The AIA Canada Quebec Division Golf Tournament was held at the Joliette Golf Club on Thursday, May 30.

The tournament was sold out, with 144 golfers enjoying the company of players from all sectors of the automotive maintenance and repair industry. The weather was glorious. Around 15 people joined us for cocktails and dinner.

During the dinner, Élisabeth Lambert, President of the Quebec Division of AIA Canada, began by thanking the guests for attending in such large numbers, and expressed her sincere thanks to the organizing committee for this seventeenth edition.

Thanks to the generous contributions of industry sponsors, the committee has ensured that the event will be a dynamic one. Various skill competitions offered participants the chance to compete for prizes during the evening.

Lambert went on to review the Quebec division’s activities over the past year. The year began with the Grand Forum du Québec, which focused on the workforce challenges facing our industry.

In February, the division also organised the AIA Canada Day event, during which division volunteers simultaneously visited 10 vocational training centres (VTCs), reaching more than 1,000 students. During the day, more than $5,000 in Raymond Savard scholarships were awarded in collaboration with the AIA Helping Hands for Children Foundation. The President expressed her gratitude to those in attendance, noting that the bursary awards were made possible by the generous donations received during the 2023 golf tournament.

“Achieving the Quebec division’s objectives, including reaching out to the next generation, inevitably depends on the contribution of everyone in our industry. Your presence at the many events we organise ensures our success and makes all the difference. For that, our industry says thank you,” she declared.

She also took a moment to mention the importance of the Association and the benefits of membership. “The challenges are great. Young people. Training. Right to Rerpair.” She reminded us that these three fundamental concepts require the commitment of everyone in order to make a real difference and ensure the long-term survival of the industry.

AIA Canada remains committed to representing, supporting and encouraging innovation in the Canadian automotive service and repair sector with industry players, governments, politicians and the media.

I am AIA campaign

Annie Desmarais, a volunteer on the committee of the Quebec division of AIA Canada and the person responsible for the “I am AIA” campaign, which has been running since December 2022, added a few words about this campaign to raise the profile of industry players.

“The “I am AIA” campaign is an inspiring project that highlights the diversity of our industry. Through your varied stories and experiences, we are showing that this sector is rich in career paths and open to everyone, whatever your ambitions. Whether you’re passionate about tech, sales or management, there’s a place for you. There are many career opportunities and possibilities, and our aim is to demystify the industry and show that it is accessible to everyone, whatever your background”.

The Quebec Division of AIA Canada would like to thank Mathieu Côté, Mario Comtois, Natasha Akhavan, Annie Desmarais, Jean Falcon and André Latreille for being part of the organizing committee for this year’s tournament.

Autosphere.ca would like to thank Jean-François Champagne, President of AIA Canada, who was generous enough to share with our readers the excellent photos he took during the event.