A jam-packed welcome reception kicked off the largest-ever Western Canadian Dealer Summit in Banff, Alberta, last night.
Dealers from across Alberta, Saskatchewan and some from B.C. will participate in two days of conference sessions at the picturesque Banff Springs Hotel. The event is organized by the Motor Dealers Association of Alberta (MDA), the Saskatchewan Auto Dealer’s Association (SADA), and the New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA). Organizers say more than 375 delegates are registered for the event.
The opening reception gave the dealer delegates and suppliers a chance to mingle and network before two full days of conference sessions. After the opening reception, some dealers attended a casino night event sponsored by MNP.
The event also features solid supplier support from key industry players who set up tabletop displays and sponsor various events over the course of the conference. Organizers say the trade-show portion sold out early, and is the largest representation for the event.
The event’s emcee Jay Radke will moderate several of the sessions that will present updates to dealers on the economy, a market outlook for automotive, the latest files their national association CADA is tackling in Ottawa, the future of marketing, OEM dealer relations, and other hot topics.
The event will also feature a night of entertainment with Juno-award winning Wild T and the Spirit, a Canadian blues rock band.
The opening keynote from John Chisholm, VP of Sales for Canada at DSMA, briefed dealers about the state of the North American mergers and acquisition business. Chisholm talked about the factors leading to mergers and acquisition activities, including the fact that the average age of a new car dealership owner in Canada is 71.3 years old.
He said many dealers don’t have a detailed succession plan and don’t start the process early enough, and then have to be reactive when the time comes when they decide to sell. Chisholm said Chrysler dealerships are number one in ownership turnover, followed by General Motors, Honda, Ford, Kia, and Hyundai.
Look for full coverage next week in Canadian auto dealer’s enews.
