President's Update

Does anyone know where the summer went?  It seems the snow just melted.  August was another busy month and by the sounds of things, business is humming along quite nicely.  On the heals of an ATB Economic Report, the media wanted to know if our members were feeling the recovery that was called out in the report.  Our comments centered on the fact that inventories are better but still constrained in some cases by manufacturer production schedules.

A few weeks ago, I met with the Chief of Staff at Service Alberta to introduce myself and pave the way for further meetings with the Minister and the full team.  We discussed a desire to further explore our three key pillars:  EV Integration in Alberta, our relationship with AMVIC, and the shortage of Skilled Workers in our province.  The good news is that there is interest in moving each of these priorities forward.  I’ll keep everyone advised on how things progress.

A trip to Medicine Hat for their annual charity golf tournament was an outstanding day.  They tried to cook us with 35-degree heat, but I won’t be caught complaining.  Congratulations to the planning committee for a job well done.

The rest of my month was derailed with the passing of my father.  As difficult as it was, he lived a very full 80 years and we’re thankful for that.  I would like to pass along my sincere thanks to all of the members who reached out – it was comforting during a very difficult time.  Thank you.

The kids are back in school and that usually brings a flurry of business so here’s hoping volume grows and returns are strong.

Good selling.

Gerald.

AMVIC Quick Hits

Negative Equity – How should it be reflected on the Bill of Sale?

As an industry, the amount of negative equity that we have been dealing with recently has been minimized due to vehicle prices and resale values.  Unfortunately, with loan terms increasing and the used market under pressure, we expect to see negative equity become a larger issue moving forward.

There has been much discussion with members and AMVIC about All-In Pricing and the legal requirement in Alberta for the advertised price and the sale price to match.  If your dealership deals with a financial institution that will not accept a Bill of Sale reflecting negative equity, you have an important decision to make.

The practice of inflating the sale price to avoid showing the negative number on the Bill of Sale puts your dealership in a position where you are breaking the law.  We would strongly urge you to contact the institution with the practice and direct them to the Automotive Business Regulation.

If you would like support in contacting any of these companies, you are welcome to contact the MDA Office and we will support in any way possible.

ARMA:  Upcoming Adjustments to Environmental Fees

Lubricating Oil & Materials                                      

Release Date: 06-30-2023

On behalf of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), we first want to thank you for your support and participation in Alberta’s growing recycling industry as we work together to divert millions of tonnes of material from our landfills. To continue developing and growing our recycling industry, we are informing suppliers of upcoming adjustments to the environmental fees and updates to the Used Oil Recycling Bylaw to become effective October 1, 2023.

When ARMA assumed responsibility for the Used Oil Program in October 2018 after the dissolution of the Alberta Used Oil Management Association (AUOMA), the program was facing significant financial sustainability challenges. Since then, ARMA has been working diligently with collection sites, recyclers, and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) on solutions to the ongoing challenges of the Used Oil Program.

With input from key stakeholders (including registered processors), an environmental fee adjustment has been identified as an urgent need to support the sustainability of the collection, transportation, and processing network for the industry. These environmental fees have not been updated since 2011. The new fees, to take effect this fall, will align Alberta’s fees with those currently being charged by other jurisdictions across Canada. The adjustment will allow the program to provide increased support to the recycling activities of registered processors, municipal collection sites, and Indigenous communities.

We have informed the Minister of Environment and Protected Areas of our recommended changes. The upcoming environmental fee changes outlined in the Used Oil Recycling Bylaw are as follows:

Existing Eco Fee Rates until September 30, 2023

1. For lubricating oil, $0.05 per litre or per kilogram;
2. For lubricating oil containers, $0.05 per litre of container size;
3. For filters, $0.50 for a filter less than 203 mm in length and $1.00 for a filter 203 mm or more in length.

New Eco Fee Rates starting October 1, 2023

1. For lubricating oil, $0.06 per litre or per kilogram;
2. For lubricating oil containers, $0.12 per litre of container size for containers made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or metal materials and $0.20 per litre of container size for containers made of non-HDPE or non-metal materials;
3. For filters, $0.55 for a filter less than 203 mm in length and $1.25 for a filter 203 mm or more in length.

For questions about the above changes to environmental fees, please contact us at usedoil@albertarecycling.ca. Thank you again for your continued participation in Alberta’s recycling industry. We remain incredibly grateful to have stakeholders that are engaged and supportive of our work, ensuring a sustainable Alberta for generations to come.

CADA Economic Impact Study

Dealer survey open for submissions

This survey has been sent to CADA dealers in order to gather data on capital investments made by auto dealers across the country. CADA, alongside your provincial association, is building an economic impact study of the automobile dealership industry.

Thanks to this study, advocacy efforts at the provincial and federal level will be supported by updated and substantial data. This will allow us and your provincial representatives to highlight more effectively the crucial importance of your businesses to the Canadian economy.

This survey will allow us to gather the much-needed data on the investments made by dealerships across the nation. The data will remain anonymous and will be incorporated to a greater calculation and extrapolation.

Please contact our lead economist Charles if you have any questions at cbernard@cada.ca

Thank you very much, once again, for your collaboration.

Digital Marketing 201

Part 3 - September 21, 2023

Embracing the Tech Revolution - Leveraging Emerging Technologies Upcoming Adjustments to Environmental Fees

Join us for the MDA unWorkshop on September 21, 2023, as we explore game-changing strategies for business growth in the ever-evolving online space. The MDA unWorkshop, a collaborative opportunity for dealership leaders and marketing teams to identify game-changing strategies for business growth. With hands-on and ready-to-implement sessions, you'll hit the ground running and take your dealership's success to the next level.

We are building off our June 7th Session with "Digital Marketing 201: Embracing the Tech Revolution - Leveraging Emerging Technologies to Propel Your Success in 2023"

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from industry experts like Melina Beeston, Director of Digital Media at EDealer, and Jason Anderson, Key Account Manager at Kijiji Canada.

Event Details

• Thursday, September 21, 2023
• 9:00AM - 3:30PM
• Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club, Calgary, AB

Secure your spot now for hands-on and ready-to-implement sessions, where you'll leave with actionable ideas to take your dealership's success to the next level.

In typical UnWorkshop style, you'll leave with deeper knowledge and ideas that you can implement immediately at your store.

For more info and to register

MDA "Keys to Communication" Receptionist Training

October 17, 2023

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE!

MDA "Effective Communication Strategies" Service Advisor Training

October 18 - IN PERSON - MDA Office - Edmonton

October 19 - VIRTUAL

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE 

Membership Update

Please join us in welcoming the following new members:

Associate Members

A&R Solutions

Safe-Guard Products Canada

Western Canadian Dealer Summit

November 16-19, 2023

70 Days to go!

Spaces are filling up fast and we will close the sponsorship registrations this week.  To those who have registered and partners who have committed to us, THANK YOU!

If you've been on the fence, its time to jump off and join us for a great weekend of networking, visiting, learning and laughing.  Hotel rooms are running out so don't delay - register now.

REGISTER HERE 

SAIT / MDA Corporate Learner Portal

Emotional Intelligence

If you put yourself in their shoes - you will be uncomfortable and they will have no shoes!

Empathy is not sympathy, not advice, and never judgment. It is a skill set, and when done well can be productive to the connection, relationships, and trust that form the basis of the work that you do.

How do you ensure that you are productive with your empathy? Can a Leader be too empathetic? What happens if you don't believe what they have to say?

Over 25 years worth of research has resulted in new and emerging perceptions about Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and the factors that contribute to its success in the workplace. 

 Register for HREL 100 - Emotional Intelligence is open for enrollment through the MDA client portal. 

Learn More or Register Here

Fixed Operations Essential Skills Program

Service & Parts Advisors, Managers & Support Staff

Learn More

DealerPILOT Update

A Framework for Fall

Many of us are looking forward to “getting back to things” as back to school and regular routines are around the corner. In order to make the transition to fall as smooth as possible, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• The start of the school year also brings the need for an abundance of new appointments for children, so be sure that your staff are aware of the parameters for booking appointments during business hours, as well as what they have left for time off entitlements. It also may be the onset of the “daycare cold” and other related household challenges, so be sure that your staff (and your staffing levels) are planning accordingly.
• Speaking of time off…this is also the lead up to the last quarter of the calendar year, so time to review those vacation banks and ensure that all staff have their vacation utilization plan completed for the remainder of the year if you are on a calendar year system.
• 2023 brought a few legislative changes, as well as some opportunities for review, so be sure that you have reviewed your policies and practices to be complaint and current before year end. Some of the changes that may impact our dealership include:
  • Changes to the federal competition act
  • Review of employment term and agreements for current clauses such as a layoff clause
  • Review of bonuses and compensation programs for compliance and relevance
  • Health and Safety compliance- including meeting new noise threshold requirements.

If you are unsure of how these provisions affect your dealership, or if you would like to know more about how we assist dealerships in meeting these challenges and requirements, than #letstalk. You can email us at letstalk@dealerpilothr.com for more information.