"My goals this year are to ensure that AIA is successful in moving forward with the commitment to find the right mechanism to represent and support the Automotive Service Provider," Larry Jefferies said in his acceptance speech. "Finding the right formula will ensure we are positioned to support the success of our membership. The right fit to compliment what the warehouse distributors and suppliers are doing with their customers is critical.

Larry Jefferies has close to 30 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket industry, particularly the Canadian collision repair side of the business. In 1994, Larry co-founded CARSTAR Automotive Canada. CARSTAR has built a network of 95 franchised, and company owned collision stores, currently operating in 8 provinces.

Prior to founding CARSTAR, Larry worked for for BASF Canada Refinish Division for nearly 20 years.

Larry's volunteer involvement in the aftermarket has been extensive. He has been an active AIA volunteer for 15 years. Originally as a member of the Paint, Body and Equipment (PBE) Council, including a three-year term as chairman of the Council, prior to joining the AIA Executive Committee.

Larry is also active in I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, and was recognized by I-CAR International for 15 years of dedication in supporting I-CAR's success in Canada. He has also been involved with PBE industry associations including HARA and OCRA. Larry was also a member of the steering committee on the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) Collision Industry Human Resource Study.

Larry has served as chairman of the Parts and Material Committee of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum for three years.

Larry's latest contribution to the automotive aftermarket involves the collaboration between CARS, I-CAR and CARSTAR in the launch of Collision TV. Collision TV hit the airwaves in February 2004 providing collision industry specific training to technicians. There are 35 sites operating in 6 provinces. This number is expected to grow to 100 over the next 24 months.

AIA also welcomed Scott Smith to the AIA team as Manager, Government Relations. Working with AIA President Ray Datt, Scott will be responsible for developing and implementing government relations programs for the association and for providing the required legislative and other research required to support these activities.

Scott will act as the AIA staff liaison for the Engine Rebuiders and the Paint, Body and Equipment Councils, as well as the secondary staff liaison for the Government Relations Committee. Scott will also be responsible for the upkeep, development and implementation of the AIA by-laws.

AIA also announced the appointment of industry veteran Ron Killby in the newly created position of AIA Western Regional Coordinator. Ron joined AIA at the beginning of April. He will report to AIA Vice President Marc Brazeau.

Ron Killby has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket industry in Canada and the United States, most recently with Hastings Canada. During his career, he also worked with McGladdery Sales Company and Fram AutoLite. Ron earned his Certified Sales Professional (CSP) designation from the Canadian Professional Sales Association. Ron also holds a Business Diploma from BCIT.

Ron assumes the new role from the four AIA Field Representatives who previously represented the interests of AIA on a provincial basis. "AIA wishes them all the best as they enjoy their retirement after longstanding careers within the automotive aftermarket," says Marc

(see headlines)

Strengthening Apprenticeship Training Will Help Build A High-skills Economy In Ontario

TORONTO, June 16 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is providing opportunities for students through innovative projects to strengthen apprenticeship training, Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, announced today. "The skilled trades are very attractive career options," Chambers said. "Apprenticeship provides opportunities for training and certification to enable individuals to pursue these very rewarding careers."

The government is providing $21 million to fund three programs that will provide innovative investments in apprenticeship training in 2004-05. The government is calling for proposals that will:

- Expand access to apprenticeships by helping people develop their skills to the level required for training,
- Update and expand training facilities in the college system, and
- Ensure that apprenticeship classroom training is flexible, relevant and meets industry's highest standards.

These investments will help increase the number of new participants in apprenticeship programs to 26,000 annually by 2007-08. Ontario's apprenticeship system is the largest in Canada.

"An educated and skilled workforce is a competitive advantage and a key factor in investment decisions," Chambers said. "In an ever-changing global economy, a highly skilled workforce will help Ontario attract new opportunities, build a prosperous economy and provide a higher quality of life for all."

(see headlines)

We regret to announce the passing of Tony Vivolo, age 61, who owned and operated Oakland Auto Body in Hamilton for over 33 years.

Tony died at his home on Friday June 11, 2004

He is resting at the Friscolanti Funeral Chapel, 43 Barton Street East (near James) on Monday June 14 from 7-9 pm and Tuesday June 15 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm Vigil prayers on Tuesday at 8:30 pm. Funeral Mass will be offered at All Souls Church on Wednesday June 16 at 10:00 am. Entombment to follow at Bayview Mausoleum. Donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association would be appreciated by the family.

(see headlines)

JAMES DAW
BUSINESS COLUMNIST

The profits of auto, home and commercial property insurers soared in the first quarter of the year.

Companies registered federally reported a total profit of $895 million, five times the $176 million earned a year earlier.

Policyholders did their part. They forked over $6.7 billion to the insurers, $1.3 billion or 25 per cent more than a year earlier, while insurers paid out 14 per cent more for loss claims and expenses.

Several major companies that lost money a year earlier - and for several previous quarters - were in the black, according to figures posted by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

ING Insurance Co. of Canada earned a stunning $88.9 million on total underwriting revenue of $534 million after losing $2.6 million a year earlier.

State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Co. earned $18.3 million on total underwriting revenue of $262 million after losing $18.6 million a year earlier.

As a group, property and casualty insurers earned a return on capital during all of 2003 that was near their historical average after two of their worst years on record.

Mark Yakabuski, Ontario vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said a stronger capital base will make insurers more willing to compete for business.

"As people renewed in the first quarter, we were seeing a stabilization or actual decline in average premiums per insured auto, home and commercial property," he said.

Already, he said, average premiums for Ontario motorists renewing policies were about 6.7 per cent lower in late March than last November, Yakabuski said. Most Ontario auto insurers will roll back rates a further 10 per cent this quarter, as a result of regulation and benefit changes.

(see headlines)

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. - A third company has announced that it's getting out of the auto insurance business in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Federation Insurance said yesterday that it's giving up on writing new automobile business in the province immediately.

Tom Hickey of the Insurance Brokers Association said combined with the withdrawal of Aviva and Dominion of Canada Insurance, close to 40 per cent of the market has advised it will be leaving the province.

The companies are upset with the Tory government's insurance reforms, currently before the House of Assembly.

The legislation orders reductions in premiums anywhere from nine to 37 per cent and contains non-withdrawal clauses for companies.

Hickey said consumers could start feeling the pinch as early as next week.

He said those trying to start new policies will have trouble finding anyone willing to take them.

(see headlines)

May 18, 2004

The popular Basic Estimating training course is being offered for the first time in London starting June 8, 2004.

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

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 evenings at the Lamplighter Best Western hotel at 591 Wellington Street North are;

June 8,10,15,17, 22, 24

(see headlines)

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

(see headlines)

An Oshawa company facing an Environment Ministry order to remove 70,000 tonnes of paper-fibre sludge from a Gore Road field plans to seek a stay against the order.

Lawyer Michele Kassel, representing Courtice Auto Wreckers, couldn't say when the stay would be filed with the Environmental Review Tribunal, even though Monday was the deadline for removal of the sludge from the back fields of land owned by Doug Stafford.

The removal order for the sludge, which has been shaped into berms to absorb gunshots on a shooting range, was issued by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to Courtice and Stafford in mid-April.

"It's still on the site," said Kassel. "We'll apply for an interim stay."Effluent from a discharge pipe was tested earlier this year by the ministry, which said the material contained enough toxins to kill trout and water fleas. The company says in its April 28 appeal to the tribunal that "proper samples" show the paper-fibre berms are "not discharging contaminants that cause or are likely to cause an adverse effect."

Storm water runoff flows from the sludge into Fletcher Creek. The blue-tinged sludge is made up of recycled magazines, newspapers, sand and compost. The company markets it as Sound-Sorb for shooting ranges.

Stafford makes windows at a shop on his property, which is near the border with Puslinch Township.

The company and Stafford also face charges from the Hamilton Conservation Authority for placing the sludge on a provincially significant wetland -- part of the Beverly swamp -- but says it wants to work with the authority on moving it off the wetland.

The next court date is June 22.

Authority staff spent three days last month staking out the sensitive land it does not want the berms to sit on.

Thanks to Daniel Nolan, The Hamilton Spectator

(see headlines)

Fifty students see the “Art of Earning” CD-ROM

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) allows secondary school students to turn their co-op credits into apprenticeship hours.

One of the trades that OYAP officials are promoting is the collision repair and auto refinish industry.

On March 31, over fifty students from catholic secondary schools were invited to Bishop Ryan Secondary School to listen to and see the exciting collision repair industry in action.

Students enjoyed an opportunity to view the Art of Earning cd-rom, courtesy of the CCIF and Automotive Industries Association of Canada. and received industry bulletins and kits on how to become a collision repair apprentice.

Tony Mercanti from CARSTAR Automotive Canada’s Gage Avenue, Hamilton shop was the host for the presentation with John Norris, Executive Director of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) assisting.

Shops that are looking for presentation assistance or schools and school boards that are interested in seeing and hearing the collision repair industry’s opportunities for bright, young workers, should contact the HARA office at 1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or info@ciia.com

For more information on the Art of Earning, please see:

www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/artearning.html

(see headlines)

Autobody industry web site reaches new monthly milestone in Canada

April 12, 2004

The www.ciia.com (Collision Industry Information and Assistance ) web site, the largest collision industry web site in Canada, operated by the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) just celebrated two special milestones.

The first is the addition our 100th shop on the site and of the most distant shop to the popular AUTOBODY SHOPS portion of the site with the addition of J & G Automotive Ltd's new web page from Iqaluit, Nunavut.

As well, March 2004, was a milestone for the association's site with over a quarter million hits or 252,349 hits in the month, or 8,140 per day. Direct visits to the web site in March were 13, 345

Association President, Tony Nigro, says that HARA is very pleased that we can provide this information and assistance to shops. "Our Employment page, autobody shop finder and news/events page are the most popular" says Mr. Nigro

"With the addition of productivity pages for money-making activities, not-included lists and "What you missed on the estimate" listing, the site is an instantly-useable and a profitable package of information. HARA Members get access to other Members-only pages and areas on the site with a free password available by calling 1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or
e-mail to info@ciia.com.

"With free virtual shop tours, updated events and news, and with employment and apprenticeship ad listing offered at no charge to shops, we've proven that the industry web site can indeed help shops in a great number of ways" he said.

For more information on how your shop can be featured on the industry web site, simply call 1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or use the online form at:

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

(see headlines)

Funding drive now on to offset costs of national contest trip to Winnipeg

A student from the autobody class at General Brock Secondary School is this year’s winner of the Ontario Skills technological contest for autobody. This contest, held this year in Waterloo, Ontario in the first week of May, pits high school and apprenticeship students in a contest of skill and talent to determine the winner. The Gold award for the Ontario championship for autobody went to Mark Millson, an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) student, from teacher Ron Postma’s Burlington, Ontario class.

Sam Piercey, collision centre owner/operator of Budd’s Collision on Speers Road in Oakville, where Mark works as apprentice, encourages students to take autobody and collision repair courses in High School. He says “ the future of our industry is these types of talented students that can make $60-100 thousand dollars a year when working in a professional shop”. Calling Mark a talented, good bodyman, Sam is also contributing funds to offset the costs of sending Mark and his instructor to represent Ontario in the Skills Canada competition against all the other provincial teams to be held in Winnipeg on May 22.

About half of the money has already been raised through donations by local collision repair shops, with the local trade association, HARA (Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association) kicking in $500. Contributions to help defray the costs of the trip are being gladly received at HARA at 1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or by contacting David Graves at the Halton Board of Education. The Board will issue tax receipts.

Volunteer judges for this year’s Ontario competition were Randy Pickard from City Automotive, John Hido from Discovery Collision and Jack Martino from Martino Bros. Collision. Judges commented on the large number of students and parents asking about collision repair as a future career choice.

(see headlines)

May 19, 2004

The new Liberal government’s budget, announced last night, is proposing new positive steps to apprenticeship and funding that will benefit the collision repair industry. Some of those recently announced changes, also available at www.gov.on.ca are:

- proposing a new, 25 per cent refundable Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit on salaries and wages, with an increase to 30 per cent in the rate for businesses with payrolls up to $400,000, which would encourage employers to hire apprentices in designated industrial, construction, motive power trades and certain service trades.
- increasing the number of new entrants into apprenticeship programs by 7,000 to reach 26,000 annually by 2007-08;
- providing new academic upgrading and training options each year for 6,000 young people who have dropped out of high school with increased funding through the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities of $2 million in 2004-05, growing to $15 million in
2007-08;
- providing 1,500 annual scholarships of $1,000 each for students who leave high school but return to complete their high school credentials and enter apprenticeships. The government will invest $3 million in this initiative in 2004-05, growing to $4.5 million annually by 2005-06. This initiative also includes a $2,000 signing bonus for employers to encourage them to hire and train these apprentices; and
- removing cultural and bureaucratic barriers faced by skilled internationally trained workers by investing $12.5 million annually by 2005-06 to work with professional regulatory bodies to increase access; expand training and employment services to help with the transition to Ontario's workforce; and improve information on employment opportunities and requirements for individuals considering immigration to Ontario.

For more information on apprenticeship and for a copy of “Steps to Collision Repair Apprenticeship” please see;

www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/stepstoapp.html

(see headlines)

With the Ontario government's move to drop the $300 fee cap proposal on towing, storage and clean-up at accident scenes in southern Ontario, the Ministry of Finance is looking for replacement programs.

Those programs would need to protect consumers from exorbitant tow prices as well as assist insurers in reducing their high towing costs to further their efforts for a 10% decrease in auto policy premiums.

At a meeting at the Queen's Park Circle office of MPP Michael Colle, Ministry of Finance officials, collision repairers, insurance brokers, tow operators/owners and insurance company representatives spent an hour and a half looking at various options to protect consumers.

Recommendations included the passage of Bill 186, the Collision Repair Standards Act, which contains clauses that allow for partial tow truck industry regulation, the advancement of the police tow programs used successfully in Hamilton and the enforcement of the current rules in Toronto for tow truck activities and operations at the Collision Reporting Centres.

MPP Colle suggested a further meeting with stakeholders to try and refine the suggestions into a workable package that the government can use.

For more information on the Collision Repair Standards Act please see:

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

For more information on the Collision Reporting Centres and how to become an accredited shop listings at the Centres, please see:

http://www.ciia.com/crsa.html

(see headlines)

How does the Collision Repair Standards Act move forward?

That was the question asked of senior Directors of the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services last week at a special meting on the 35th Floor of the Ministry's offices.

In attendance were Alex Szabo, President of CISCO, Larry Jefferies, Vice-President of CARSTAR Automotive Canada, Bill Davis, Executive Director of the Ontario Automobile Dealers Association, Doug Whitehead, National Claims Manager of Allianz Insurance, representing the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Wendy Hillier, National Claims manager for Aviva Canada Inc., and John Norris, Executive Director of the Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association.

With 25 written consumer and shop complaints on towing issues (an area that the Collision Repair Standards Act allows to be partially regulated in the Act), HARA Executive Director John Norris urged the government to take action immediately with advancing the regulations needed to make the Collision Repair Standards Act (Bill 186) effective.

Senior government Directors asked a number of questions that lengthened the one-hour meeting by an extra half-hour, and offered suggestions on the Bill' s improvement.

Industry attendees urged the government to move forward with the Bill and amend any sections that required updates as the circumstances arose, similar to the changes that are planned over 12-18 months with the vehicle branding regulations.

For further information on the Collision Repair Standards Act, 2002, please call
1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or e-mail hara@ciia.com or see:

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

(see headlines)

As part of an $18 million funding announcement by the province of Ontario, a significant sum is being invested in the training of autobody and collision repair apprentices.

The announcement by Premier McGuinty to continue the government's commitment
to a highly skilled and trained workforce will mean an investment in a number of community college autobody and collision repair programs.

Included in the announcement is contribution to a number of training facilities. The dollar figures shown are the total contribution to the colleges and include the autobody and collision repair trade:

Algonquin College for their pre-apprenticeship program $228,845
Algonquin College for hoists and equipment $426,750
Canadore College for auto glass technician course $50,000
Canadore College for frame rack and other equipment $194,729
Centennial College for welding fume extractor, hoists and staff $1,068,906
Mohawk College for electronic measuring and new equipment $1,085,209
St. Clair College for automotive scanners etc. $499,023

These continuing investments in collision repair training and the introduction of new pre-apprentices classes will mean that students will be working with equipment that will meet the repair requirements of new vehicles that have new technological innovations included in them each year.

Apprenticeship and other autobody and collision repair courses are offered at Niagara College in Welland, Mohawk College in Hamilton, Centennial College in Toronto, Fanshawe College in London, Algonquin College in Ottawa and Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario.

For further information on how to become an apprentice in the exciting field of autobody and collision repair call the HARA office at 1-866-309-4272 (HARA) or see "Steps to Becoming a Collision Repair Apprentice" at:

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

(see headlines)

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

(see headlines)

In 2001, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) established National Automotive Service Professional's Day on June 12 to honor the commitment and dedication of automotive, truck and collision technicians, along with parts specialists and other support professionals who serve the motoring public. All will again be recognized in the 2004 Chase's Calendar of Events.

"We can't do enough to recognize the men and women who service and maintain the highly complex vehicles upon which we depend for our day-to-day transportation," said Ron Weiner, ASE president. "Their skill and dedication are second to none, and ASE created National Automotive Service Professional's Day to spotlight these individuals for their commitment to their customers, their craft and the automotive industry at large."

courtesy of CollisionWeek

(see headlines)

HARA's Golden Horseshoe Golf Tournament , scheduled for May 4 at the Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club will now take place on Tuesday June 29.

After discussions with the Club, tournament organizers were advised that at least two holes would not be ready in time for the Tournament and that the earlier May date might also be caught in a water drainage issue.

Golfers were told last year by HARA that this year's tournament would have all holes available on this beautiful course.

"For our golf friends, to whom we had made a commitment to a full course, missing more holes would not have been fair to them. Moving the tournament to June 29, assures us of all 18 holes available , warmer weather and a good continuing late June Tuesday date into the future on a course they liked", said Alex Szabo, HARA's Golf Chair.

Individual golfers are being notified by the HARA office. Golfers that may not available for the new June 29th golf date will be refunded their payments.

For further information, please call 1-866-309-4272 or hara@ciia.com

(see headlines)

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

(see headlines)

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: