Editor: Adam Moffatt
President: Charley Kriksic
President’s Message
Charley Kriksic
amoffatt@otda.com (General) E: accounting@otda.com (Accounting)
www.otda.com
F: 519-537-8209
E: info@barneyprinting.com
www.barneyprinting.com
“YOUR STRENGTH IS IN OUR NUMBERS”
The OTDA is recognized by industry and government as the representative body of the Independent Tire Dealers of Ontario.
New Member.................................................................................................................................................City
A One Car Care Inc...........................................................................................................................Mississauga Auto Add-Ons (1684570 Ont Ltd)............................................................................................................Kingston
Brant County Tire...................................................................................................................................Brantford
Bruiser Automotive & Tire (2711143 Ont)........................................................................................ Peterborough Future Tire Embrun..................................................................................................................................Embrun
Guilbault Automotive (Tire Discounter)......................................................................................................Ottawa
Johnston and Magwood....................................................................................................................Mississauga
Marathon Tire.............................................................................................................................................Stirling Orangeville Tire Discounter (1000090254 Ont Inc.)............................................................................Orangeville Precision Automotive................................................................................................................................Orleans
Switch Tire................................................................................................................................................Oshawa
The Tire Pros..............................................................................................................................................Greely Tire Discounter Group (DC Hamilton) ....................................................................................................Hamilton Voyageur Tire..........................................................................................................................................Sudbury
Charley Kriksic, President Consumers Tire
Charmaine Carvalho, Vice President Chloride Canada
Logan Shearer, Secretary Tirecraft Ontario
Ryan Burke, Treasurer The Tire Terminal
Alexa Labrecque Provincial Tire Distributors
Dan Bender Tire Discounter Group
Dave Byma Byma's Tire & Auto Servce
Eric Gilbert Ericway Tire
Erik Fielding Fielding Tire and Auto
Jeremy Hanford Hanford's Tire & Service
Adam Moffatt, Executive Director OTDA Ifyou're not receiving regular OTDA emails , make sure we have your current email address!
Executive Officers: Elected Board Members:
Rejean Murray, Bruce Barnim, and Harold Boake
TIRES & WHEELS
Over 2,200,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and 2,500,000 tires in inventory!
• Fast delivery, simple & efficient service
• Intuitive, easy-to-use ordering platform
• Partnerships with a broad range of global manufacturers
Congratulations to our lucky winner!
In appreciation of our OTDAaffiliated tire retailer partners, we are giving you the chance to win your tire purchase from Distribution Stox.
Until October 31st 2025, every purchase of tires from Distribution Stox by an OTDA member will be automatically entered with a chance to win their purchase. Every purchase from us is another chance to win!
Prize will be awarded in the form of a prepaid gift card by your local Distribution Stox Account Manager.
Francis Piché (right), Stox Account Manager, presenting the award to Peter Gard of Goldwing Autocare Inc., Ottawa, Ontario.
The Ontario Tire Dealers Association (OTDA) is excited to invite you to the 2026 OTDA Winter Conference, a must-attend event for tire professionals across the Province. Returning to the beautiful Blue Mountain Resort, this conference offers the perfect blend of learning, networking, and relaxation in one of Ontario’s premier winter destinations.
Why Attend The 2026 OTDA Winter Conference?
Experience Blue Mountain Resort
Don't Miss Out!
Building Your Reputation Before the Sale:
The Role of Online Reviews and Local Visibility
In today’s tire industry, many customers make their decision long before they ever walk through your shop doors or even pick up the phone. The reality is, your business reputation is being shaped online, whether you actively manage it or not.
For tire retailers, especially those competing in busy markets, investing time in your online reputation and local visibility is no longer optional; it’s a critical part of driving new business and building long-term success.
The Silent Deal-Breaker: Online Reviews
Think about how you choose a restaurant, plumber, or hotel. Chances are, online reviews play a huge role; your customers are no different when it comes to buying tires or booking a service.
Whether it’s Google, Facebook, or other review platforms, potential customers are reading what others say about you. In fact, studies consistently show that the majority of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
A shop with positive, recent reviews builds confidence. A shop with no reviews, or worse, unanswered negative ones, raises red flags.
Action Step:
Make it part of your process to encourage happy customers to leave reviews. A simple request after service, a follow-up email, or even a QR code in your waiting area can make a difference. And never ignore negative feedback, respond professionally, show you care, and, where possible, make it right.
Your Digital Curb Appeal Matters
Local Visibility Drives Walk-In Traffic
Tire sales are still a local business at heart. Even in a digital age, being visible in your community drives trust and traffic. That visibility isn’t just about billboards or flyers; it includes your online presence:
✓ Showing up accurately on Google Maps
✓ Appearing in local search results
✓ Participating in community events and pages
✓ Maintaining a clean, well-branded storefront (physical and digital)
When people in your area recognize your name, both online and around town, they’re more likely to trust you when they need tires or service.
When customers search for “tire shop near me,” your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they see. Think of that profile as your online storefront. Does it look inviting and professional?
Many tire shops overlook the importance of this. Outdated hours, missing photos, or unanswered questions can cost you business before you even realize someone was looking.
Action Step:
Take five minutes each month to check your Google Business Profile. Update your hours, add photos of your shop and services, and respond to any reviews or questions. It’s free, and it makes a big impact on your first impression.
Your Reputation Starts Before You Even Say Hello
In the competitive tire industry, it’s not enough to rely on word of mouth or hope your quality speaks for itself. Customers are researching, reading, and forming opinions before you ever have a chance to greet them.
Managing your online reputation and local visibility ensures that when customers are ready to buy, they’re already confident in choosing you.
The good news, it doesn’t take big budgets or complicated marketing plans, just consistency, attention to detail, and a little time invested each month.
After all, the best sale is the one you never had to fight for, because your reputation did the work for you.
Used tire collection sites that operate throughout Ontario play a vital role in the recycling system. This includes tire shops, repair shops, tire and automobile dealers; any business, or organization that handles used tires.
To strengthen that system, we’ve launched an exciting new Re-Use Program for enrolled collection sites. Through this initiative, participants can earn $200 per tonne (based on estimated weight) after completing the sale of re-use tires.
By keeping tires in circulation longer, we help reduce waste, delay them from entering the recycling system or landfill, and contribute to 100% resource recovery under Ontario Environmental Law.
Getting started is simple: sell qualifying tires for re-use, provide an invoice for the sale (additional documentation required for exported tires), and receive your bonus payment. Email info@etracks.ca with your company name, contact person, email, and phone number to begin.
Together we can make the tire recycling system better by improving environmental outcomes and supporting Ontario businesses.
2025
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Tires & Wheels
What Fits, What Fails, and What to Watch For
SAFETY SAFETY CORNER
Beyond generic WHMIS
Is your workplace compliant?
When you hear WHMIS what comes to mind? Is it the symbols, used universally to illustrate the harm chemicals can do to us, or the training you’ve sat through numerous times over the course of your career?
One of the most recognized health and safety terms, WHMIS — the Workplace Hazardous Material Information System — is used in all workplace settings, across all sectors; its training is one of the most common health and safety training courses in Canada.
Most workers know what WHMIS is, are familiar with the labels and symbols, and can tell you when they last completed training. These are all good things - especially since the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Skills Development (MLITSD) is currently conducting compliance inspections; however, the gap that many health and safety professionals see is with the workplace-specific component of WHMIS training.
“The reason we do WHMIS training is to make sure workers are protected from the health impact of the chemicals they use at work,” says Elizabeth Lofthouse, a Senior Health and Safety Consultant with WSPS. “This cannot be accomplished if workers don’t know the specific chemicals they will encounter and how they will interact with them.” This is precisely why the workplace-specific component of WHMIS is required
A Generic WHMIS Course on its Own is Not Enough
“The potential health impact of working with a specific chemical is a hazard and employers are required to communicate hazards to their employees,” reminds Elizabeth. “Generic WHMIS training gives employees the tools to interpret the product labels and safety data sheets, but it doesn’t provide them with the specific information employees need to work safely.”
Elizabeth outlines three questions that your workplace-specific WHMIS training should cover:
1) What will the chemical do to me if I’m exposed?
2) What can I do to avoid exposure?
3) What steps do I take if I have been exposed?
Here are some tips to help you answer those questions for your employees as you develop your workplace-specific WHMIS training program.
1. Read Safety Data Sheets
Most of what Elizabeth recommends including in your workplace-specific WHMIS training can be found in the Safety Data Sheets. “Most employers have the applicable safety data sheets available in their workplace, but often they haven’t read through them in detail,” says Elizabeth.
It is the employer’s responsibility to review and interpret the information on the safety data sheets, and then communicate that information to employees through training. “The safety data sheets should really drive the workplace-specific WHMIS training.”
2. Explain Chemical-Specific Risks and Control Measures
Elizabeth emphasizes that employers need to do more than simply tell employees the chemicals they will use on the job. They also need to clearly communicate the specific risks to their health and the controls that are in place to protect them from those risks.
When dealing with chemical exposure, common controls are general and local ventilation, process engineering measures, and use of personal protective equipment. “When workers are aware of the hazards and aware of the control measures, then it is much less likely they will experience occupational exposures to the degree that will harm them,” explains Elizabeth.
3. Review Emergency Response Measures
Elizabeth goes on to discuss the importance of including emergency response measures in your workplace-specific WHMIS training. “Even with effective controls in place, sometimes something goes wrong. In those cases, it’s important for workers to know what the emergency response plan is and what steps to take,” says Elizabeth. For example, workers need to understand what type of first aid to apply if exposure occurs. What should a worker do if they get the chemical in their eyes, on their skin, or on their clothes? If the chemical ends up in their eyes, do they know where the eye wash station or emergency showers are located within the facility? Another example is a chemical spill. Workers need to know the procedure for how to safely clean it up.
4. Consider Updating Training Material and Retraining
The legislation does not state that WHMIS training must be repeated annually; instead, it requires the employer, in consultation with the Joint Health and Safety Committee or Health and Safety Representative, consider whether or not retraining is necessary. “The employer needs to determine if workers have the answers to those three key questions outlined earlier. If your employees can’t answer those questions, then a repeat of training is likely required,” says Elizabeth.
An employer may evaluate the level of knowledge their employees have about the chemicals they are using by having them complete a brief quiz or asking them questions during safety meetings. When evaluating the effectiveness of your WHMIS training, consider the content of your program and the delivery method as well. Repeating training that was ineffective doesn’t make sense from a business or safety perspective.
UP YOUR BAY
As a business owner, you face several risks. When it comes to insurance, don’t settle for a one size fits all solution. Federated Insurance offers coverage that’s specific to your needs – we offer one of the most comprehensive and specialized programs for businesses in Canada.
Over 60 associations across Canada recommend us as a leading insurance provider. We are 100% Canadian owned by Fairfax Financial, and we recently celebrated 100 years in the industry.
Trusting us with your business means you have access to:
Dedicated advisors to give you expert advice and support
Expanded coverage options
Flexible payment and deductible options
Complimentary loss prevention programs to help protect you and your business
Superior claims handling to get your company back up and running as quickly as possible
Our team has the expertise needed to protect your business, so you can focus on growth as a tire dealer. We work closely with our Association Partners and members and we deal with you directly to ensure transparency.
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