BRITISH COLUMBIA
Comox Valley Dodge partner raises funds for the homeless and seniors
The passing of his brother P.J. six years to a drug overdose while living on the streets gave Comox Valley Dodge Managing Partner/Dealer Principal Carson Grant the idea to do a charity event to honour him and raise awareness for the homeless and less fortunate people.
The second annual Night On The Street took place earlier this month in the Comox Valley Regional District, which is on the east coast of Vancouver Island and has a population of 70,000. The 12-hour event raised $8,530 in donations, half of which the dealership contributed to match the public support. In addition to the money raised, the event gathered donations of food and clothing. This year’s event included counsellors and drug-harm educators, which gave out safety packages for the homeless.
“I know that my brother was a good human being and the majority of the street community are good human beings,” said Grant. “We just wanted to make that difference and in honour of him as well. I would have loved to do more for him. It humbles me, it humbles my team and makes them realize, especially the younger guys, our problems are not (significant) problems compared to these individuals. It gives back to our community in a great way.”
The event received a blessing from the local First Nations community.
“We knew we could make a big splash in the community again,” said Grant. “I also wanted to hit a few more charities. I really wanted to focus our energy on trying to help out as many people here in the Valley. I feel being in a small community that we are, this is very, very important. People understand we’re here to enrich people’s lives in a positive way. I’m greatly appreciative and fortunate to be in the position that I’m in and I want to utilize my platform to do the best that I can to help out as many people as I can. That’s not only people on the streets but our seniors.”
MARITIMES
All EV uses Ford F-150 Lightning for a glider liftoff event
All EV Canada used the Ford F-150 Lightning to pull a glider for liftoff to promote the capability of an electric vehicle and how it integrates into zero emission transportation. The promotion took off on October 27 at Debert Airfield in Nova Scotia.
David Giles, one of ALL EV Canada’s original founders, said the company is trying to find unique ways of promoting EV adoption and getting people excited about it. To create a totally zero emission flight, the battery was drained and charged with solar energy.
“We know that electric vehicles emit no emissions and a glider represents the same thing in the air, so our whole plan was to power the truck by solar because in Nova Scotia a portion of our electricity is generated by coal,” said Giles. “Traditionally the gliders are pulled up by gas-powered or diesel vehicles or other airplanes. The Lightning has a tremendous amount of power and torque so that it was equally able to pull up the glider up with no problem.” He said the Lightning was used because it has a 9,600-watt inverter on it and has outlets to power other things.
“Electric vehicles have the capability and power to do these types of things,” said Giles. “For pulling a glider up you’d think you would need a big truck and a big engine and stuff like that, where now we’re using a half-ton pickup truck pulling a glider.”
SASKATCHEWAN
AutoCanada buys Kavia Auto Body
As part of an ongoing strategy to move into the collision repair sector, AutoCanada has recently purchased Kavia Auto Body, a SGI Elite collision centre in Saskatoon. Kavia is located close to two of AutoCanada’s dealerships: Dodge City Auto and Saskatoon Motor Products.
“The addition of this well-managed business continues the strategic expansion of our national collision presence in markets complementary to our existing dealerships,” said AutoCanada Executive Chairman, Paul Antony.
Kavia Auto Body has been providing collision services to Saskatoon and the surrounding area for nearly 40 years. The store maintains certifications with Tesla, GM, Ford, Kia, Stellantis, Nissan, Infiniti, Genesis, Honda, Acura, Subaru, and Hyundai. The business operates out of a state-of-the-art facility, and represents the next step in AutoCanada’s goal to “further expand and develop its national collision centre network to match AutoCanada’s dealership network.”
“Our focus remains on supporting our customers and OEM partners through the entire vehicle ownership lifecycle – which includes repairing vehicles by following OEM recommended repair procedures and using the recommended OEM parts to ensure the integrity of repaired vehicles,” said Antony. “Kavia Auto Body has built a reputation for excellence and quality in servicing both domestic and imported vehicles in the Saskatoon market and we look forward to continuing its legacy into the future.”
ALBERTA
Valentine family legacy honoured by MDA Dealers of Excellence AwardAutoCanada buys Kavia Auto Body
By Perry Lefko
Winning the Motor Dealers’ Association of Alberta (MDA) 2022 Dealers of Excellence Award is extra special for Paul Valentine because, he said, it’s an example of the legacy his late father Ted created.
Valentine, President of the Valentine Auto Group in Calgary, was named a winner of the MDA Award in the metro category. Todd Ducharme won in the non-metro category. The MDA awards are given annually to one dealer from Calgary or Edmonton and one from the rest of the province.
Ted followed his father, Bert, into the business and was acclaimed as the Alberta Dealer of the Year in 1984. He was also Chairman of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association of Canada, which was the forerunner of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association.
Paul followed his father into the business and won the CADA Retail Laureate Award in 2016. “I think my Dad is looking down and he’s pretty happy,” said Valentine. “I’m trying to keep up to him. We followed the exact same footsteps in our careers.”
The Valentine Group owns three stores: Valentine Volvo, which was followed by Jaguar Land Rover Royal Oak in 2020 and Volvo Cars Royal Oak in 2021, both done in partnership with the Wyant Group in Saskatoon.
The Valentines have been selling and servicing vehicles in Calgary since 1946 and began retailing Volvos in 1967.
QUEBEC
Thursday, November 17, 2022 was an unforgettable and emotional evening for the Mobilis Corporation team, as the company held a colourful gala to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
Dealers, former presidents and partners were all present at the event, which was held at the Terminal des Croisières de Québec. The event was held to honour the organization, but was also the perfect opportunity to highlight and honour the involvement of the presidents who have invested their time and experience to help the Corporation to grow and improve over the years.
“This evening was rich in emotions,” said Louis Desmeules, president of the Mobilis Corporation. “Several former presidents were present, and we took the opportunity to highlight their involvement in our organization. They are passionate people whose investment of time for the benefit of the Mobilis Corporation deserves to be celebrated,” he said.
“It is a privilege to contribute to the development of a century-old company like the Mobilis Corporation for 10 years now,” said Charles Drouin, CEO of the Mobilis Corporation. “I am always delighted to see the appreciation that members have for their organization and the great involvement that they offer that contributes to its successful development”, he said.
Founded in 1923, the Mobilis Corporation currently has 145 car and heavy truck dealerships in the Capitale-Nationale, Charlevoix, Portneuf, South Shore of Quebec, Beauce and Montmagny regions. It is also the promoter of the Quebec International Auto Show, the Quebec Heavy Truck Show and the Quebec Electric Vehicle Show, in addition to administering the Mobilis Foundation, which helps organizations and individuals with mobility solutions.
The participants of this evening, presented by Otogo and the CCAQ in collaboration with SSQ Dealer Services, were treated to a welcome cocktail, a gourmet meal and a private performance by the great Gregory Charles.
ONTARIO
Dilawri opens brand new BMW store in Aurora
BMW Aurora has just been officially opened by Dilawri, Canada’s largest automotive group. The new high-profile 59,343 sq-ft two-storey dealership is situated just off Highway 404, on a 2.8-acre site at the south-east corner of Goulding Avenue and Wellington Street East. Previously known as BMW Newmarket, in its new location, the dealership provides current and prospective customers “easy access to our sales and service offerings via local and regional thoroughfares” according to the company press release.
“BMW Aurora’s new location is well-situated and well-equipped to meet even the highest expectations,” said Kap Dilawri, company Co-founder. “We are pleased to be able to offer our Aurora and Newmarket-area customers and prospects exceptional sales and service from this brand-new facility.”
Aurora BMW’s new store is built to the latest BMW Canada Retail Facility Standards. The dealership features Level 2 and DC fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, as well as two expansive showrooms, each of which includes a dedicated multi-vehicle delivery area. The main floor is the new vehicle sales floor, and includes a dedicated M Series showroom, catering to performance enthusiasts. Pre-owned inventory can be found on the second level. The dealership’s service facilities are spacious, and equipped with a heated drive-through area including an automated car wash with a water recycling system.
