Every year it is interesting to note the focus of attention for Canada’s independent aftermarket service community and how it differs from the distribution segment.

While moves and news of acquisitions, financial results, and divestitures dominated readers at JobberNation.ca, the IndieGarage.ca readers focused on more diverse issues. From useful tools for the bay to alternative fuels, no one storyline dominated the readership in 2024, although EV-related news came close.

Presented following the most-read stories is a set of Honourable Mentions, stories that didn’t quite crack the Top 10, and Stories to Watch in 2025 which is s shortlist of developing issues to keep an eye on.

You can read the full stories by clicking on the headlines. Happy New Year and Happy Reading!!

Top 10 Most Read Aftermarket Auto Service Stories of 2024

#10
TOPDON unveils thermal imaging camera
TOPDON, the provider of cutting-edge technology and advanced tools for auto repair professionals and enthusiasts, unveiled its latest in professional grade thermal imaging technology showcased in the new TS001. 

#9
SEMA announces Battle of the Builders Top 12, ‘Top 4’ to be named
This past November, SEMA announced the Top 12 builders in the 2024 SEMA Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers, the aftermarket industry’s ultimate vehicle competition celebrating its second decade of providing builders a platform to showcase their craftsmanship and skills to a worldwide audience. This was one of a series of “countdown” announcements eventually leading to the winning builder being selected.

#8
RoboTire files for bankruptcy
RoboTire, which provided automated tire changing equipment to the automotive aftermarket, has filed for bankruptcy in a Delaware court. The Michigan-based organization made the voluntary Chapter 7 filing on January 19, 2024. RoboTire launched in 2019 with the goal of making automotive service safer for technicians, faster for customers, and better for businesses. The Detroit-based robotics and automation company’s first robot tire changing system was installed in a working service bay in mid-2022 at the Discount Tire store in Fountain Hills, Ariz.

#7
Service Advisors: Opportunities for Chassis Parts and Service
Most drivers don’t think much about the beating that the underside of their vehicle takes. Proper chassis parts inspections can reveal problems before they become failures – and that can present some customer-focused opportunities. This staff-written story highlights several opportunities for shops.

#6
Is the party over for Quebec EVs?
In rapid succession, Quebec’s provincial government made two announcements that are destined to shape EV sales in the short and long term. This late-year story shot quickly into the Top 10 list.

#5
B.C. pulls back on EV rebate, raises ire of new car sector
In a move that is becoming more common in many juridictions, British Columbia made a major change to its electric vehicle (EV) rebate program, dropping eligbility for the maximum rebate to vehicles from $55,000 to $50,000, and raising the ire of new car sellers and automaker groups. 

#4
Atlantic Canada’s Coast Tire and Andy’s Tire Group announce merger
Early in 2024, Coast Tire & Auto Service and Andy’s Tire Group, two prominent forces in the Atlantic Canada tire and automotive service industry, announced they will join forces. The merger was expected to close on March 1, 2024. This strategic unification is significant in the industry, particularly within the Maritime region.

#3
Rocktown Automotive: Winter School’s in Session
In case you needed proof that shops like reading about shops, this late-year story was among our most read in December. For this Sudbury, Ont., shop, teaching customers about safe winter car care is a matter of continuing education. When not overseeing his four shops in Sudbury, Ontario, Gerry Lecuyer teaches electronics at Cambrian College. 

Second Most-Read Automotive Service Story of 2024

Fountain Tire names Darrin Zubiak MVP
Fountain Tire honoured Canada’s tire industry leaders in March 2024 at the company’s annual Owners’ Convention in Lake Louise. The top accolade, Most Valuable Player, was awarded to Darrin Zubiak, local owner of the Fountain Tire Vermilion, Alberta store.

#1 Most-Read Automotive Service Story of 2024

Ontario gets its first public hydrogen filling station
Ontario now has it’s first publicly accessible hydrogen filling station, adding to the small but growing presence of the alternative fuel in Canada. This announcement, orginally made in late 2023, saw the station open in August 2024. The station, located at Pearson International Airport, is a co-initiative of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and Carlsun Energy with a $1 million federal investment from Natural Resources Canada.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Aftermarket strength today could give way to future softness
The strength that the aftermarket enjoying today as Canadian car owners hold onto their cars longer, could give way to market softness later this decade, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says.

WRITING A NEW CHAPTER: MY NEIGHBOURHOOD MECHANIC
“I don’t want to say it’s a whole new story. It’s a new chapter for sure,” says Rui Silvestre, owner of My Neighbourhood Mechanic in Toronto. “Not a new story,” he expands, “because luckily all the team came over; it’s still the exact same team. So we’ve worked together for years.”

New towing regulations in effect in Ontario
The Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, 2021 (TSSEA) came into effect January 1, 2024 in Ontario, providing provincial oversight over an industry that was previously subject to a patchwork of municipal regulations. Towing services were previously licensed at the municipal level. While the new regulations were announced in 2023, enforcement has only started in 2024.

Rising tide of repair lifting entire auto service sector, says J.D. Power study
Owners of vehicles that are 4 to 12 years old are keeping and repairing their existing vehicles as household budgets are under pressure and new vehicle costs rise, lifting the entire auto service sector. 

STORIES TO WATCH IN 2025

Ontario creating ‘FAST’ program for apprenticeship
The Ontario government is introducing new policy and legislative measures to attract more young people to the skilled trades, including adding a new apprenticeship pathway and an online job matching platform.

NASTF launches aftermarket scan tool validation program
NASTF, in partnership with Launch Tech USA, announced the official start of the Aftermarket Scan Tool Validation Program. This innovative program is set to provide aftemarket shops and service professionals as well as locksmiths with secure access to essential key and immobilizer information. 

AARO’s InterConnect event a qualified success

The Automotive Aftermarket Retailers Association of Ontario’s InterConnect event brought together shops, trainers, Ontario government program administrators and aftermarket suppliers for a multi-day opportunity to learn and connect. This was the first major event for the association in some years and the response will serve as an important guide to the path forward for the Ontario association.

Quebec’s ‘Golden Opportunity’ on Right to Repair
Quebec’s legislators have just approved its “Right to Repair” Bill 29; there’s still work to do but it presents a “Golden Opportunity” for the province and the aftermarket as the first jurisdiction in Canada to entrench these consumer protections in law. AIA Canada president and CEO JF Champagne and Elizabeth Lambert, chair of the Quebec Division. The regulations for this legislation are expected in early 2025, but this Great Canadian Aftermarket Podcast from our archives provides great insights into what this means for the province and Canada at large.