AIA Calls On Provincial Governments For The Right To Repair
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In letters to provincial premiers, Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) president Marc Brazeau pressed for greater transparency and accessibility for the independent service and repair industry.
“In an effort to formulate a voluntary agreement, AIA has over the last two years provided strong evidence to the federal government regarding the need to ensure that these tools and technology are made available to our service and repair members,” said Brazeau in the letter.
“We have met with all involved ministers at the federal level. During the recent federal election we made a concerted effort to reach every candidate in every riding to gain their support for the local service and repair providers in your community. You should be aware that the software, tools and training are available to independent automotive service and repair shops in the U. S. — we are calling for the same level playing field in Canada that is available to our U. S. counterparts. The automotive sector functions within a North American marketplace, and why should Canadian automotive aftermarket companies be treated any differently from their U. S. counterparts?”
As the proportion of newer vehicles becomes larger, the inability to access repair tools and information has the potential to cripple thousands of service centres across the country, eliminating consumer choice.
The letter outlined some important statistics: In 2006, employment in the aftermarket industry reached 410,700, representing 44.8% of the entire automotive industry. Total Canadian aftermarket retail sales reached $16.7 billion.
The impact is felt particularly strongly in Ontario, where businesses contributed $6.1 billion to that total. In addition, according to Statistics Canada figures for 2006, Ontario sits on top of motor vehicle repair shop counts with 7,869, 34.4% of the national total.
“Government support of the whole auto industry, not just manufacturing, is of vital interest” to these businesses, Brazeau stated.
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