Dealers are happy to be back in person for the much-anticipated dealer conference.

The much anticipated in-person return to the CADA Summit 2023 was embraced by a sold-out crowd of appreciative dealers and CADA members, with another large group taking part through the live stream. Also broadcast with French closed captioning for the first time, this year the event was more accessible than ever to dealers across Canada.

“It’s fast moving, with great speakers. The economists were funny and entertaining and at the same time educational. I thought it was excellent,” said Amin Tejani, Vice-President of WEINS Auto Group. “It was a more optimistic look at the future than we were probably thinking.” 

The day began with a topic always on the minds of dealers: the economic outlook. Bank of Canada’s Mario Lefebvre provided his outlook and analysis, and he was followed by Senior Economist from TD Bank Group, Thomas Feltmate. 

Feltmat said inflation is moving in the right direction, predicting that the labour market will remain strong, putting upward pressure on wages. “The labour market right now is incredibly tight,” Feltmate said, “and that is triggering a lot of wage growth”. He said there was “disinflationary pressure” that is mostly affecting goods, but on the service side of the economy, “we are seeing a lot more stickiness.” In terms of a forecast, he said: “We are sticking to this notion of a soft landing. There is nothing that is flashing recession just yet.”

Bob Armstrong, from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, educated attendees about the supply chain. His information was in-depth, and provided an overview of the different forces that affect how and when a car makes it onto a dealership lot. Trucking, railways and the marine industry all play a major role, and all of these can be affected by politics, natural and weather disasters and global events. He then explained how the auto industry is attempting to make the supply chain more resilient to outside forces.

Jason Stein interviews OEM heads

The “Dealership of Tomorrow” was the topic of Glen Mercer’s talk, and the popular automotive consultant, who does a lot of work for NADA, spoke candidly about the economy and how it was impacting auto dealers. He said that the industry is “mostly on track”, with auto retail being resilient in the face of the pandemic as well as threats from direct sales competition and new mobility models. Mercer explored each of the four “ACES”: Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared, and assessed which were threats or opportunities for dealers. 

He also talked about whether a vehicle subscription model will be accepted by North American consumers, and took a wait-and-see approach. In terms of the impact of EVs, Mercer said: “Our view is mixed on the impact to dealers. It really depends on the situation,” he said, adding that for some markets the EV future has already arrived, yet in others it’s still years away from being a major factor. “Electric cars have been predicted many times. Is it different this time? Yes it is.

The Dealer Satisfaction Awards were next on the agenda. The Highest Overall Satisfaction Award for OEMs with fewer than 100 dealerships was Subaru Canada, which celebrated winning this award for an astonishing ten years in a row. For Manufacturers with over 100 dealerships, the Highest Overall Satisfaction Award went to Mazda Canada for the fourth year in a row.

“I’m so proud of all our associates back at Subaru Canada and all our 95 dealers,” said Don Durst, in an interview on the green carpet at the event. “It’s amazing: 10 years in a row. When we first started with Subaru back in 2004, we were positioned 18 out of 22 OEMs. With the help of CADA, we slowly got better, we’ve got a great Dealer Advisory Board, and then 10 years ago—number one.”

The award for Most Effective OEM and Dealer Communication for Manufacturers with under 100 stores went to Porsche Canada, a first-time winner. In that category for OEMs with over 100 stores, the Most Effective OEM and Dealer Communication award was presented to Mazda Canada.

For Most Improved in Overall Satisfaction for OEMs with under 100 dealerships, Infiniti Canada took home the award, and their partner company Nissan Canada won for the Most Improved manufacturer with over 100 dealerships.

The event also featured a video tribute to the 2022 CADA Laureates, featuring a visit to their dealerships by Tim Reuss and other industry leaders to celebrate their achievement.

One of the most popular sessions was Norwegian auto dealer Sverre Helno, of Norway’s largest dealer group Møller Bil. He shared stories with dealers about Norway’s transition to electric vehicles and lessons learned along the way. It was a fascinating insight into the challenges as well as the opportunities that Norway has experienced in the last ten years, going from zero, to their present state of selling over 80 per cent electric vehicles.

Helno talked about how the dealership model is changing for electric vehicles, with dealers acting more as agents during the sales process, which is mostly online. However there is still a place for dealers, and there are business opportunities for dealers that the transition presents.

Thomas Feltmate, TD Bank

Dealers we talked with at the event kept referencing Helno’s presentation as a highlight of the day, with several saying they wish he had more time on stage. Others reached out to Canadian auto dealer for his contact information which is a good indication of the impact he had on dealers.

To make the most of this environment, the industry will need more technicians who specialize in working with high-voltage batteries and EVs, he said. These techs also need specialized equipment to make working on these cars efficient, and most of all, safe. 

In terms of lost service revenues, Helno said it hasn’t been as bad as some predicted. But dealerships can take back business in areas like windshield repairs and other services they’ve outsourced, and focus on damage repairs and collision. He also said that dealers need to look at the used car market beyond what we currently have, so that we can expect to sell the car not once, but twice.

At the end of the day, Helno stressed the biggest asset dealerships have is their people. “The best people always win,” he said.

Jérémie Bernardin took up the EV conversation after Helno answered some questions posed by Niel Hiscox, Publisher of Canadian auto dealer. Bernardin talked about the Canadian EV experience from his perspective running an EV dealership in Nova Scotia, where currently EVs only represent three per cent of auto sales. Bernardin talked about who the EV customer is, noting there’s less brand loyalty, but many companies buy EVs for marketing and advertising purposes. Customers are generally knowledgeable, and are willing to spend more time shopping.

Hiscox then moderated the dealer panel, which featured Rein Knol, Dealer Principal of Performance Hyundai and Grimsby Hyundai in Ontario, Michael Wyant, Chief Operating Officer of Wyant Group in Western Canada, Mathieu Pothier, Dealer Principal, Acura Trois-Rivières, and Bert Hickman, President and CEO, Hickman Automotive Group in Newfoundland and Labrador. They talked about the Canadian retail industry and made points about how they have built a customer-focused culture in their stores, how they empower their team members throughout the dealership, and why listening from the bottom up is key to creating a great work environment that makes customers happy.

“Live from the Green Carpet” had Canadian auto dealer correspondent Kay Layne chatting with attendees about their take-aways from the Summit, and what they’re looking forward to. She spoke with NSADA Chair John Sutherland about how he enjoyed hearing about the economic forecast, and how the Bank of Canada is determined to reduce inflation. She then interviewed Don Romano, the President & CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corporation about how he appreciated hearing Sverre Helno’s take on how Norway built the much needed EV infrastructure to become successful in their EV transition. Layne chatted with Vaughn Wyant, President and CEO of the Wyant Auto Group in Western Canada, who loved connecting with industry colleagues and spoke about how important CADA is to Canadian dealers.

CADA’s President and CEO Tim Reuss was joined for a panel discussion by his North American dealer association colleagues, Mike Stanton from NADA, and Guillermo Rosales Zarate, Executive President, Asociación Mexicana de Distribuidores de Automores, to chat about the state of the industry, and commonalities among the North American countries regarding how the associations help their members navigate the current political and economic environments in their countries. 

Flavio Volpe, President and CEO of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) gave a guided tour of Project Arrow, an EV that has been designed, engineered and built with the help of more than 40 selected partners from Canadian suppliers and post-secondary institutions. Volpe used the success and the interest in this project to ask a very serious question: what would it take to launch a real Canadian car company? What is stopping us?

To close out the program, Jason Stein took the stage with Legendary British F1 driver Johnny Herbert to record an episode of his popular Cars & Culture with Jason Stein podcast that was broadcast on SiriusXM. Herbert shared stories and anecdotes about life on the F1 Circuit, during his career racing with legends in the sport.

All in all, the day left attendees energized, inspired and looking forward to the Summit 2024.

Don Romano, President Hyundai Canada

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Stormy weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of the dealers and auto industry professionals who gathered at the Grand Hall of the Fallsview Resort and Casino for TADA’s Automotive Conference and Expo in Niagara Falls on October 19th. The two-day event, called “Shift Forward,” featured content sessions, and a packed hall of more than 60 suppliers who cater to the automotive industry.

The lineup of speakers and panels was diverse, touching upon everything from digital marketing to hiring diversity. Starting the first day was Mathew Growden, Head of Google Canada’s Auto Retail team. His lively session took dealers through data and trends the company is seeing in how consumers shop for vehicles.

Next up was the Demo Theater, sponsored by Kijiji Autos. Fourteen exhibitors, including one automated robot, delivered a 2-minute elevator pitch aimed at educating dealers about what they do and what’s on display in their booth.

Justin Poy, from the Justin Poy agency hosted a “War for Talent” panel, which discussed staffing and human resources challenges the industry is facing and how to meet the future with the right team at your dealership.

CADA President and CEO Tim Reuss lent his perspective on a range of key issues facing the industry, including the luxury tax ramifications, roadblocks to electrification, data sharing principles, and what CADA is doing to lobby the government on behalf of industry.

Next up was Jeremy Reisler, Industry Lead, Automotive and Financial Services with TikTok Canada who showed dealers lots of examples of how OEMs and dealers are using TikTok effectively as another marketing and entertainment channel.

That was followed by a panel on the future of the auto industry, moderated by Todd Phillips, senior editor of Canadian auto dealer. That panel featured Google’s Mathew Growden, Ian MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer at AutoTrader.ca, Tony Koubridis, Vice-President, Growth at AutoVerify, and Shawn Vording, VP Product & Sales from Carfax.

The final keynote of the day was from famed Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. His inspiring tales of space travel, and the journey his life took to get him there had the audience mesmerized.

ACE day two began with some very motivating women talking about topics ranging from technological innovation to cyber security, to diversity, equity and inclusion in the auto realm as part of the event’s Women Driven content. The day kicked off with an inspirational and motivational speech by Janet Bannister, currently a managing partner at Real Ventures, and the founder of Kijiji.ca.

The day concluded with Celina Caesar-Chavannes talking about how dealerships can advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals within their companies, and why it’s good for business to do so.

The next session in the Women Driven schedule was a panel discussion about dismantling barriers for women in the auto industry, which was hosted by award-winning automotive journalist Petrina Gentile, and featured Maureen A. Harquail, CEO of OMVIC; Yolanda Biswah, Senior VP and GM of Canadian Black Book; Natalie Varey, HR advisor at DealerPILOT, and Edith Pencil, Director of Employee Services at Performance Auto Group.

Cybersecurity expert Cat Coode took the stage next, to talk about how you can make your employees the best first defence against cyber crime in your business. The day concluded with Celina Caesar-Chavannes talking about how dealerships can advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals within their companies, and why it’s good for business to do so.

Everyone left the conference inspired, more informed, and energized to take on whatever challenges and take advantage of what opportunities may come our way next.

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In news that will please everyone who has been looking forward to in-person events again, the popular Automotive Conference & Expo (ACE) event is back in full force this year. Taking place in Niagara Falls on October 19 and 20 at the Fallsview Resort, the event is put on by Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA), in partnership with Consolidated Dealers, to once again bring the automotive community together around this year’s theme: “Shift Forward”. 

 Canadian auto dealer had an opportunity to have a chat with TADA’s Liz Kearney last week to talk about all the exciting events happening at ACE 2022, and what makes this in-person event extra special.

“We’ve had our previous virtual events and they were great when we had to be virtual, but there’s something that you can’t replace with in-person events,” she said. There’s those quick catch-ups between sessions, for competitors seeing who’s doing what, and who’s looking where. It’s really something special when you have that in-person experience.”

The event layout itself will be familiar to previous attendees, with the comprehensive trade show section leading into the keynote stage where the main speaker sessions will happen, and an area for the breakout sessions. “There’s two parts to it,” said Kearney, “There’s an exhibition part. And there’s the content part. 

“This year’s theme is ‘Shift Forward,’ because the industry has been changing so rapidly in the past few years, with the pandemic, with inventory levels, with everything that’s been going on in the world. And so we are taking that and we’re embracing it,” she said. “We are shifting forward with innovation and with speakers who are going to bring you information you need for where your consumers are going.”  

She said a good example of the theme is the opening session with Matthew Growden, Head of the Google Canada Auto Retail Team, who will be talking about “Google’s Think Dealer” information on the modern consumer journey, and consumer expectations. Another session is going to be with Tim Reuss from CADA, giving his unique perspective and expertise on a range of issues from lobbying efforts to the future role of dealer councils.

On Day Two, ACE features Janet Bannister. She’s one of the founders of Kijiji, sharing her experience on leaning into innovation and making sure that your business is overcoming barriers to moving forward. She’ll also be sharing her experience as a woman in the technology world, which is very similar to women in the automotive industry, as part of ACE’s ‘Women Driven’ programming.

Janet Bannister will open the day with her unique take on leadership and innovation as well as share her story as a female working in the male-dominated tech industry and the strategies she used to overcome obstacles while also supporting other women.  

 A panel in the main hall will focus on Dismantling Barriers, a discussion of how business leaders can encourage women to enter the industry and support their progress into leadership positions. Panellists will share their personal experience as well as their recommendations for what actionable steps business leaders can take to dismantle barriers – the conscious and unconscious. The panel is still growing, but includes industry notables such as Yolanda Biswah, Senior VP and General Manager of Canadian Black Book and Edith Pencil, Director of Employee Services for the Performance Auto Group.

 Cat Coode, who was named one of Canada’s Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity 2021, will cover all things data protection and give dealers the instructions they need to train their employees on cyber security best practices.

 Celina Caesar Chavannes, formerly  a Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Parliamentary Secretary for International Development, is another exciting speaker in the lineup. During her term as a Member of Parliament, she earned several distinctions including a feature in the April 2018 edition of O (Oprah Winfrey) Magazine. In 2019 she was named Chatelaine Magazine’s Woman of the Year.

Currently she is a business consultant, author and Sr. Advisor of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Initiatives and Adjunct Lecturer at Queen’s University.

 One of the most exciting sessions at ACE 2022 will be the keynote speaker, Chris Hadfield, the renowned Canadian astronaut and spaceship commander. “He will be speaking on leadership and how to manage through complexity and change,” said Kearney.  “He’s going to share how he managed things that came out of nowhere, in his case, in life and death situations. And sometimes, you know, in the business world it feels that way as well.”

The ACE breakout sessions are more tactical and specifically informational, where dealers can choose to stream and then go learn in some more hands-on workshops. 

“We’ve got breakout sessions, including Ontario’s market forecasts from DSMA valuations; and we’ve got someone coming in to cover cybersecurity, a huge pain point for not only dealerships, but in many different areas where the industry is vulnerable. So we’re bringing in an expert to talk about that. And also we’ve got Jeremy Reisler, who is from TikTok. He’ll be speaking about this whole new platform that has millions of people worldwide using it, so it’s a new arena that dealers can use to share their messaging.”

The event will also feature the full trade show floor, with about 60 different vendors covering all sorts of relevant products and services. “We’ve got your Hunter Engineering, we’ve got digital marketing experts. We’ve got Cox Automotive, with their suite of products, and CarFax, just to name a few,” said Kearney. “This is a great opportunity to reconnect with your current vendors, and to see what else is out there; to bring them your pain points and find the solutions that they’ve created. 

“Demo Theatre is something that we have a lot of fun with at ACE. It’s an elevator pitch version of what our vendors are doing. There’s a great big count out clock and they only get two minutes, so they really have to be quick. It’s really fun,” she said. When you add in the cocktail reception, the performance by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider at the ACR Kick-off event at Margaritaville, along with a whole host of other interesting speakers and networking opportunities, this is one return-to-form event that is not to be missed.

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