February, 2025 

MDA President Gerald Wood, NCDA President and CEO Blair Qualey, and program organizer Todd Bourgon, CEO and Executive Director of the MVRO in Manila, Philippines.

Philippines Recruitment and Testing Program Addressing the Shortage of Qualified Skilled Workers

Last month Motor Dealers of Alberta Association President Gerald Wood joined NCDA President and CEO Blair Qualey, and program organizer Todd Bourgon, CEO and Executive Director of the MVRO (Ontario Dealers Assoc.) in Manila, Philippines to see first-hand the initiative to test and recruit quality automotive techs to bring to Canada to help ease the service tech labour shortage here in Canada.

Tech vacancies cost dealers $450-650K a year in unrealized revenue – parts and labour per vacancy. These vacancies have been increasing for the past 15 years, with school output unable to meet the demand.

Foreign tech recruiting provides a faster solution than a singular home-grown education strategy. Techs from the Temp Foreign worker program are tied to the place of business they are recruited for the duration of their work permit thereby eliminating flight risk to their competition for more $ or signing bonuses.

It is essential to test candidates in the Philippines for technical competencies – they are tested by a certified Canadian Trainer on diagnostics and brakes.

CADA Summit 
Toronto
February 12, 2025

unWorkshop - Part 1
Calgary
February 26, 2025

Calgary 
International 
Auto
and Truck Show
Calgary
March 13-16, 2025

We're excited to share some exclusive benefits for MDA members!

MDA members can now enjoy discounted hotel rates at the DoubleTree by Hilton Calgary North.

Additionally, Kintz Group has introduced updated training pricing exclusively for MDA members.

Registration is now open for the CADA Summit. Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Feb. 12, 2025, the event features keynotes and panel discussions about the key economic, political and business trends impacting auto retailers. Watch the teaser video and register early as CADA Summit sells out every year! 

Industry segments – New sales and leasing
New sales include licensees who market and sell new vehicles. For the purpose of this report, the statistics represented in new sales include licensees who sell primarily new vehicle directly from the manufacturer, but may include other business activities such as used sales, wholesale and service and repair as part of its business activities.

An update on provincial sales around Canada.

The provincial sales numbers for December 2024 have been posted at the link below.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - Calgary, Alberta

Refuel your Marketing Engine with the Tactics Required for 2025

In 2024, we embraced transformative changes that reshaped the way dealerships operate and advertise—from breakthroughs in AI and machine learning to innovative digital strategies that set new benchmarks. It was a year of dynamic growth, challenges, and endless opportunities!

As we look ahead, we’re excited to invite you to the first session of our 2025 UnWorkshop series. Taking place on February 26th, this kickoff session will be hosted by our valued partner, PBS Systems, at their state-of-the-art training facility.

This immersive one-day event will provide actionable insights and strategies to empower dealerships in the modern digital era. Through engaging sessions, expert speakers, and hands-on activities, we’ll prepare you to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

Happy New Year! As we head into 2025, the beginning of the year presents a perfect opportunity to revisit and revise your emergency contact list to ensure it is up to date. Being aware of who to contact in a crisis or emergency can significantly enhance your ability to navigate challenging circumstances and restore operations for your business as quickly as possible.

That’s why maintaining a current up to date emergency contact list should be a crucial component of your business continuity and risk management strategy. To help you get started, Federated Insurance has created a guide on what to include and a template you can download, print, and fill for your own records.

To learn more about Federated, visit www.federated.ca or if you’re a Federated customer, you can contact your Commercial Insurance Specialist with any questions.

Virtual Training

The Importance of Good Communication

Your frontline team are the people your customers see and talk to first. They are the face and voice of your organization. In order to be successful you need every customer to be very satisfied and happy.

Some days you don’t have time to get it all done; or done as well as you would like. Some days you can’t find any staff. Some days the customers are not so friendly, the phones never stop and your computer isn’t computing.

Earlier this month, Transport Canada suddenly declared it would be “pausing” the incentives for zero-emission vehicles (iZEV) program saying the funds had been “fully committed.”

The program was a key driver in encouraging hesitant Canadian EV buyers to make the plunge.

While consumers and dealers expected the program would still be available for some period of time, instead Ottawa immediately closed down the portal where dealers registered EV buyers to get their federal rebates.

The resulting confusion and anger from consumers and dealers sparked an uproar. Several Canadian OEMs have since decided to step in and continue to honour the $5,000 federal purchase incentive amount for their consumers until the end of January.

Virtual Training

The Importance of Good Communication

Communication is the cornerstone of success in both personal and professional spheres. This 1-day seminar, "Effective Communication Strategies" aims to equip participants with essential skills and knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of interpersonal interactions that can be applied both in and out of the workplace. The session encompasses a range of topics, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the key facets of effective communication and will lead to enhanced collaboration, improved relationships, and overall productivity and fulfillment in our work and personal lives.

Ford Motor Company recently celebrated six Ford and Lincoln dealers for their outstanding community contributions. These dealers, from the United States, Canada, China, and Malaysia, were honoured with the Salute to Dealers award for their dedication to various causes. Their efforts include supporting veterans, youth programs, cancer research, and job training for individuals with disabilities.

You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to receiving email updates from our organization. If you'd like to unsubscribe for any reason, please use the link provided at the bottom of this email.