Automotive News Canada - March 2023 - 3

* MARCH 2023
3
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The 10-day Canadian International AutoShow in February
drew 350,214 attendees, the third-highest total in its history
and up from 334,194 in 2020. FILE PHOTO
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Dealers win
concessions on
contentious Ford
EV programs
The automaker is 'listening'
and creating exceptions to
fine-tune for different markets
CIAS wins over crowds,
if not car companies
High attendance is a
good start, but Canada's
biggest auto show knows
it must do more to get
automakers to return
By HARRY PEGG
CALGARY CORRESPONDENT
AFTER A PANDEMIC-INDUCED
hiatus of nearly three years, the
Canadian International AutoShow
(CIAS) reopened to strong crowds. But
attendance numbers alone are unlikely
to be enough to lure back automakers
that sat out the 2023 event.
" It's a much more sophisticated decision
than just the numbers, but they
obviously help, " said CIAS General
Manager Jason Campbell. " But we're
doing some deep-dive study on the consumers
that were there, their interest
in what brands they wanted to see to
get their purchase intention, and all of
that kind of information is really quite
critical to making a
decision. "
The 10-day event,
which began Feb. 16
at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre,
drew 350,214 people,
the third-highest
total attendance
in the show's 50-year
history. That's up five
per cent over 2020's
334,194 attendees.
Campbell credited
features that allowed
show-goers to get
close to vehicles.
" I think the handson
elements were a
big draw, whether it
was the chance to test
an electric bike, ride a
microcar, drive a fullsize
car or be a pasStill,
several brands, including Ford
and Honda, sat out the 2023 show as
well as smaller, regional shows in
Edmonton and Vancouver, which ultimately
cancelled.
The losses are significant, Campbell
said.
Auto shows
remain " a
great way for
us to have
a different
conversation
with
Canadians, "
said
Christine
Smith,
Hyundai
Canada's
director of
marketing.
FILE PHOTO
senger in the Camp Jeep experience, "
he said. " All these elements played well
with the audience and social media
spreading the excitement of the show. "
TRANS-CANADA NEWS 5,000 KILOMETRES
OF STORIES
New Porsche Cars
Canada CFO Annette
Edel has more
than 20 years of
experience with the
brand.
PHOTO: PORSCHE
CARS CANADA
Edel takes over as
Porsche Canada CFO
TORONTO - AFTER a
stint as finance director of
Porsche Taiwan, Annette
Edel succeeded Marc
Piovesan as Porsche Cars
Canada's chief financial
officer, effective March 1.
Edel spent more than
two years at Porsche
Taiwan and has more
than 20 years of experience
in the wholesale and
retail aspects of Porsche's
business.
Company President
John Cappella welcomed
Edel and offered best
wishes to the departing
Piovesan, who moved to
an unspecified position
with Porsche Cars Great
Britain. - Steve Mertl
Torch passed at
Groupe Park Avenue
BROSSARD, QUE. -
Norman Hebert has handed
the reins of his 16-store
operation to his son,
Norman John Hebert,
who has been the group's
vice-president and chief
Norman John Hebert,
right, takes over Groupe
Park Avenue from his
father, Norman, who will
stay on as executive
chairman of its board.
PHOTO: GROUPE
PARK AVENUE
operating officer since
2020.
Hebert senior, president
since 1991, said he
was proud to hand over
control of the Quebec
" We had a total of 28 brands participating
this year. We were at about 45
in 2020, so there is a large gap to make
up. "
MORE INTERACTIVITY
As planning gets under way for the
2024 show, Campbell said, interactive
events will play a key role.
" I think one of the things that we
will definitely want to continue with
for next year is the indoor EV test
track. That's a 70,000-square-foot
(6,500-square-metre) space, and it's not a
cheap build to put this together to make
sure it's safe for everybody. But it is
something that is critical for the industry
to showcase this new technology. "
SEE CIAS PAGE 28
group, founded by his
own father in 1959.
Hebert's son joined 10
years ago and " has shown
he knows the company
inside and out, embodies
its values daily and
understands the workings
of the automotive industry. "
The
senior Hebert will
stay involved in the group
as executive chairman of
its board. Groupe Park
Avenue employs more
than 1,000 staff across
Quebec. It has 14 new-car
dealerships, as well as a
Harley-Davidson motorcycle
store and a body shop.
- Steve Mertl
By KELLY TAYLOR
WINNIPEG CORRESPONDENT
ABOUT 83 PER CENT OF FORD DEALERS IN
Canada have enrolled in the automaker's controversial
Model e electric vehicle certification
programs, although talks between retailers and
the company will continue until at least the end
of March.
In response, Ford will offer dealers an annual
30-day enrolment period, " as they may see EV
demand in their markets grow, " said company
spokeswoman Megan Joakim.
Previously, dealers who chose to not enroll
during the initial phase had to wait until 2027 to
join the programs.
'SMALL VOLUME EXCEPTION'
" Ford of Canada is committed to continuing
to work closely with our dealers to deliver
the Model e program and to working together
to evaluate individual circumstances, " said
Joakim. " For example, Model e Certified dealers
with very low [EV] sales volumes will be eligible
for a 'Small Volume Exception,' allowing them
to defer the installation of their Level 3 charger,
provided they are otherwise fully meeting the
Certified standards. "
And, in small markets where initial EV
demand is expected to be limited, Model e dealers
will be allowed to have at least one public-facing
DC fast charger available on the Blue
Oval Charge Network, said Joakim.
The network consists of more than 20,500 stations
across North America.
Discussions on the Model e program began
in the spring of 2022 and dealers initially had a
Dec. 16 deadline to sign up at estimated costs of
$1.3 million for Certified Elite and $560,000 for
SEE FORD PAGE 28
NGen gets $177M
to boost manufacturing
HAMILTON, ONT. - THE
federal government has injected
fresh funding into its advanced
manufacturing supercluster
that is tasked with fostering
innovation and collaboration in
Canada's industrial sector.
Next Generation
Manufacturing Canada (NGen)
received a $177 million commitment
from Ottawa Feb. 13 that
will allow the industry-led group
to continue backing manufacturing
partnerships and research
through 2028. To date, the cluster
has spent $220 million in government
funds on 165 industry
SEE TRANS-CANADA PAGE 27
03
03.23
Automotive News Canada - March 2023

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