Every year when I sit down to write this editor’s note about the CADA Summit, I’m tempted to declare it the best one yet.
I won’t say that this year. Even though it very likely was.
It wasn’t just the content. It wasn’t just the speakers. It wasn’t even the calibre of thinking and analysis presented from the stage — although all of that was top notch. The programming was tight, the panels were substantive, and the day itself flowed seamlessly. From the opening session to the final conversations in the corridors, it was a professionally executed event.
What made this year different was something less tangible but far more important: the Summit met the moment.
And that is no small accomplishment.
We are operating in one of the most complex and unsettled periods the Canadian auto industry has ever faced. Tariffs and trade tensions continue to cloud supply chains and pricing. The imminent arrival of Chinese-made EVs — and the prospect of Chinese OEMs establishing a more direct presence in Canada — raises difficult questions about competition and disruption.
At the same time, Canada’s shift away from firm EV mandates toward broader, still evolving greenhouse gas reduction targets has introduced new ambiguity into product planning and investment decisions.
Against that backdrop, this year’s Summit leaned into the uncertainty rather than skirting around it.
There was a record number of OEM representatives in attendance. Five Canadian OEM leaders took part in the opening Quick Takes session, with two more featured prominently during main-stage panel discussions. Some dealers remarked that the day felt a tad OEM heavy. That is a fair comment.
But the moment called for it.
In past years, OEM leaders have sometimes been guarded, sticking closely to market share ambitions and growth narratives that don’t always translate into practical value for retailers. This year felt different. Dealers leaned in — and found more candour in return. There was a noticeable willingness among manufacturer executives to acknowledge the volatility they, too, are navigating. They spoke openly about revisiting plans regularly, about waking up to the same headlines, trade disputes and regulatory shifts that dealers confront each morning.
Rather than a combative undertone, there was a stronger sense that manufacturers and retailers are confronting the same external pressures. At this Summit, the phrase “we’re in this together” carried more weight.
When asked about the potential impact of Chinese OEMs entering the Canadian market, Steve Flamand, President and CEO of Hyundai Canada, offered a pointed reminder that the best defence against new entrants is how each and every customer is treated in sales and service within dealerships. It was a simple observation, but an important one. It underscored a clear respect for the central role dealers will play in whatever the new automotive world order looks like.
That theme surfaced repeatedly: resilience through execution. In an era of policy flux and global competition, the fundamentals still matter. Customer experience. Operational discipline. Community relationships. These are not soft concepts, they are competitive advantages.
Equally important was the fact that OEMs, dealers, their national association and key industry suppliers were willing to hash out uncertainties in the same room. There was no attempt to gloss over the risks. Margin pressure, compliance costs, facility investments, used vehicle volatility, all were part of the conversation. But the tone was pragmatic rather than alarmist.
That balance, realism without panic, defined the day for me.
If this CADA Summit felt like an industry taking stock in real time, it’s because the sector is at an inflection point. Everyone is trying to read the direction of travel. The fact that Canada’s auto retail community can gather, debate and challenge one another openly bodes well.
Planning for next year’s CADA Summit begins almost immediately. As a member of the planning committee, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for the issues and voices that matter most. If this year proved anything, it’s that when the industry meets the moment head on, it comes away stronger.
