I-CAR and The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) will develop a licensing agreement under which the management of the delivery of I-CAR products and services in Canada will be undertaken by AIAC. John Edelen, president and CEO of I-CAR, made the announcement at the Jan. 23 meeting of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) in Toronto.
Edelen reviewed for the CCIF attendees the developments and the two-year process under which I-CAR had evaluated how it could best address its future role in meeting the training needs of the auto collision industry in Canada. During that time, the Canadian collision repair inter-industry, through a Canadian Advisory Committee, had presented its perspectives and recommendations to the I-CAR International Board of Directors. As a result of that process, the board directed Edelen to pursue a relationship with AIAC, the leading participant in the proposal process.
“I am grateful for the support of the Canadian auto collision industry, and for the significant and substantial efforts of Roland Taube and Tony Canade in leading the work of the Canadian Advisory Committee,” says Edelen. “The I-CAR International Board of Directors had the benefit of a well-designed and thoughtful process, and a clear direction from the industry, to support its actions.”
Marc Brazeau, president of AIAC, also addressed the CCIF attendees, ensuring them an effective, efficient and “seamless” transition of I-CAR’s activities to AIAC, as well as a more complete training experience for the industry in both of Canada’s official languages. Brazeau also indicated that AIAC had established an industry Transition Advisory Committee to ensure continued industry involvement in the process.
“This is a very exciting development for the Canadian auto collision industry,” says Edelen. “It represents the industry’s best opportunity to ensure that its training needs are being met through access to I-CAR curriculum – and one that will be managed and led by a clear leader in the automotive industry in Canada, AIAC.”
The target date for the transition is May 1, 2010.
“Until the transition of activities is completed, I-CAR will continue to provide an active schedule of training opportunities to the Canadian industry under its current operating practices,” Edelen says. “Joe DaCunha, I-CAR zone trainer for Canada, will continue his active support of these efforts, remaining to support the industry through this transition.”
