Collision Repair Advisory Committee Meets

The first meeting of a National Advisory Committee to guide the development of the CARS Collision Repair Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) Project was held recently in Toronto.

The committee, which is comprised of senior representatives of key industry associations and organizations including: Larry Jefferies of Carstar Automotive; John Babier, Nor-Jon Management Associates; Tracey Blouin, I-CAR; Jean Boudreau, Comit sectoriel de main d’oeuvre des services automobiles; Ken Boulton, Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company; Tony Canad, Oaktown Collision; Graham Conrad, Nova Scotia Automotive Industy; Francis Deschnes, Rparatek Longueuil; Mike Emerson, Hawley Collision Centre; Bill Finan, B&B Automotive Collision; Glenn Hickey, Auto Parts Network; Roger Goudreau, Comit paritaire de l’industrie de Montral; P. J. Hnatiuk, Canadian Auto Collision; John Scissons, Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers; Pat Stenson, Kingston Collision Centre; Roland Taube, PBE Committee, AIA/Akzo Nobel Coatings Ltd.; and, Jean Lantier, Human Resources Development Canada.

The committee wasted no time in getting down to work and as a first order of business, the committee elected Larry Jefferies of Carstar Automotive as Chairperson. Mr. Jefferies then encouraged the committee members to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and led them through a detailed review of the CARS project plan.

The committee paid particular attention to the questionnaires to be used as part of the survey and focus group sessions. In a hands-on working session that took most of the day, the Committee members edited the questionnaires, making changes where appropriate and suggesting new areas for focusing the research.

CARS is now in the process of revising the industry surveys, as approved by the committee, and preparing them for distribution. Some of the first opportunities for industry members to participate in the national Collision Repair IDL survey will be at the Canadian Collision Industry Congress in Toronto, September 18 to 21 and at the Canadian Collision Industry Forum in Moncton, October 4. CARS will be on hand at these events to distribute the survey questionnaires and to conduct focus groups. For more information on how to participate, please contact Linda Brown at CARS, (905) 709-1010.