For Dealers Doing Business in Quebec

For Dealers Doing Business in Quebec

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has advised us, just today, that the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is modernizing their driver and vehicle systems.

During Quebec’s system updates from today Monday, January 30 to Thursday, February 16, 2023 the link between their registration system and MTO’s will be unavailable.

As a result, the MTO are pausing vehicle registrations and driver’s licence exchanges from Quebec during that time. Customers are being advised to return to Service Ontario centres to complete transactions when the system is back online on February 17.

Residents of Quebec may drive vehicles registered in their home jurisdiction on Ontario roads for a period of up to six months. People who have moved to Ontario from Quebec have a period of 30 days to register vehicles in Ontario. Quebec customers can contact the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec at 1-800-361-7620 for assistance.

The problem, of course, for members who have bought vehicles in Quebec is that they will not only be unable to register them to their name in Ontario until Feb. 17, but you will be unable to get those vehicles on the road for your customer in that time period. Temporary permits and the like will not solve that difficulty.

The MTO have no work-around for dealers apparently, the best recommendation MTO has for dealers is to book appointments to transfer vehicles for February 17th, and that can be done online at https://www.ontario.ca/page/book-serviceontario-appointment

 



MINISTRY PLANS CHANGES TO OMVIC BOARD

MINISTRY PLANS CHANGES TO OMVIC BOARD

You may have received an email from OMVIC (HERE) on November 28, 2022 mentioning OMVIC Board changes planned by the Ministry. You may have found it a bit confusing, which is mostly due to what was not said in that email.

Here is the rest of the story.

As matters presently stand OMVIC is overseen by a Board of 12 Directors. 9 are elected motor vehicle dealers and 3 are consumer representatives appointed by the Ministry. The Ministry intends to reduce the number of dealers to a minority by way of a “Minister’s Order”.

The Ministry’s plan would effectively end dealer self-management.

A Minister’s Order means dealers will have no say, as they normally would have to vote on such changes.

We do not support the Ministry’s plan and are actively meeting with Ministry officials, along with other stakeholders who oppose it.

It is early days and we have asked for consultation. We expect an answer on that in the early New Year.

We will keep you informed.

DISTRACTION THEFTS ON THE RISE

DISTRACTION THEFTS ON THE RISE

Times are tough.

The price of gas rises, so does gas theft.

The price of new and used cars is on the rise, so vehicle theft is rising as well.

A specific kind of distraction theft is on the rise, and it’s affecting dealers.

Two people, could be men or women, will drive on to a dealer’s lot in a nice car, an Escalade, BMW or a Jag. The plates are usually stolen and, as things turn out, the car probably is too.

They ask about a nice car, and either they are handed the keys, or in some cases they just grab them, in either case, most dealers report being distracted or even physically assaulted.

So far, the calls are coming from the GTA and Southwestern Ontario.

Be alert, especially be aware of where those keys are and consider going with the customer on test drives.

 

REOPENING ONTARIO – ROAD MAP EXIT STEP

REOPENING ONTARIO – ROAD MAP EXIT STEP

The following public health and workplace safety measures of interest to motor vehicle dealers will come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 1, 2022:

  • No capacity limits in all indoor public settings
  • No limitations on test drives (aside from mask/face covering and screening requirements)
  • Other protective measures, such as mask/face covering requirements and active/passive screening of patrons, will continue to be in place with a specific timeline to lift this measure to be communicated at a later date
  • Public health units can deploy local and regional responses based on local health indicators

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures#returning-to-our-plan-to-safely-reopen-ontario

See previous Dealer Alerts at  www.ucda.org/dealer-alerts/

ONTARIO’S PLAN TO REOPEN

ONTARIO’S PLAN TO REOPEN

Yesterday, Premier Doug Ford announced the Plan to safely reopen Ontario.

For dealers, nothing has changed and will not change until February:

  • 50 per cent capacity
  • music played is not above a decibel level where normal conversation is possible
  • safety measures for vehicle test drives sales, such as a maximum of 10 minutes for a test drive, a maximum of two people in a vehicle, including one sales representative, windows must be rolled down, active screening, masking, etc.
  • Post visible and conspicuous signs that state the capacity limits in the establishment (50 per cent of the maximum occupant load as calculated in accordance with the Fire Code)
  • Ensure physical distancing in-store
  • Clean and disinfect commonly touched areas of surfaces and objects, including inside vehicles

Restrictions will loosen further on February 21, 2022 with a further step and additional barriers removed on March 14, 2022.  The full plan can be viewed here:

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures#returning-to-our-plan-to-safely-reopen-ontario

Ontario Moves Dealers To A Modified Step 2

ONTARIO MOVES DEALERS TO A MODIFIED STEP 2

As some may have already heard, Doug Ford announced he has moved the Province, effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. for at least 21 days (until January 26, 2022), subject to trends in public health and health system indicators, to a modified Step 2 in the plan to reopen Ontario.

Essentially, for dealers, the modification affects the advice on test drives:

If the business permits members of the public to test drive any vehicles, boats or watercraft,

  1. the test drive must be limited to no more than 10 minutes,
  2. a maximum of two people, including up to one sales representative, may be present in the vehicle, boat or watercraft during the test drive,

iii. if two people who are not members of the same household are present in the vehicle during the test drive, any windows in the vehicle, boat or watercraft must be opened at all times,

  1. the members of the public must be actively screened in accordance with the advice, recommendations and instructions of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health before they participate in the test drive, and
  2. all participants in the test drive must wear a mask or face covering in a manner that covers their mouth, nose and chin, unless they are entitled to any exceptions.

All retailers, including dealers, must remain at 50% capacity.

  • Post visible and conspicuous signs that state the capacity limits in the establishment (50 per cent of the maximum occupant load as calculated in accordance with the Fire Code)
  • Ensure physical distancing in-store
  • Clean and disinfect commonly touched areas of surfaces and objects, including inside vehicles

For more detailed and sector-specific guidance please visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/enhancing-public-health-and-workplace-safety-measures-provincewide-shutdown

See previous Dealer Alerts at  www.ucda.org/dealer-alerts/

Ontario Moves Dealers To 50% Capacity

The early success of vaccines made us all hope the worst was behind us, but then the OMICRON Covid-19 variant came along, and we are all back in the soup.  Worldwide transmission rates are soaring, and Ontario’s infection numbers are as bad now as they were way back in April.

All retailers, including dealers, must move to 50% capacity as of 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, December 19, 2021.  In establishing 50% capacity at all retail stores and service facilities, the Ontario Government seeks to slow the spread and help us all enjoy a safe holiday season.

These are things dealers need to know:

  • No more than 50% capacity in-store
  • Post visible and conspicuous signs that state the capacity limits in the establishment (50 per cent of the maximum occupant load as calculated in accordance with the Fire Code)
  • Ensure physical distancing in-store
  • Test Drives: If the business permits members of the public to test drive any vehicles:

–  members of the public must be actively screened in accordance with the advice, recommendations and      instructions of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health before they participate in the test drive    https://covid-19.ontario.ca/screening/customer/

and

–  all participants in the test drive must wear a mask or face covering in a manner that covers their             mouth, nose and chin

  • Clean and disinfect commonly touched areas of surfaces and objects, including inside vehicles

Finally, please try to get your booster shot as soon as possible and watch for news from your local office of Public Health.

For more detailed and sector-specific guidance please visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/enhancing-public-health-and-workplace-safety-measures-provincewide-shutdown

See previous Dealer Alerts at  www.ucda.org/dealer-alerts/

Thanksgiving Day 2021

Thanksgiving Day

Dealers are legally required to close on Thanksgiving Monday, October 11th, unless their local municipality has passed a by-law exempting retail businesses from the requirement to close on statutory holidays. If in doubt, check with your local municipality’s by-law department.

Dealers may be open on Saturday, October 9th and, if they wish, on Sunday, October 10th.

The UCDA search facility will be closed on Thanksgiving Monday, but will be open as usual from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 9th and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 12th.

On-line searches will be available over the Thanksgiving weekend at www.ucdasearches.com.

Labour Day 2021

Labour Day

Dealers are required to be closed on Labour Day, Monday, September 6th, unless their local municipality has passed a by-law exempting retail businesses from the requirement to close on statutory holidays. If in doubt, check with your local municipality’s by-law department.

Dealers may be open on Saturday, September 4th and, should they wish to, on Sunday, September 5th .

The UCDA search facility will be closed on Labour Day, but will be available as usual from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 4th and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 7th.

On-line searches will be available throughout the Labour Day weekend at www.ucdasearches.com.

2021 Civic Holiday

CIVIC HOLIDAY

The UCDA office and search facility will be closed on Monday, August 2nd for the Civic Holiday, but searches may still be performed online at www.ucdasearches.com.

The search facility will be open, as usual, on Saturday, July 31st, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3rd.

The Civic Holiday is NOT a statutory holiday and dealers may choose to be open on August 2nd if they wish.