Automotive News Canada - June 2019 - v2 - 3

SECOND FRONT

101

06.19

AUTO SHOW
By JOHN IRWIN
TORONTO BUREAU

BARRIE, Ont. - WHILE AUTO
shows struggle to remain relevant in the digital age, Georgian
College's annual event is a mainstay that has helped students
launch careers.
Billed as the largest student-run outdoor auto show in
Canada, the 34th annual Georgian
College Auto Show displayed
about 200 vehicles from 21 brands
during its May 31 to June 2 run at
the school, about 100 kilometres
northwest of Toronto.
The event, which features vehicles under large tents, food trucks,
a live auction, and a track, drew
12,500 people as well as more than
a dozen automakers, such as Fiat
Chrysler, Toyota, General Motors,
Honda, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Camille Berube, the student
director in charge of marketing
and media relations, said that
teams of students stay in touch
with the automakers throughout
the year. Leading up
to the show, automakers train students on
such things as the
logistics of setting up
their stands.
"A lot of manufacturers nowadays

Georgian College uses
old-school event to
prepare students for
the industry's future
are stepping out of auto shows
because they see a different way
of getting sales," Berube said.
"But the manufacturers remain
in our show because they understand that we are the future. They
take this as an opportunity to
invest in the future and our talent, and it's just amazing."

A YEAR IN THE MAKING

For the 239 participating
students, the show represents
a year's work at Georgian's
Automotive Business School of
Canada (ABSC), as well as a way
to connect with automakers and

Sales of the Civic are still strong, and in a
shrinking market, that means a bigger piece
of the pie. P H O T O : H O N D A C A N A D A

"Manufacturers remain in our
show because they understand
that we are the future," says
Camille Berube, one of the auto
show's student directors.
PHOTO: JOHN IRWIN

others in the industry.
And for the automakers, dealers and other industry players,
the show is a way to connect with
young, skilled talent. In an era
marked by low unemployment
and a skills gap, those connections can be fruitful.
"The manufacturers understand that they're doing this
for the students," said Jason
Dale, executive director of the
ABSC. "The customers that walk
through the door, it's a bonus for

SEE STUDENTS PAGE 23

Honda Civic
weathers
crossover
tsunami
In a market
where sales
of small sedans
are heading
south, how
does this
perennial
favourite defy
the odds?
By JOHN IRWIN
TORONTO BUREAU

Georgian College says students have received job
offers due to their direct participation in the annual
auto show. P H O T O : J O H N I R W I N

TRANS-CANADA NEWS
Volkswagen joins Manitoba
group's dealership expansion
WINNIPEG - BIRCHWOOD
Automotive Group is building three
dealerships, renovating three more
and adding a brand.
The company has been granted a
Volkswagen franchise and will build a
new dealership on Regent Avenue in
the city's east end.
As well, it will build dealerships
for Birchwood Lexus and JaguarLand Rover Winnipeg on Kenaston
Boulevard in the city's southwest
area. Birchwood Lexus shares a
building with Birchwood Toyota,

HONDA'S COMPACTcar hero is made of
metal, glass, plastic and
rubber, but it might as
well be made of Teflon.
It shrugs off all challengers, including the
current utility-vehicle wave that has so far
drowned many other
small-car labels.
The Civic remains a
strong seller in Canada
and the United States,
which is critical for the
stability of the Alliston,
Ont., assembly plant
that builds the car,
Honda Canada CEO

5,000 KILOMETRES OF STORIES

and Jaguar-Land Rover Winnipeg
is currently a co-tenant with Volvo
Winnipeg. Both are at the Pointe West
Auto Park just outside the city's western perimeter.
Birchwood Ford and Birchwood

Kia, both on Regent Avenue on either
side of the coming VW store, and
Birchwood Hyundai on McPhillips
Street, will all get renovations to
match new design mandates of their
respective brands. - Kelly Taylor

Along with a Volkswagen franchise for the Birchwood Group in Winnipeg,
the company is building Lexus and Jaguar-Land Rover dealerships.
I L L U S T R AT I O N : B I R C H W O O D A U T O M O T I V E G R O U P

Honda Canada CEO
Dave Gardner: "The
success of Civic
and the ongoing
sustainability of
Honda Canada
manufacturing are
closely linked."

PHOTO: HONDA CANADA

Dave Gardner says.
"It's pretty evident to
me that the success of
Civic and the ongoing
sustainability of Honda
Canada manufacturing are closely linked,"
Gardner said.
The Civic has been
Canada's top-selling
car for 21 straight years
and was the country's
third-highest-selling
vehicle in 2018 behind
only the Ford F series

SEE BEING PAGE 23

Digital displays, VR simulators
part of Ottawa growth plan
OTTAWA - THE CITY'S AUDI
dealership is taking two paths to
expansion: a traditional full-service
dealership set to open this month on
Hunt Club Road to replace the existing Audi store nearby; and a storefront called Audi City Ottawa that
opened in March at Lansdowne Park,
close to downtown.
The storefront outlet holds three
cars and uses display screens, including virtual-reality simulators, to
showcase other models.
"We've been in business long
enough to know that things change

SEE TRANS-CANADA PAGE 15

Automotive News Canada - June 2019 - v2

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