College pre-license, basic and intermediate apprenticeship and estimating training offered

July 19, 2004

PRE-APPRENTICESHIP/ MAP OFFERED AT NIAGARA COLLEGE
Do you employ a part-time ambitious worker? How about a prepper who wants to move into apprenticeship and collision repair? You know a young person who keeps asking about a career in collision repair and auto painting? Niagara College’s Welland Motive Skills campus is offering a MAP-32 week apprenticeship training program in September. An information session for interested students is being held at the Welland, Ontario campus on Wednesday July 21 at 11:00 am and again at 6:30 pm. Please call Elizabeth Ramsay at (905) 735-2211x7457 for more information. Most training costs are subsidized by the Ontario government.

PRE-LICENSE COLLISION REPAIR JOURNEYMAN COURSE OFFERED AT MOHAWK COLLEGE

Are you a long-standing auto body or collision repair tech but never got around to sitting the Certificate of Qualification exam, or took the course some years ago and did not pass? Here’s your chance to take a government-subsidized pre-license course to provide the help you need to become a licensed tech. Starting Monday August 16th at Mohawk’s Auto Body lab in Stoney Creek, this one week course (8:30 am- 5:00 pm for five days) costs $187.20 for the entire week. Course Registration CRN # is 200420 and the Course Code is MOTPSAM67. To register go to: www.mohawkcollege.ca/cecat/reginfo.html Ten students must be enrolled by August 12 or class will not run.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL AUTOBODY APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING OFFERED FOR $400

Are you a registered apprentice and still needs the intermediate portion of your training? The next class starts August 30, 2004 at the Stoney Creek campus of Mohawk College. Contact your local MTCU office for registration details, and determine your schedule. For registered apprentices, the cost of the eight-week training course is $400.00

BASIC ESTIMATING TRAINING OFFERED IN KITCHENER AND EASTERN TORONTO AREAS

In response to shop demands, the popular six-night Basic Estimating class is now being offered in the evening starting August 16 for eastern Toronto and Durham area, and starting August 17 for the Kitchener/Waterloo area. This is the eighth year for the popular training course, but the first time offered in these locations. Costs for all six nights is $450.00 or $350.00 (GST extra) for local trade association members. Call Helena for more registration information at 1-866-309-4272 or info@ciia.com. Complete detailed course outline available on request.

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July 13, 2004

The popular Basic Estimating training course is being offered for the first time in East Toronto starting Aug 16, 2004.

This marks the eighth year for the class but the first time offered in East Toronto.

The basic six-night course in designed to help shops of office employees who need assistance in estimating collision damage on cars and light trucks.

Class attendees have been apprentices, office front line staff, appraisers, adjusters, and a number of shop managers.

Taught by experienced apprenticeship instructor, Jim Miles, the three-week course includes introduction to estimating, understanding vehicle construction, fundamentals of estimate writing, understanding collision
manuals, additional charges and collision damage analysis.

A course outline and student information sheet is available on request. Students that have previously inquired and are on the waiting list will get priority. Classes are from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Class size is limited so please call early to avoid disappointment. Class notes and binder are included.

Course fee is $350.00 (plus GST) for collision trade association members and $450 for non-members (plus GST)

Students can register by calling HARA at (905) 664-7888 or 1-866-309-4272 or e-mail info@ciia.com

The Monday and Wednesday scheduled training dates are:

August 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, Sept 1

The exact location is to be announced.

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July 9, 2004

The popular Basic Estimating training course is being offered for the first time in Kitchener / Waterloo starting Aug 17, 2004.

This marks the eighth year for the class but the first time offered in Kitchener / Waterloo.

The basic six-night course in designed to help shops of office employees who need assistance in estimating collision damage on cars and light trucks.

Class attendees have been apprentices, office front line staff, appraisers, adjusters, and a number of shop managers.

Taught by experienced apprenticeship instructor, Jim Miles, the three-week course includes introduction to estimating, understanding vehicle construction, fundamentals of estimate writing, understanding collision
manuals, additional charges and collision damage analysis.

A course outline and student information sheet is available on request. Students that have previously inquired and are on the waiting list will get priority. Classes are from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Class size is limited so please call early to avoid disappointment. Class notes and binder are included.

Course fee is $350.00 (plus GST) for collision trade association members and $450 for non-members (plus GST)

Students can register by calling HARA at (905) 664-7888 or 1-866-309-4272 or e-mail info@ciia.com

The Tuesday and Thursday scheduled training dates are:

August 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, Sept 2

The exact location is to be announced.

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NIAGARA COLLEGE ANNOUNCES APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Do you employ a part-time ambitious worker? How about a prepper who wants to move into apprenticeship and collision repair? You know a young person who keeps asking about a career in collision repair and auto painting?

Please have them attend this free information session on how to enter the trade, held twice at Niagara College on Wednesday July 21 at 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

For more information on the trade, please contact HARA at 1-866-309-4272

For advertisement please click here

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CARSTAR Campaign Raises $30,000 for Cystic Fibrosis

CARSTAR Collision Repair Centres across Canada raised $30,048 for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and local fundraising groups at the first annual CARSTAR "Soaps it Up for Cystic Fibrosis" National Car Wash.

"Giving back and contributing to the community is a very important part of what CARSTAR stands for," says Sam Mercanti, CEO & President of CARSTAR Automotive Canada. "We are extremely proud and thankful to all of our franchisees and volunteers who helped make this fundraising event such a great success." CARSTAR franchisees, staff members and hundreds of cystic fibrosis volunteers soaped up over 4000 vehicles for the cause.

"The CF community is so very grateful that CARSTAR has chosen to expand its support to the Foundation with this new event," says Cathleen Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. "With the help of dedicated allies at CARSTAR, the Foundation can continue to fund groundbreaking research that will lead to a cure or effective control for cystic fibrosis."

Melody Thomas Scott, who plays Nikki Newman on the Young & The Restless was the celebrity guest on hand for the kick-off event in Toronto and London locations in Ontario on Friday, July 9th, 2004. Many other local celebrities and media personalities across the nation also helped raise profile for the event and even helped wash a few cars.

Cystic fibrosis attacks the lungs and the digestive system, and is the most common, fatal genetic disease affecting young Canadians. CARSTAR Automotive Canada has been a dedicated supporter of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for several years, after it was discovered that the granddaughter of a CARSTAR franchisee was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

CARSTAR Automotive Canada has grown from eight to over 95 locations since it was founded in 1995.

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WALKAWAY Protection for Automotive Financing is widely known as the first and only credit insurance in the world that protects consumers from financing shortfalls arising from vehicle depreciation, claims Vince Beretta, president of WALKAWAY owner iNet-Fi Inc.

Beretta says depreciation coverage isn't the company's only first. WALKAWAY is also Canada's first and only 100 percent web-based credit insurance.

"Pioneering the Internet has allowed us to deliver tremendous convenience to dealerships," he says. "When we launched our dealer site (iNet-Fi.com) and consumer site (walkawayprotection.com) in 1999, many dealerships weren't even online. We introduced them to a far easier and more efficient way of operating."

With iNet-Fi.com, dealers can monitor their monthly WALKAWAY profitability, recall certificates, eliminate certificate audits and never run out of certificates or prepare remittances.

In an industry that has essentially not updated its information infrastructure in 40 years, these advantages are nothing short of revolutionary, he claims. "It's about convenience and speed, but it's also about adding value," says Rob Varga, iNet-Fi's V-P of marketing.

"For example, we can instantly post training material or product update notices, and even view territory sales online to identify dealers that might benefit from assistance."

iNet-Fi's ultimate customer might be the consumer but, judging from it's dealership-friendly approach, its first customer is the dealer.

Look for more online from WALKAWAY, says Beretta.

"In the future, we intend to conduct claims handling online too, making iNet-fi the world's first end-to-end aftermarket website."

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IT'S OFTEN called "working under the table" and it costs the provincial and federal governments millions of dollars in lost revenue each year. But the underground economy also carries many hidden costs, the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) warns.

The practice of accepting cash for construction projects pits underground contractors against legitimate contractors on an unlevel playing field, says Katharine Jacobs, OCS manager of research and analysis.

"Legitimate contractors are paying legitimate expenses, so it costs more for them (to complete a project) than someone in the underground economy," she says. "Legitimate contractors pay into apprenticeship training through their union and contribute to workers' compensation to help people who are hurt on the job."

'TWICE AS SAFE'

They also invest in safer workplaces, she notes, "Our research indicates unionized workers are twice as safe as their underground economy counterparts."

The underground economy has been growing since the early 1990's. "We saw a sharp increase in the use of cash for transactions around the time the GST was introduced in 1991," Jacobs says. "It was also a time of recession, so the GST was an additional burden. People were trying to find work and do it cheaply."

That in turn led to a dramatic increase in the number of self-employed construction workers. Though many are legitimate, self-employment makes it easier for underground workers to conceal how much they earn, thereby reducing the amount they pay in income tax.

In 2001, the underground economy accounted for about one-quarter of all construction work - the equivalent of about 76,400 workers - the OCS estimates. In 2002, it cost Ontario about $1.3 billion - the equivalent of 20,000 new long term beds or 79,000 post-secondary students. About 64 percent of that amount is attributable to income that is not declared for income tax purposes, the OCS reports.

Labour Minister Chris Bentley has vowed to "aggressively target" the underground economy to stem an estimated $2 billion annual loss of government revenue from the construction sector alone. Over the next months, the government will, in collaboration with other partners:

- Train inspector to deal with issues related to the underground economy.
- Expand efforts to identify unregistered operators in the construction sector.
- Undertake a public awareness campaign.
- Look to expand and improve enforcement

Organized labour looks forward to those initiatives. "We are dealing with the impact of the underground economy every day," says William Nicholls, business manager / secretary treasurer with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. That union represents about 2,000 members across the province.

"Registered contractors are paying decent wages and benefits and are at a disadvantage when they compete against underground contractors. According to our estimates, it accounts for a difference of about 26 to 35 per cent," Nicholls says.

Legitimate contractors may be unwittingly supporting the underground economy.

"General contractors may take on a subcontractor who hires underground economy contractors.

There's nothing legislated to have them declare they are paying the appropriate deductions," Nicholls says.

"We're involved in organized non-union workers, but need to see other advances to correct the problem."

BY THE NUMBERS

According to the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS), the growth of the underground economy continues to negatively impact the construction industry in many ways. Hidden costs include:

- Higher tax and contribution burdens on legitimate contractors and workers.
- Unfair competition for legitimate contractors and workers.
- Potentially weakens health and safety policies, undermines labour standards and erodes construction standards.
- Reduces the contribution base for benefits plans.
- Weakens apprenticeship training and skills development.

(information from OCS at www.iciconstruction.com)

(From The Toronto Sun Career Connection)

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Sponsors make the Tournament successful

June 30, 2004

With assistance to a favourite charity and huge sponsorship support, the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association’s (HARA) 35th Anniversary Golden Horseshoe Golf Tournament was again a success. A free trip to anywhere that Air Canada flies in Canada, made the event “take off”

The June 29th golf event at Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club was delayed from the original rain-soaked date of May 4 this year and the new date was welcomed by warmth and sunshine followed by a steak dinner and special awards and prizes. A one thousand dollar cheque was awarded to Help a Child Smile Foundation on behalf of the tournament and Foundation representative Bertha Bertrand, collision co-manager of Brian Cullen Motors in St. Catharines, and one of last year’s Influential Women in Collision Repair award winners, accepted the cheque with thanks.

Overall Low Gross winner, Paul Reynolds, took home a 35th Anniversary Golf plaque, has his name on the Harry Shannon Memorial trophy and won a trip anywhere in Canada courtesy of Rick Valin, BASF- bodyshopmall.com. Paul immediately auctioned off his ticket with proceeds going to the Help a Child Smile Foundation. Highest bidder was Don McLaughlin of Goodturn Ride Centres and the winner of a Hamilton apprenticeship and skilled trades training award. Don McLaughlin was also highest bidder on a BBQ auction, initially won by Terry Bonar and then donated to the Foundation charity.

Winner of Discount Car and Truck Rentals award for closest to the pin, presented by Sonya Brown were Anna Charles of vlend.com and Don McLaughlin, with the award for longest drive going to Swav Pietras from Budd’s Collision.

Prizes for the table were donated by: A1 Auto Parts, Akzo Nobel coatings, Bell City Auto Wreckers, Border Pontiac, Brian Cullen Collision, Brantford Chrysler, Brantford Honda, Canada Brokerlink, Carcone’s Auto Recycling, CARS Auto Collision, City Automotive, CMAX, David Chevrolet Oldsmobile, Discount Car Rentals, Dominion Auto Wreckers, Dundas Valley Collision Centre, FIX AUTO, HARA, Impact Auto Auctions, Jerry’s Collision Centre, Johnston Motors, Ken Timson Auto Body, Logel’s Auto Parts, Miller’s Auto Recycling, Mountain Collision Centre, Paling Industries, Ploder’s Collision, Pro Auto Parts, Pro Auto Recyclers, Sterling Honda, vlend.com, Wentworth Collision FIX AUTO, Wills Chevrolet Oldsmobile

Special thanks to the many sponsors of this annual event: 3M Canada, ADP, Akzo-Nobel Sikkens, BASF Canada, Bodyshop and Le Bodyshop magazine, CMAX, Discount

Car Rentals, Dom’s Auto Parts, DuPont Performance Coatings, FIX AUTO, Hamilton District School Board’s OYAP program, Mitchell International, PPG Canada, Pro Auto Parts, Pro Auto Recyclers, Sherwin Williams Automotive Finishes, Treschak Enterprises,

For more information on the Golden Horseshoe Golf Tournament please call 1-866-309-4272 (HARA)

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July 2, 2004

It would be enough to make even the most hardened speedster's heart skip a beat when they spy this police car rapidly closing in their rear view mirrors.

The low-slung two-door Lamborghini Gallardo (pronounced ga-yàrdo) supercar – complete with 500hp V10 engine and capable of 190 mph – was recently donated by Automobili Lamborghini SpA to the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) on the occasion of its 152nd anniversary.

For its duties with the traffic police (Polizia Stradale) patrolling the Salerno-Reggio Calabria highway in southern Italy, the Gallardo Police Car has been kitted out with a siren and flashing lights on the roof, as well as a host of high-tech equipment to handle emergency and first aid activities.

Onboard medical equipment includes a special defibrillator which performs electrocardiograms and automatic diagnosis of arterial pressure and the presence of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. In addition, the sleek sports car also carries advanced technological apparatus for receiving and transmitting information and images during critical situations, such as road traffic accidents, fires and other disaster situations.

The Gallardo's high performance capabilities and sophisticated permanent all-wheel drive system will make one of its most important tasks – the swift transportation of plasma and human organs for transplants – possible even in bad weather and road conditions.

Automobili Lamborghini SpA and PPG Industries formed a strong relationship some 29 years ago so it's no surprise to find that the blue and white design of this Gallardo Police Car is finished with PPG products. Today, PPG remains the sole coatings supplier to Lamborghini's Sant'Agata factory for the Murcielago and for the "End of Line" products.

Lamborghini is obsessive about the finish of its premium quality vehicles so it chooses to use the same premium quality PPG Envirobase and Global Refinish System (GRS) products that are used in auto refinish markets in The States and around the world.

Indeed, each car carries a special sticker pointing out that approved Lamborghini repairers are required to use PPG refinish products to keep them in line with the quality of the OE finishes coming out of the Sant'Agata factory.

As for the awesome Lamborghini Gallardo Police Car, it seems that for the moment the title of the world's fastest police car is secure with the Italian State Police.

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According to the company's brief public release dated July 1, the focus will be on 'realigning the business with changing market conditions' and will involve the reduction of an equivalent of approximately 600 full-time jobs, or 10% of the global workforce. Most regions of the world will be affected.

The proposed measures are to be carried out during 2004-2006, however the company stated that it is aiming to make most of the decisions this year.

Discussions with all relevant parties about the restructuring plans have started. By using socially responsible methods, Akzo Nobel Car Refinishes says it intends to limit forced redundancies as much as possible.

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Former HARA president part of task force

Shops have complained very vocally about their perception of “double taxation” when it comes to the treatment of supplies, sundries and materials that are used as part of a vehicle repair.

Field auditors from the Retail Sales Tax Branch of the Ministry of Finance, frequently audit and re-assess retail sales tax on collision shops that do not pay retail sales tax on sandpaper, tape and paper, etc., that they purchase from suppliers.

In many cases these re-assessments are as high as $10,000.

Under current tax rules, shops are required to pay retail sales tax (RST) in Ontario, if they purchase sundries and supplies that are to be used or “consumed” in the repair of the vehicle. Shops are also required to charge RST on the completed vehicle. Many shops felt that were remitting twice the level of tax. Many facilities issued an Exemption Certificate to their vendors, not paying tax on purchasing supplies and then were subsequently audited.

Alex Szabo, past-president of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) told senior Ministry of Finance officials at a recent meeting that if a shop includes a line on their invoicing for these materials and supplies, and collects the necessary RST, then the purchase of the materials should be tax-except.

At the same meeting, Mr. Szabo, strongly suggested that the Ministry should focus on the underground economy instead of devoting so many resources to investigating legitimate shops. He also recommended to the Ministry that they should assist the collision repair industry in the passage of the Collision Repair Standards Act (Bill 186), which would ensure that all must pay their due retail sales taxes in order to be properly accredited in the future. Government has requested a formal report on support from CISCO.

Assistant Deputy Minister Marion Crane and other senior members of both the provincial Ministry and federal Revenue Canada representatives felt the suggestion had significant merit and urged HARA to make a formal proposal for the Ministry for review

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Continuing inquiries from shops have prompted the office at the Hamilton
District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) to remind shops that certain
provincial environmental regulations have been changed and shop costs are
now reduced.

A number of shops have been contacting the office recently, looking for help
in identifying emissions from their shop in accordance with Ontario
Regulation 127/01

This regulation, passed in 2001, requires that airborne emissions from
facilities, starting January 1, 2002 are reported to the Ontario Ministry of
Environment. The type and amount of emissions from each shop are to be
measured. It was expected that the cost for hiring engineers to measure and
report these emissions would cost over $3000 per year per shop.

However, due to recommendations and suggestions from HARA, the Ministry
announced on November 10, 2001 a new reporting requirement that only shops
that use over 3000 kilograms of coating product or 3000 kilograms of solvent
need actually report. If a shop uses less than 3000 kilograms, they need do
nothing.

For most shops, this means that only shops using about 50 liters of paint
per week or more need actually report, depending on the amount of solids in
the paint mix.

Tony Nigro, President of HARA, says that " We believe this significant
savings that HARA has provided shops will apply in over 98% of the shops in
Ontario. Savings to the industry will total over six million dollars, that
would have gone to hiring engineers and reporting costs." Mr Nigro cautions
shops that they still must possess the mandatory Certificate of Approval
document from the Ministry of Environment

For further information on these issues, please call the HARA office at
1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or see:

http://www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/environment.html

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NEW HARA CONTACT INFORMATION

The HARA office has new phone numbers. We apologize for any recent inconvenience. We are eager to hear from you and help you with any problems or needs.

Our new contact information is below:

Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA)
mailing: P.O. Box 47594, Centre Mall,
Hamilton, Ontario
L8H 7S7

Office: 350 Dosco Drive, 2nd Floor
Stoney Creek, Ontario
L8E 2N5

Phone (905) 664-7888
Fax (905) 664-3340
Toll free 1-866-309-4272 (HARA)

E-mail hara@ciia.com

Best wishes,

John Norris

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HARA
Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association
"To represent the best interests of the industry, providing opportunities for growth for environmentally sound, profitable businesses having competent and trained professionals serving the public."

WE HAVE MOVED AGAIN (as of July 15th, 2003)

HARA's new office is: