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Pushing For Common Standards for Collision Repair Shops
Here's a scenario few of us want to think about.
You've had an accident. In a perfect world you would have your vehicle towed to the original dealership and have its repair shop do the work. After all, you can be assured it's licensed, has the proper equipment, trained staff, properly disposes of hazardous wastes and so on.
But instead, you're miles away from the dealership, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and are being unceremoniously towed to the nearest auto body shop. You're not familiar with the area or the people who run the shop.
You're uneasy and dozens of questions flash through your mind. How much extra is this going to cost me' Is this shop dependable' Do they guarantee their work' Do they have the right equipment and parts' How well are the body repair technicians trained' Will the repairs be safe'
Here are the hard facts. There are 2,800 collision repair shops in Ontario. And while dealership collision repair shops do adhere to the strictest of standards, there are really no consistent or enforced standards out there.
Things like customer codes of practice (i.e. consumer protection), equipment, training of staff, quality of the repair, conforming to labour and environmental laws and so on, are left to the interpretation of the owner/operator.
This is bad for the consumer and bad for our industry.
So, for the past several years, Toronto and Ontario Automobile Dealers have been working with government, consumers and various other key organizations on the best ways for the collision repair industry to manage itself. The result'
New bill, new standards
On June 27, 2002, MPP Frank Klees (PC) introduced a new bill in the Ontario Legislature designed to bring much-needed standards to the auto body industry. It's called the Collision Repair Standards Act, 2002.
"The new legislation is a positive step and will mean better protection for all consumers when it comes to safety and repairs after an accident," says John Norris, Executive Director of the Collision Industry Action Group (CIAG), the largest collision repair and auto refinish trade association in Canada.
"There'll be fewer consumer complaints because all shops will adhere to strict standards and established codes of practice. For example, each will have to possess and maintain the proper equipment to perform a specific repair. Shops must employ licensed staff and must conform to strict environmental protection standards.'
Norris is quick to point out that the legislation was not conceived in a vacuum. "It's the result of four to five years of ongoing efforts about industry management between government, consumers, the Ontario & Toronto Auto Dealers Association, the Collision Industry Standards Council of Ontario (CISCO), the Collision Industry Action Group (CIAG) and various other collision repair associations,' he says.
No standards, no reimbursement The real "teeth" to the act involves the often maligned insurance industry. Klees also introduced a complementary change to the existing Insurance Act that will force car insurers in Ontario to reimburse shops for accident repairs only if they fully comply to all the standards that will be established (66% of all collision repair in Ontario involves insurance claims).
A very important reason why auto dealers endorsed and supported this legislation is SAFETY. Your vehicle must be repaired properly. There is no room for compromise ' it must be brought back to its pre-accident condition, or no payment will be issued. Faulty repairs can render your vehicle a safety hazard for you as well as for others on the road.
How will the act be implemented'
An Advisory Board will set the standards for all collision repair and auto body shops in Ontario. This process is not really new ' Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia currently operate in this manner and consumers there are reaping the benefits.
The TADA and OADA members fully support this legislation and realize the enormous benefits to you, the consumer, and to our industry as a whole.
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