TADA’s Dealer Day celebrates third birthday

VAUGHAN, ONT. – The Trillium Automobile Dealers’ Association says its annual Dealer Day event – free to dealer members and their staff – is its way of giving back to the dealer community.

“The goal is to give Ontario dealers exposure to Ontario vendors, with Ontario products at Ontario prices,” says Todd Bourgon, the TADA’s executive director.

“The event is close to their dealerships in Ontario. So dealers won’t have to get on airplanes or have their local rep come and see them.”

Bourgon says the day’s hours are also flexible. If dealers and their staff can’t make in the morning, they can come in the afternoon or early evening.

And who can beat the price?

There were over 60 vendors, whose booths filled the hall at the Paramount Conference & Event Venue in Vaughan, Ont. this week as the TADA held its third annual show on April 11.

Vendors’ offerings ran the gamut from detailing products, tires and tire hotels, lifts, DMS and website designs as well as car wash systems and protection from hackers.

But there was a serious side: a three-hour course on F&I and legislative compliance by iA-SAL F&I eastern trainer, Andy Mazak.

“The goal,” Bourgon explains, was to remind people in the industry of their obligations. “We want to make sure we take a lead in that as an association.”

This was the second class in Ontario; the first was held earlier in the month in Timmins. The course is sponsored by all new car dealer associations in Canada, with the exception of Quebec, which has its own program.

“We are here to deliver a lecture on how to be compliant. And when we offer products to our customers we do it ethically, morally and legally,” Mazak told the 25 attendees.

Bourgon says one of the goals is to convince regulators that F&I products can be sold properly without the need for further regulations, or as is the case in Ontario, without the need for regulations at all.

While the insurance and financial services company was supplying the trainer, the event was “neutral … no product mentioned,” he adds.

The event was also the setting for annual general meetings for the TADA and the event’s co-sponsor, the Co-Auto cooperative buying group.