In conjunction with the 78th Annual General Meeting for the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario we once again held our Symposium and Trade Show at the Holiday Inn Oakville Centre, 590 Argus Rd. Oakville, Ontario.
Previously, AARO had the Ministry of Transportation give a sneak peek at the change to the Passenger Light Duty standards that became effective July 1, 2016. At the time, we knew there would be questions surrounding the new regulations on the Motor Vehicle Inspection standards, so we went to work getting the word out to industry.
Over 100 sessions
AARO along with the MTO delivered more than 100 sessions in the province of Ontario. We registered more than 17,000 people and, after all of the sessions, we still had inquiries on the new regulations. For those who did not attend the sessions in person, AARO made the online presentation available to them on the AARO website (aaro.ca). It is still on the website today.
We also ensured that MVIS Inspection Report books were available to ALL service station owners whether they were AARO members or not. Those that are members get the books FREE. Additionally we’ve been working on an APP for the MVIS Inspection reports that were introduced during the AARO Symposium/Trade show on Saturday, October 21, 2017.
This year we decided to hold our first AARO Trade Show with the Symposium, and we were pleased that exhibitor space was sold out prior to the event. Many of the exhibitors were recognizable organizations, including Fincham Automotive Supplies, Ideal Brake Parts, AutoServe1, Carquest, Fram Group, Legal Shield, NAPA Auto Parts, PBL Insurance, Tire Discounter Group, Federal Mogul, Continental Elite, Mevotech and more.
Important issues
AARO is committed to keeping the aftermarket industry informed on important issues through seminars, emails and meetings.
Presenting at our annual Symposium was Donny Seyfer, Co-Owner of Seyfer Automotive and Immediate Past Chairman, Automotive Service Association (ASA) interim Executive Director National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), which is the “right to repair” in the U.S.
Donny has well over three decades of automotive service experience as a technician, manager and service consultant—expertise he shares in various industry roles. Donny spoke about vehicle design and where ownership trends are going.
We also introduced a panel of colleges from across the province to discuss hiring of apprentices and how the curriculum is developed.
Back by popular demand, Dr. Tom Deans, PHD, Intergenerational Wealth Expert and International Speaker, provided tips on succession planning for your business. Every attendee received one of Dr. Tom Dean’s books, which is a New York Times bestseller.
Additional speakers included a representative from the Ministry of Transportation who discussed changes on the Heavy-Duty Regulations 611 & 601, and common questions on the changes that took place on July 1, 2016 on the Light Duty Standards for Passenger Vehicles.
The Ministry of Environment Climate Change also provided an update to the Drive Clean pilot program. AARO has fielded many calls from members on these proposed changes.
Our closing speaker was David Chalk, who is a business coach and consultant and also a leader in technology for over 30 years, plus an award winning entrepreneur, technology futurist and cyber security expert.
Our industry is changing rapidly and AARO is ensuring that we adapt to these changes. We are committed to the future growth and prosperity of our industry.
