work slated for 2023 would not impact the travelling public.

“There is additional work that we’re committed to doing, in partner ship with the local First Nation communities as it relates to the environ ment and looking at local stream and habitat restoration.”

The Ministry for Transportation and Infrastructure has also highlight ed that the long-term repairs would include evolving its engineering standards and making the infrastructure more resilient to climate change and future weather events.

“Recently on the Coquihalla, we completed the Box Canyon project which was designed to our new climate standards. And fortunately, during this event, the Box Canyon area performed very well,” Fraser said.

The ministry is also continuing to make good progress on restor ing access throughout the Highway 8 corridor. The storms completely washed out 25 sections of this highway, leading to the closure of the highway between Merritt and Spences Bridge.

Traffic delays are expected throughout construction on all highway reinstatement projects, including periods of single-lane alternating traffic and short, intermittent full closures. Advanced notice of any traffic disruptions will be provided. Updates will be available online at DriveBC.ca and on Twitter at @DriveBC.

Fraser confirmed design work will kick off the project and the ministry will work closely with the contractor to devise the new structures before beginning the physical work.

Colin Taylor, of Emil Anderson Construction, said the Othello portion of the highway has a budget of $4.6 million for the permanent repairs, but costs for the rest of the corridor remain uncertain.

Fraser said the Coquihalla is also really busy right now due to construction work for the Trans Mountain and Enbridge pipelines.

When it comes to the cost of the repairs, Fraser said, they would be using the collaborative construction contract model.

“This type of contract model allows us to accelerate the delivery of projects when it comes to early work, design and construction. We’ll be better positioned later in the fall to estimate the cost of the repairs on the Coquihalla.”

Overall, Rob Fleming, BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, reported: “We have made exceptional progress in restoring our highway networks damaged during storms in November 2021. This recovery has been supported by the remarkable dedication of our ministry staff, contractors, Indigenous and municipal leaders, and people from all walks of life. Our government will continue forward with that same dedication into this next phase of recovery as we build our infrastructure back stronger to keep people safe from future extreme weather events.”

To keep up to date on the Coquihalla Highway repairs, visit: gov.bc.ca/highwayfloodrecovery.com

Thriving in the Face of Unprecedented Change

Asking the difficult questions that lead to change

BY BRUCE CAMERON, BLACK PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

If there is one constant in the automotive business today it is volatility. Since the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 hit markets around the globe, followed by lockdowns and sup ply-chain disruptions, the challenges faced by the automotive sector have only multiplied.

First, it was the chip shortage, the effects of which are still impacting model selection and limiting inventories. Hiring and reten tion issues were also accentuated during the pandemic-induced slowdown and those challenges have taken centre stage as the recovery tentatively picks up in late 2022.

Now, just as other industries approach something close to normal, fears of surg ing inflation and rising interest rates are suppressing automotive demand, with Des Rosiers Automotive Consultants highlighting

very soft sales numbers in the third quarter of 2022.

But, in the same way as the pandemic affected different industries and companies with varying degrees of severity, the impact now is uneven and unpredictable as well. In the auto sector, supply-chain issues and other factors have upended decades of established sales trends. Honda’s perennial leader in passenger car sales, the Civic, relinquished its top position in sales to the Toyota Corolla for the first time in a quarter century. And de spite the worrisome rise in gas prices in 2022, large SUV segment sales increased by 12 per cent in the latest quarter. Clearly the impact of these various headwinds has been uneven.

What defines success in this era of volatil ity? That question was on the mind of Price waterhouseCoopers (PwC) chair and senior partner Tim Ryan, who recently wrote in the Harvard Business Review that “this is the time

to lean into change to drive more differenti ation and thrive.” He went on to outline how to not just survive but thrive in the face of change: prioritize initiatives, invest in building up trust among consumers and stakeholders, simplify product offerings and prepare for stakeholder activism. Above all, he calls for “asking the difficult questions” that lead to change.

As a pollster, I have decades of experience in market research, so asking questions is second nature to me. But for most business leaders it can be challenging to sift through different research methods and conclusions to find meaningful insights they can trust.

Data mining is often offered as a key build ing block to underpin strategies in uncertain times, and there is a host of dealerships that are employing this approach successfully, including Adil Ahamed and his team at Desti nation Auto Group in Burnaby, which recently

received an award for “business innovation” from the Canadian Automobile Dealers Asso ciation.

In addition to developing a data-driven approach to sales and customer service, it can be helpful to distill the results of recent surveys to provide clarity about trends. What do the polls say about general market conditions, specific auto industry issues and unique British Columbia factors? Here is a brief synopsis:

General insights

Pollsters agree that a major shift in attitudes occurred among Canadians in 2022, with con cerns about COVID-19 dropping and fears of inflation and cost of living increases rising. This general trend has the potential to blunt any post-COVID sales rebound, as many con sumers look to reduce or consolidate their debt load and put off major purchases.

Industry-specific trends

For an excellent snapshot of recent attitudes toward vehicle purchasing, the EY Mobility

Consumer Index offers some insights. The popularity of EVs has accelerated, in part due to surging gas prices in mid-2022. Globally, intention to buy an EV is very high in 2022 (52 per cent), and Canada is almost at that mark (46 per cent).

British Columbia insights

British Columbia leads all other provinces in intention to buy an EV (54 per cent)—almost double the proportion in the US (29 per cent). Nevertheless, concerns about inflation and rising prices are increasing, with one third of people in large Canadian cities delaying big purchases like a new home or car, according to Ipsos Reid in September 2022. But BC may not be as hard hit as many other markets. The same Ipsos Reid financial outlook survey for BMO shows that while residents of Vancouver are concerned about inflation, that fear is not as high as in Toronto. And overall, the infla tion rate in Canada is not as high as it is in other major western economies like the US or UK, perhaps due to aggressive rate increases by the Bank of Canada.

Following Tim Ryan’s advice of asking the difficult questions, how can business leaders trust the polls to point them in the right direc tion? After all, there are dozens of examples in which polls have been wrong. Can a pre diction based on polling confidently estimate buying intention? Yes—and no.

Take the potential for autonomous or self-driving vehicles as an example of a failed prediction. Only a few years ago, the poten tial for self-driving cars was being loudly tout ed throughout North America; however, the promise of self-driving cars ran into the harsh reality of safety failures and performance challenges. A report for CBS pointed out that “in the 1950s, GM imagined self-driving cars by the 1970s. In 2018, they promised them within a year.”

Elon Musk promised a Tesla would make an autonomous trip across the US within a year. That was four years ago, and it still hasn’t happened.

The ascendency of EVs seems a safer bet for proving the polling right, but critics would argue that a projection of 54 per cent intending to buy an EV is a vast overstate ment of consumer demand. Perhaps so, yet the numbers are revealing.

The CleanBC incentives are still in place, gas prices remain historically high and BC is leading the continent in EV demand and usage, meaning the market here in BC will continue to shift away from internal combus tion engines. At least until it doesn’t.

Over 53,000 Vehicles Scrapped in BC!

“But, in the same way as the pandemic affected different industries and companies with varying degrees of severity, the impact now is uneven and unpredictable as well...some makes and models have thrived, others have withered.”

Mandatory Vaccination Policies in the Workplace

A look at two cases in British

BY SEEMA LAL, PARTNER AT CLYDE & CO

Columbia

or partially vaccinated or refused to provide proof of vaccination and were therefore placed on unpaid leave on November 23, 2021. The arbitrator was required to determine whether BC Hydro’s mandatory vaccination policy was reasonable.

the company that she was resigning and con sidered herself dismissed. She filed an action against the company on the same date.

It has been over 18 months since COVID-19 vaccinations became available. As of October 1, 2022, over 87.467 per cent of all people in the province have received at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine and 84.392 per cent have received at least two doses of an approved vaccine.

Since vaccines became available last year, questions have arisen around the ability of em ployers to implement mandatory vaccination policies. As a result of a number of decisions rendered by arbitrators and judges, more clari ty has been introduced in relation to this issue.

BC Hydro and Power Authority and IBEW, Local 258

In April 2022, in the context of an arbitration involving an employee of BC Hydro, arbitrator Gabriel Somjen determined that the mandatory vaccination policy of BC Hydro was reasonably necessary to justify the intrusion on its employ ees’ bodily integrity and medical privacy. He determined, however, that the discipline aspect of the policy was unreasonable and should be severed.

On October 7, 2021, BC Hydro advised that it had created a mandatory vaccination policy that would apply to all BC Hydro employees. The policy indicated that: effective November 22, 2021, all employees were required to have at least one dose of an approved vaccine and that all employees were required to be fully vaccinated (having at least two doses of an approved vaccine) by January 10, 2022; and, employees who failed to get their first dose (or be granted an accommodation) by November 22, 2021 would be placed on an unpaid leave of absence effective November 23, 2021, until they could provide proof of vaccination. The policy provided that employees who remained unvaccinated could be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of their employ ment.

The union filed a grievance on behalf of ap proximately 44 employees who were not fully

After hearing arguments from both BC Hydro and the union, the arbitrator ultimately concluded that the policy was reasonable, and he found that the interests underlying the poli cy outweighed the intrusion on the interests of the 44 employees.

One of the critical factors in the arbitrator’s decision was his finding that BC Hydro was an essential service provider of power and, there fore, had a high responsibility to the public to maintain a safe and healthy workforce. The fact that there had been evidence of high transmis sion of the virus was also considered and the arbitrator found that an employer should not have to wait until negative consequences of COVID-19 affects its employees, contractors and related persons before implementing a policy. He also found that BC Hydro was enti tled to take a precautionary approach. Another important factor considered by the arbitrator was that the majority of the bargaining unit employees—and none of the 44 employees on behalf of whom the grievance had been filed— were able to regularly work from home.

Parmar v. Tribe Management Inc.

On September 26, 2022, a decision was is sued by the Supreme Court of BC in Parmar v. Tribe Management Inc., 2022 BCSC 1675, a case in which an employee had filed a claim for constructive dismissal, claiming that the employer had breached its contractual obligations to the employee by imposing a mandatory vaccination policy.

The employer involved in the case was a property management company and the em ployee was one of the senior managers in the company. The company issued a mandatory vaccination policy requiring all of its approx imately 200 employees to be vaccinated by November 24, 2021, and employees were advised that they would be put on an unpaid leave of absence if they failed to comply with the policy. The employee in the case did not comply with the policy and was put on an unpaid leave. In January 2022, she advised

In the decision rendered by the Supreme Court, the judge accepted that the employee was faced with a difficult choice, given her held strong beliefs about the safety of the vaccine, and that it was not the Court’s role to question those beliefs. However, the judge also stated that the company’s policy was “a reasonable and lawful response to the uncertainty creat ed by the COVID-19 pandemic based on the information that was then available to it,” and that the policy “allowed for both medical and religious exemptions, neither of which were then, or are now, asserted by Ms. Parmar.”

The judge found that the policy implement ed by the company reflected the prevailing approach and struck an appropriate balance between the company’s business interests, the rights of its employees to work in a safe environment and the interests of its clients and residents in the properties it served.

In one of the concluding paragraphs of the decision, the judge stated: “Finally, I accept that it is extraordinary for an employer to en act a workplace policy that impacts an employ ee’s bodily integrity, but in the context of the extraordinary health challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, such policies are reasonable. They do not force an employee to be vaccinated. What they do force is a choice between getting vaccinated and continuing to earn an income, or remaining unvaccinated and losing their income. Ms. Parmar made her choice based on what appears to have been speculative information about potential risks.”

These two decisions confirm that employ ers can, in appropriate circumstances, require their employees to be vaccinated as a con dition of work. However, employers are re quired to accommodate employees pursuant to the BC Human Rights Code.

Ultimately, the reasonableness of a man datory vaccination policy will depend on the specific employment environment. As such, employers would be well served to seek legal advice prior to implementing any such policies and/or considering any discipline. Feel free to reach out to one of the lawyers at Clyde & Co with any questions. Visit: clydeco.com/en/locations/americas/vancouver

New Chargers Support the Switch to EVs

Forty-four stations added to BC communities

People making the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) will have more access to electric charging with 44 new charging stations in communi ties and municipalities throughout BC.

“As British Columbians are switching to electric vehicles at record speed, we continue to expand our network of electric charging stations and accelerate toward our CleanBC goal of completing BC’s electric highway by 2024 with our rebate programs,” said Bruce Ralston, Min ister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “With these new charging stations, British Columbians can travel to different communi ties throughout the province with ease, and contribute to a low-carbon future.”

The charging stations are funded under the seventh round of the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program, which aims to increase the number of public direct-current fast-charger (DCFC) stations throughout BC. Thirty-nine of the new charging stations are DCFC sta tions, while five of them are Level 2 charging stations.

“We’re building a cleaner, better future for people with more fastcharging stations for electric vehicles in communities throughout the province,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “By making cleaner choices easier and more afford able, we’re making sure 90 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold

in BC are zero-emission by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035—a key com mitment in our CleanBC Roadmap to 2030.”

Fourteen communities throughout BC will benefit from the charging stations. The program is funding two fast-charging stations in each of Coquitlam, Nanaimo, Surrey, Quesnel, Mission, Port Alberni, Summer land, Kitimat and Kelowna, and four fast-charging stations in Vancouver. The program is also funding two fast-charging stations and four Level 2 charging stations in Whistler, as well as three fast-charging stations and one Level 2 charging station in Richmond. Terrace will receive four fastcharging stations, while Victoria will receive eight fast-charging stations.

By switching to an electric vehicle, the average BC driver saves ap proximately $2,500 every year on fuel, along with lower maintenance costs. Fast chargers allow EV drivers to drive approximately 100 to 300 kilometres from 30 minutes of charging. Having chargers located along travel routes and remote locations encourages people to travel longer distances in EVs, without having the fear that the EV will run out of charge.

BC has one of the largest public charging networks, as well as the first cluster of public hydrogen-fuelling stations in Canada. As of March 2022, there are more than 3,000 public charging stations in BC, includ ing more than 750 fast-charging stations.

Is Your Business Ready for the Holiday Season?

Six ways

to create a smooth holiday operating plan

We’re counting down to some of the busiest and most demanding shopping days of the year—Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November, and Christmas, along with other holidays, in December. Is your business ready for the holiday season?

Here are some good practices for creating a smooth holiday operating plan.

Online presence

A strong online presence can be defined by how easy it is to find a brand or company online. It’s important to build your brand’s reputation, increase brand awareness and provide visibility to your products or services when users search for them online.

Is your website user-friendly? Is it easy to navigate? Does it have the option to filter products to make a search easy? Is the check out process simple with few steps? If you nodded yes to all these questions, you’re off to a good start.

SEO health: Shoppers will be searching for all kinds of holiday gift-related keywords to get the best shopping experience. Is your website optimizing those keywords? A quick search for SEO best practices will give you suggestions such as dynamic and relevant content updated regularly, keyword optimization, seamless linking experience, accessibility, faster loading site, and more.

Mobile-friendly: Shoppers love to browse through websites on the go, so making sure your website is mobile-friendly is key to enhancing the customer experience. This would include things like adding a hamburger menu instead of crowding the screen with a long navigation bar, increasing the size of CTA and clickable items to avoid accidental clicking, placing the clickable options in the centre of the screen for easy access, simplified forms and more.

Pre-order online and pick-up options: These can make your store more accessible. Guaranteeing that there are pre-order and curb-side collection options creates peace of mind for people who need to plan ahead.

Social media

Social media has become a powerful tool to engage with and retain customers.

Get into the festive spirit: From posts and stories to video content, let all your graphics and messaging echo the holiday season. Up date your profile picture to add a holiday feel, and post holiday-themed pictures of your products.

Create fresh content: Shoppers are of ten not searching for something specific, but are exploring all their options. Strike the iron when it’s hot. Create listicles and SEO-friendly blogs to help them decide what they want to buy, for example: 11 DIY Gifts To Give Your BFF This Halloween; or 7 Christmas Holiday Gift Sets You Didn’t Know You Need, et cetera.

Event promotions: Are you planning to host any events around the holiday season? Take it to your social media channels and promote them to create a buzz.

E-commerce on social: Social media platforms are also leveraging e-commerce sales. In March 2018, for instance, Insta gram launched its Shoppable Posts feature, enabling users to shop within the app. The user needs to click on the post with Shopping for Instagram, where popups with prices are displayed, along with the link within the app that features the “Shop Now” option on the store’s product page. Share your holiday col lection on Instagram and link the posts back to your website for a smooth checkout.

Email

Email campaigns are an effective way of spreading awareness about your brand, products and offers. It’s important to reach out to existing customers and also pursue new ones.

Greetings: Get into the festive mood by sending greetings to your customers. Tell them about their journey with you and how much you appreciate their love and support.

Exclusive gifts: Appreciate loyal customers by sending them a discount coupon or access to a pre-sale event.

Referrals: Share referral coupons with your customers and offer them discounts for referring their friends. This will help you in crease your customer base and give them an opportunity to avail themselves of additional discounts.

Gift cards

When you don’t know what to gift your friend, a gift card is the best option. Physical gift cards can be used in stores or online, while digital gift cards are designed to be used on line or over the phone. Digital gift cards can be added to mobile wallets to make purchases easier and more secure. Gift cards are also an effective tool to enhance customer ex perience and build brand loyalty, especially when they’re paired with a rewards program.

The Moneris eGift Card Program allows your business, whether big or small, to sell elec tronic gift cards on its website. The cards are customizable and instantly accessible, and are a great way to increase revenue while giving your online shoppers a convenient way to pay.

Shipping

Shipping products successfully is one of the most important parts of the customer expe rience. Focus on creating a cost-effective and customer-centric fulfillment experience that can drive loyalty and repeat purchases. For example, a great way to offer free shipping is by coupling it with a minimum order value.

Fraud prevention

The first step to making your business secure against cyber-attack is taking an inventory of the physical items you need to protect. Any technology connected to the outside world can be vulnerable to threats. You can start by making a list of your com puters, phones, terminals and other items. Use an online payment solution for card-notpresent transactions.

They offer more fraud security than taking payments over the phone/email and reduce transaction fees because it is more secure. Alternatively, use a long-range wireless terminal so customers can tap curb-side.

Whether you’re trying to draw in new clients, show appreciation to a loyal customer base, or thank your employees, preparation is a must. It is crucial for businesses to optimize the holiday season to its fullest potential. Are you ready?

For more information, please contact Brittney Page, 1-866-836-3375, moneris.com

The Canadian automotive sector continues to feel the squeeze from ongoing supply chain disruptions. While North American produc tion has improved throughout the first eight months of the year—up 10 per cent from 2021—it remains approximately 12.5 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.

At this point, it’s unlikely that production will get back to a pre-pan demic cadence until the second half of 2023, at the earliest. Sales have remained constrained, as lack of inventory has severely limited model selection. During the first nine months of the year, Canadian vehicle sales have totalled just 1.1 million units—more than 24 per cent below 2019 levels.

Unfortunately, the trend hasn’t been moving in favour of sales. More recent data has shown a significant slowing in light-vehicle sales throughout the summer months, with the seasonally adjusted measure falling to just over 110,000 units in September. Excluding the early stages of the pandemic, we would need to go all the way back to late 2008 to find another time when monthly sales were as weak as they are today.

Higher interest rates are also starting to have a measurable impact on vehicle sales. Since the beginning of the year, the Bank of Canada has raised the overnight rate by 300 basis points (bps), and our forecast suggests that they’ll likely raise it by at least another 75 bps by the end of the year. This will lead to a significant increase in the average house hold’s debt-servicing costs. Measured as a share of disposable income,

debt-servicing costs are expected to hit 14.5 per cent by year-end and reach a new all-time high of 16.5 per cent by 2023.

As a result, the average borrower will see their debt-servicing cost in crease by more than $1,600 by the end of next year. In addition to higher interest rates, buyers are also experiencing a sharp increase in new vehicle prices, which are up nearly 20 per cent year-over-year. The combination of these two forces has led to a significant erosion in buyer affordability.

Canadian vehicle sales are expected to average 1.5 million units in 2022, a pace well below trend, which is estimated to be closer to 1.9 mil lion units. As supply-chain issues continue to ease, we expect a further rebalancing in market supply. This will likely put some downward pres sure on prices. While this will certainly be a positive development from an affordability standpoint, we’re unlikely to see any near-term reprieve from an interest rate perspective.

Throughout 2023, the Bank of Canada is expected to hold the policy rate at 4 per cent, which will continue to restrain demand. As such, sales are expected to rebound only modestly next year to 1.6 million units. While the auto industry continues to evolve with the trends, TD Auto Finance stands alongside its dealer partners, finding ways to help busi nesses grow, despite ongoing challenges.

Contact us today at 1-866-832-8861 to talk to us about how our full suite of products and specialized teams can help you find financial solu tions for almost every circumstance.

Reading the Fine Print on the New Luxury Tax

MNP answers frequently asked questions

The federal government has implemented a new tax on luxury vehicles, aircraft and boat sales, which came into effect on September 1, 2022.

The tax applies to the total vehicle price, including additions, taxes, duties, charges, fees and amounts in respect of delivery or importation.

Following are answers to several of the frequently asked questions that MNP has received about this new tax.

1. Is the tax payable when a dealer acquires a vehicle from a manufacturer or dealer transfers?

Acquiring a vehicle by a registered vendor is exempt from the tax, pro vided the vendor (dealer) completes and provides Form L100-1, Luxury Tax Exemption Certificate for Subject Vehicles to the selling registered vendor (dealer transfer or manufacturer) before acquisition.

2. Is the tax based on sale price or MSRP?

The tax is calculated on the vehicle’s total sale price, including any

improvements or additions, plus any taxes, duties, charges, fees and amounts paid in respect of delivery or importation.

3. When is the tax calculated?

Unlike most sales taxes, the luxury tax is levied on the registered vendor and becomes payable on the earlier of: when the vehicle is sold and possession is transferred to the purchaser or another person; or, when ownership is transferred to the purchaser.

4. What about demos?

The tax applies to vehicles previously not registered with the govern ment and is payable by the registered vendor when they register the ve hicle. Whether or not the luxury tax applies to demo vehicles will depend on how the vehicles are used and licensed.

5. What about trade-ins?

The tax is calculated on gross selling price with no reduction for tradeins. However, a trade-in will still reduce GST/HST calculations.

Unlock your auto dealership’s full potential

You deserve maximum performance from your business. For more than 20 years, MNP has been helping auto dealerships of all sizes provide for the present and plan for the future. The right advisor can help you navigate the challenges of a competitive industry and drive consistent results.

Chris Schaufele, CPA, CA

National Dealership Services Leader 604.536.7614 | chris.schaufele@mnp.ca

6. What about leases?

The tax is based on the vehicle’s full retail or fair market value. Leases are treated the same as a sale; the tax is due in full at the inception of a lease.

When leased by a non-registered vendor, the tax is due when a non-registered vendor acquires a vehicle from a registered vendor (for example, when a leasing company acquires the vehicle from a dealer).

The dealer can make a business decision on whether or not to cap italize the tax into a lease and build it into the payments or require payment in full at lease inception.

7. What if a vehicle was sold or leased before January 1, 2022, but delivered on or after September 1, 2022?

The tax does not apply if there is a bona fide written agreement for the sale or lease before 2022.

8. What if accessories are billed separately from the vehicle but when added, push it over the threshold?

Yes, they are looked at together. Even if a buyer goes to a separate vendor for add-ons, any improvements valued over $5,000 (other than repairs) made within one year after the sale or lease date are also subject to the tax. When add-ons or improvements are purchased from a separate vendor, the buyer is responsible to self-assess the tax.

9. When are returns and remittances due?

Returns are filed quarterly and are due with payment one month after period-end. The first period is September 1 to December 31, 2022, with the return and remittance due January 31, 2023. Starting in 2023, reporting periods are quarterly (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) with returns and payments due one month after period-end.

For more information, please contact Ryan Calder, MNP’s BC Dealerships leader, at Ryan.Calder@mnp.ca

The Art of Hiring

Tips from an employment lawyer

BY CHRIS DRINOVZ, KSW LAWYERS EMPLOYMENT & LABOUR GROUP

One problem many businesses are currently facing is a hot job market, a limited pool of qualified candidates and the urgency to fill vacant positions or hire for expansion. This can lead to rush-hiring the wrong people and, from our experience, a mistake at hiring mid to senior managers can cost the company on average close to $200,000!

The answer to this dilemma is to put in place a process that allows you to do the right vetting, set up the employment relationship in a proper manner, and do so in a timely fashion, so you can hopefully avoid that “how to put out the fire” call.

In this article, we will take a quick look at the interview phase of hiring, and touch on some tips and potential pitfalls.

The interview: general recommendations

The interview is a crucial part of the hiring process. We offer the following recommen dations:

• Conduct the interview in person if possible (at least the final interview);

• Prepare a checklist or questions ahead of time and record the responses on the interview form; and

• Make sure to keep notes in your records in case what was said in the interview becomes important later, such as where the employee misrepresents something and later denies it, or the employee alleges that you misrepresent something.

Human Rights Code and questions to avoid

You have to be mindful of the Human Rights Code during the interview (and employment relationship), and avoid asking questions related to protected areas such as sex, age, dis ability, family status, citizenship or ethnicity.

Questions to avoid: How old are you? Are you married? How many children do you have? What country are you from? Are you new to Canada? Have you ever received workers’ compensation benefits? Do you have heart problems?

The answer to this dilemma is to put in place a process that allows you to do the right vetting, set up the employment relationship in a proper manner, and do so in a timely fashion, so you can hopefully avoid that “how to put out the fire” call.

Questions you can ask around legitimate job requirements if phrased properly:

• Instead of asking about medical conditions or disabilities, ask: “Are you able to lift 50 pounds on a regular basis? Is there anything that would restrict you from performing heavy labour for at least four hours per day?”

• Instead of asking about family status or childcare obligations, ask: “Can you travel regularly for this sales position? Can you work a varied schedule and leave on short notice?”

• This is a good general question to ask after laying out the job duties: “Is there anything preventing you from meeting the commitments and requirements of this job?”

Be very careful when addressing citizen ship and immigration; it is a fair question to ask if the person is eligible to work in Cana da (at that time), but in a case from Ontario called Haseeb v. Imperial Oil Limited the tribunal found that the employer asking if the employee was eligible to work in Canada per manently was discriminatory. The tribunal ordered the employer to pay $120,360.70 in damages for lost wages and injury to dignity.

(Mis)representations

Be careful what you say about the job and what you promise during the interview. Section 8 of the BC Employment Standards Act prohibits the employer from inducing or

persuading a person to become an employee by misrepresenting (a) the availability of the position; (b) the type of work; (c) the wage; or (d) the conditions of employment. The misrepresentation could be innocent or unintentional; it is still captured by Section 8.

What are the consequences? An employee may make a complaint to the Employment Standards Branch that an employer has contravened Section 8. If the applicant can prove there was a misrepresentation, the Employment Standards Branch has powerful remedies at its disposal, and it can:

• Order the employer to hire the applicant, even if they were rejected after the interview;

• Hold the employer to whatever promise was found to be made during the interview and order them to pay the employee or change the conditions of employment to reflect this (even if the misrepresentation was a mistake);

• Order the employer to pay the employee lost wages if they resign after the job isn’t what they were promised.

A job applicant can also go to the courts under the tort of negligent misrepresentation. As an example, in a 2017 BC case Feldstein v. 364 Northern Development Corporation:

An employee that suffered from cystic fi brosis was awarded $83,336.80 for one year of his lost/denied long-term disability bene fits after the hiring chief information officer incorrectly told him that to qualify for the full payment of benefits, he only needed to show “good health” by working three continuous months without any health issues, notwith standing his pre-existing condition and the absence of a completed medical question naire or examination.

Our key takeaway:

Make sure you get it right when you say it and make sure you keep accurate notes of inter views/meetings.

Get in touch with Chris Drinovz at cdrinovz@ kswlawyers.ca with any questions.

SOBC Announces Hall of Fame Inductees

Inductees share impact of Special Olympics

You—BC’s new car dealers—are among Special Olympics BC’s longeststanding champions. It’s our privilege to share stories showing the difference you make by supporting Special Olympics. You help create experiences of joy, friendship, empowerment, skill development and health improvements for more than 5,200 athletes with intellectual disabilities in 55 BC communities.

Special Olympics BC inducted six exceptional new members to the SOBC Hall of Fame in September. The inductees were honoured during a ceremony at the 2022 SOBC Leadership Summit. All have made long-lasting contributions through their dedicated efforts over many years.

The Special Olympics BC Hall of Fame is the highest honour bestowed to dedicated members of the SOBC organization, and members of British Columbia’s automotive community are well-represented. The New Car Dealers Foundation of BC was inducted in the sponsor category in 2002, the Carter family was added as “provincial builders” in 2003, and Pam and Moray Keith were included as provincial builders in 2018.

At the induction ceremony, this year’s inductees spoke about the deep impact Special Olympics has had on their lives and communities. SOBC is sincerely grateful for the support of BC’s new car dealers, who have created empowering opportunities across the province, making stories like these possible.

Special Olympics BC-Kelowna’s Kelsey Wyse is an accomplished athlete and a strong supporter of her fellow athletes. She joins the Hall of Fame as an “athlete inductee” in recognition of her outstanding achievements throughout her 15 years as a Special Olympics athlete. She has excelled in both summer and winter sports and has successfully competed in many regional, provincial, national and world games. She has earned a spot on Special Olympics Team Canada in three different

sports, and has achieved outstanding results through her diligent training and constant passion to improve.

“Special Olympics is important to me because I learned to do so many sports that I never knew how to do. I never knew how to swim, or downhill ski, or cross country ski, or play bocce or softball before I started in Special Olympics. I’ve lived a very healthy life that I’ve learned by being a Special Olympics athlete. I’ve been so lucky to have so many amazing coaches who have helped me to be a better athlete and person,” Wyse said.

Burnaby’s Clint Morrison was inducted as a “local builder.” Morrison has been involved in sport for people with intellectual disabilities for longer than Special Olympics BC has existed. He has made an impact for SOBC as an athlete, volunteer, fundraiser and advocate.

“I just want to say that this is a big pleasure for me. I have done a lot of things, and I have always helped our people to make it a very special world and make the world a lot better place to live in,” Morrison said.

Coquitlam’s Vera Anderson was also inducted as a local builder. For 34 years, Anderson has been a tireless volunteer for Special Olympics BC. In addition to coaching many sports, she has played a valuable administrative role, powering local and regional operations. She is also a parent of a successful Special Olympics athlete.

“Special Olympics is very important to me for what it does. It changes lives—lives of the athletes, lives of the volunteers, lives of the families. I have seen athletes’ lives transformed,” Anderson said.

Ted Hirst was inducted as a provincial builder. A member of the SOBC Board of Directors since 2009, Hirst has lent his skills, knowledge, voice and connections in a constant effort to improve the organization and provide top-quality programs and opportunities for athletes.

“It’s quite an honour for me. I remember how this all started. I was at my first games for Special Olympics, and I sat beside a woman, a mom.

Kelowna’s Kelsey Wyse represented her country with pride at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi.

And she said to me, ‘You know, I wouldn’t change my son for the world, but I would like to change the world for my son,’” Hirst said.

“Thank you to that mom, for what she said to me. I hope I changed her son’s world in a little way. She changed my life in a big way.”

Special Olympics BC’s sport, youth and health programs have made a profound impact on athletes, volunteers and supporters. We are deeply grateful to BC’s new car dealers for their generous support, which has changed lives all over this province.

With SOBC sport programs ramping up, there are many rewarding volunteer opportunities available across the province. Special Olympics BC volunteers build friendships, develop skills and experience the joy of making a difference in their communities. To learn more, go to specialolympics.bc.ca

Members of the BC automotive community can also make an im pact by supporting the 2023 Special Olympics BC Winter Games and the 2023 Auction for Athletes. To get involved, please contact Heather Maciver, SOBC Vice President, Fund Development & Communications, at hmaciver@specialolympics.bc.ca

The Special Olympics BC Hall of Fame is the highest honour bestowed to dedicated members of the SOBC organization, and members of British Columbia’s automotive community are well-represented.

Clint Morrison is an inspiring champion for people with intellectual disabilities.

DRIVING INSIGHTS

What Motivates Car Buyers to Start Their Search

BY THE RESEARCH & INSIGHTS TEAM AT CARFAX CANADA

The beginning of the car-buying process starts with a motive— something that makes a new- or used-car buyer decide that it’s time to start shopping for a vehicle. A customer’s motivations will impact when and what they buy, and with most customers finding their next vehicle online, you need to understand why your next customer is shopping for a car before they can tell you.

You must know whether your customer needs a car or wants a car.

Forty-nine per cent of car buyers need a vehicle. They’re reacting to something that has happened and now have a deadline to buy their next vehicle. For many of these customers, their current vehicle is not even functional.

Fifty-one per cent of car buyers want a vehicle. It’s simply time for a change, or there is something they would like from a different vehicle and they’re able to take their time and decide what to buy.

There are some slight differences between new- and used-car buyers; specifically, new-car buyers are more likely to want a car, with 36 per cent looking for an upgrade. Used-car buyers are more likely to need a car, with 23 per cent waiting for an expensive repair estimate before they replace their car.

Knowing these customer motives can help you tailor your online listings and prepare your staff for when a customer is ready to visit

your store. When a customer arrives, simply ask them about their cur rent car and find out whether they need or want a new vehicle.

Driving Insights takes your questions about Canadian car buyers, and turns them into answers! Our proprietary research looks closely at the motives and behaviours of today’s car buyers, and uncovers exclusive insights you won’t find anywhere else. Get more insights at carfax.ca/ insights.

Offer Your Customers the Ultimate Listening Experience

SiriusXM with 360L is a game-changer

SiriusXM with 360L is an entertainment expe rience like never before. This new integrated platform transforms in-car entertainment with the most extensive and personalized radio experience on the road. Combining sat ellite and streaming content into a single, co hesive in-vehicle entertainment experience, SiriusXM with 360L allows listeners to enjoy more content than ever before!

What are the benefits?

With SiriusXM with 360L, your customers get access to over 10,000 hours of recorded, on-demand content whenever they want— including over 1,000 exclusive, never-be fore-heard interviews, unique shows and live performances—for the first time ever in their vehicle. It also delivers more live chan nels from SiriusXM’s acclaimed satellite and streaming lineup, which features an extensive

selection of ad-free music, artist-created channels, plus sports (including all NFL, NBA, NHL, college football and basketball games), entertainment, news and much more.

SiriusXM with 360L’s personalized “For You” recommendations and its ability to search for related content make it easier for listeners to discover new channels and on-demand shows. Recommendations are hand-picked, curated and get smarter as you listen so customers can enjoy more of the programming they love.

SiriusXM with 360L features include:

• Premium content

• On-demand to essential podcasts plus SiriusXM originals

• Personalized recommendations based on listening preferences

• Easily discover new features

• Easy-to-see channel information

• Direct tuning

• Genre category menus

• Enhanced sports—browse by live game, and get notifications of games and score updates

• Unique profiles for individual vehicle users

How does it work?

Vehicles equipped with SiriusXM with 360L are eligible for a free trial subscription to SiriusXM’s top tier Platinum package when they purchase or lease any vehicle. Customers can easily access SiriusXM with 360L through the vehicle’s navigation system and then continue listening outside the vehicle using the SXM App. Have questions about SiriusXM with 360L? Contact your local District Manager for more information.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS Premier Partners GOLD LEVEL

CADA 360 programs are unique. Each program is designed under the guidance of a dealer committee, and participating dealers become stakeholders in the programs. “It all comes back to you” is more than a tag line: it’s a guarantee to association members. The end result is a powerful combination of industryleading business solutions for health and wellness benefits and exceptional dealer representation. CADA also supports the development of automotive leadership through its partnership with the Automotive Business School of Canada. cada.ca/web/cada/insurance/cada

CARFAX Canada, a unit of IHS Markit, is Canada’s definitive source of automotive information, delivering vehicle history, appraisal and valuation. Drawing on billions of data records from thousands of unique sources, its products enable used vehicle buyers and sellers to make in-formed decisions. Formerly known as CARPROOF Corporation, CAR-FAX Canada is dedicated to transparency, and is trusted to provide im-partial and comprehensive information to dealerships, vehicle manufac-turers, consumers, major auctions, governments, insurance providers and police agencies. carfax.ca

Cox Automotive is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns and uses cars with industry-leading marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. The global company has 34,000 team members in more than 220 locations and is a partner to more than 50,000 auto dealers as well as most automobile manufacturers. coxautoinc.ca

SCRAP-IT is a not-for-profit society, operating in both BC and Alberta. With a goal of improving the quality of the environment by creating clean places to live, it has successfully delivered provincial, federal and privately funded incentive/ rebate programs for over 20 years. scrapit.ca

SILVER LEVEL

First Canadian Financial Group is a national, privately chartered life insurance company that offers life and disability insurance coverage on consumer loans through automotive dealership financial service offices. Since September 1988, the First Canadian Financial Group has been marketing its insurance, mechanical breakdown protection, and protection product programs through automotive, RV, and marine dealers across Canada with tremendous success. firstcanadian.ca

ADESA Vancouver’s auctions provide registered dealers, brokers, automobile manufacturers and rental agencies as well as corporate and government fleets with a complete vehicle marketing solution in British Columbia. adesa.ca/vancouver

J.D. Power’s Power Information Network (PIN) is the largest source for retail transaction data. PIN has the broadest electronic point-of-sale data from dealerships describing the sale, the vehicle, the buyer and the deal. JD Power PIN has 16,000+ participating franchises, covering 42% of all U.S. and 25% of Canadian retail transactions. jdpower.com

Kijiji Autos has over 6 million unique visitors to its platform each month, making it Canada’s most visited online automotive marketplace. Our strategy of putting the consumer first has resulted in us building a robust and purposeful destination where Canadian’s feel safe to interact. Kijiji Autos makes sure your inventory is being noticed. No matter the size of your dealership, there is a package to help unlock its full potential. kijijiautos.ca

Michael Mason & Co. has been manufacturing and supplying for the automotive industry since 1967. It has products for every department within your dealership. Michael Mason & Co. fabricate products at factories in British Columbia, Canada. michaelmason.ca

BRONZE LEVEL

SiriusXM is the country’s leading entertainment company. SiriusXM creates and offers commercial-free music, premier sports talk and live events, comedy, news and exclusive talk and entertainment. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company, smart phones and other connected devices as well as online. siriusxm.ca

The New Car Dealers Association of BC is a proud member of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA). The CADA is the national association representing new car and truck dealers. Acting as the voice of the dealers at the national level, CADA serves as an advocate to government, industry and the public.

The New Car Dealers Association of BC would like to acknowledge these fine companies for their support of the association’s activities.

Associate members of the New Car Dealers Association of BC provide vital products and services to dealer members, allowing them to do business with greater cost effectiveness, environmental responsibility and general efficiency. Welcome to our new members!

ACCOUNTING

Baker Tilly WM LLP

Masato Oki // 604-684-6212 // bakertilly.ca

MNP LLP Accounting

Chris Schaufele // 604-542-6768 // mnp.ca

AUCTION SERVICES

ADESA Auctions Canada

John Macdonald // 604-232-4403 // adesa.com

EBlock

Nicole Sergio // 416-853-5626 // edealer.ca

Manheim Auto Auction Company (Cox Automotive Canada) Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 x5441 // manheim.com

AUTOMOTIVE SCHOOLS

BCIT - School of Transportation

Mubasher Faruki // 604-454-2234 // bcit.ca/transportation

Georgian College (Automotive Business School of Canada) Joe Lauzon // 705-728-1968 x1234 // georgiancollege.ca

CO-OPS

Consolidated Dealers Co-Op

Janette Tooley Andrade // 905-264-7022 // consolidateddealers.com

Leader Auto Resources LAR Inc.

Bob Grewal // 778-773-1727 // larnet.com

Western Dealers Co-Auto Mike Reid // 780-468-9552 // wdcoauto.com

DEALER 20 GROUPS

NCM

Kory Suppes // 913-401-2311 // ncmassociates.com

DMS PLATFORMS

CDK Global

Greg Wallin // 778-838-0639 // cdkglobal.com

Reynolds and Reynolds John Caulfield // 519-319-2264 // reyrey.com

Serti Information Solutions Pascal Lafleche // 514-493-1909 // serti.com

ENTERTAINMENT SOLUTIONS

Sirius XM Canada

Mario DeGrace // 403-629-2953 // sxmdealer.ca

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

SCRAP-IT

Nicki Lewis // 604-273-8552 // scrapit.ca

EV CHARGING SERVICES

FLO

Matthew Watkiss // 604-340-6244

FINANCIAL SERVICES

BMO - Bank of Montreal

Bradley Warren // 604-417-0229 // bmo.com

Calla Financial Services

Nick Calla // 604-921-4048 // callafinancial.ca

Canadian Western Bank

Gus Masi // 403-570-3200 // cwbank.com

CIBC Commercial Banking

Phil Lehn // 604-665-1318 // cibc.com

First Canadian Financial Group

Darren Johnson // 250-217-5955 // firstcanadian.ca

General Bank of Canada

Marley Begg // 780-974-2829 // generalbank.ca

iA Auto Finance

Denise Buott // 905-815-9510 // iaautofinance.ca

iA Dealer Services

Vicki Yan // 604-882-8220 // iasal.ca

LGM Financial

Amanda Tracey // 604-806-5300 // lgm.ca

National Bank

Darren Kiley // 604-209-8957 // nbc.ca

RBC Automotive Finance Group

Aaron Young // 604-656-2965 // rbc.com/canada.html

Scotiabank Western Dealer Finance Centre Bramin Karsanji // 604-644-1782 // scotiabank.com

Scotia Dealer Advantage

John Hiscock // 416-288-7800 // scotiabank.com/scotiadealeradvantage

TD Auto Finance

Richard (Rick) Bessex // 778-628-7458 // TDFS.com

HEALTH BENEFITS

ZLC Financial Fab Biagini // 604-688-7208 // zlc.net

INSURANCE SERVICES

AllWest Insurance Services

Renee Nielly // 604-733-7383 // allwestins.com

HUB International Insurance Brokers Wayne LeGear // 604-269-1944 // hubinternational.com

Insurance Insight

Neal O’Donoghue // 866-603-8666 // insuranceinsight.ca

Optiom

Michelle Wong // 800-613-3705 // optiombc.com

LEGAL SERVICES

Clyde & Co Canada LLP

Matthew Wansink // 604-408-2022 // clydeco.ca

KSW Lawyers

Michael J. Weiler // 604-336-7423 // ksw.bc.ca

OFFICIAL NCDA BILL OF SALE PROVIDER

Michael Mason & Co.

Steve Batchelor // 250-384-7304 // michaelmason.ca

PAYMENT PROCESSING, MERCHANT SERVICES

Moneris

Brittney Page // 1-866-836-3375 // moneris.com

PRINT AND DESIGN SOLUTIONS

One Persuasion

Hamish Marshall // 778-835-3715 // onepersuades.com

Harv Craven Design Harv Craven // 604-476-0435 // harvcravendesign.com

PROPERTY SECURITY

Radius Security

Mike Baxter // 604-232-2405 // radiussecurity.ca

RESEARCH AND SHOPPING WEBSITES

Canadian Western Bank

Gus Masi // 403-570-3200 // cwbank.com

CARFAX Canada ULC

Shawn Vording // 866-835-8612 x2966 // carfax.ca

JD Power

Robert Karwel // 416-294-2790 // jdpower.com

Kijiji Autos

Kristin Macintosh // 647-962-1510 // Kijiji.ca

Trader Corporation

Randy Shepherd // 403-999-8854 // autotrader.ca

TELECOM

Bell Mobility

Cameron Gerrie // 289-442-3701 // Bell.ca/EPP

TOOL SUPPLIER

Snap-on Ray Lavender // 416-662-9951 // snapon.com

VEHICLE ALIGNMENT

SYSTEMS

Hunter Engineering Dan Martin // 780-340-3456 // hunter.com

Canadian Black Book

Dwain Samuels // 416-817-8444 // canadianblackbook.com

Consultant Auto 360 Kim Normandin // 514-394-1955 x508 // solutionsmedias360.com

Cox Automotive Canada

Shannon Newman // 905-290-6414 // coxautoinc.ca

DealerTrack

Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 // us.dealertrack.com

Dealer Solutions North America Rick Kingdon // 778-245-1041 // dealersolutionsna.com

NextGear Capital (Cox Automotive Canada)

Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 // nextgearcapital.ca

Passtime GPS Canada

Sophie Callander // 604-437-3023 x234 // passtimegps.com

Smart Program Inc.

Jerrod Lucas // 780-975-3412 // thesmartprogram.ca

VAuto (Cox Automotive Canada)

Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 // vauto.com

VinSolutions (Cox Automotive Canada)

Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 // vinsolutions.com

Xtime (Cox Automotive Canada)

Jack Sulymka // 905-875-3522 // xtime.ca

NewCarDealersAssoc

New Car Dealers Association of BC NCDA_BC NCDA_BC

Do

service providers protect

best interests?

CADA 360 products were created to protect your best interests. Each is a leader in its field, because the dealer committee members make sure it addresses dealer needs:

• Employee Benefits

• Garage Insurance

• Group Home and Auto Insurance

• Retirement Savings

• HR Automation

Most importantly, CADA 360 products fund CADA advocacy. Recent CADA advocacy includes COVID-19 support and protection, fighting auto tariffs,

improving recall legislation, and protecting dealers from tax on insurance commissions.

CADA’s legal action committee supports members on precedent-setting issues. CADA research and reports help dealers make better decisions.

CADA 360 has been helping Canadian dealers succeed for more than 70 years. And when you buy CADA 360, you fund CADA advocacy. No other products provide this protection for your business.