SHAPE ISLAND AUTO SUPPLY
Strong supply, labour shortages shape Island Auto Supply’s 2026 outlook
As Island Auto Supply looks ahead to 2026, second-generation Island Auto Supply owner Dalbert Livingstone says the year will bring both opportunity and pressure. Vehicle supply remains strong — among the highest the business has seen — and collaboration within the auto recycling community continues to be a major advantage.
But increased supply also brings operational strain, and Livingstone said the biggest challenge in the coming year is capacity.
“We’re definitely going to have to learn to process more cars,” he said. “We’re taking in about 200 more vehicles per year than we did three years ago. To keep up, I need to continue building out our dismantling capabilities — but hiring qualified people has been a challenge.” Like many recyclers across Canada, Island Auto Supply is feeling the impact of the ongoing shortage of skilled labour. Recruiting experienced dismantlers and technicians has become a central operational concern.
At the same time, Livingstone is preparing for continued technological change — not only in the vehicles entering the supply stream but in the tools and processes required to safely recycle them. Electric vehicles, in particular, are driving new investments in training and infrastructure.
“We’re in the midst of training our team and setting up the systems we need to test batteries and identify potential thermal runaway risks,” he said. “It’s critical that we’re ready for the increasing number of EVs coming through the doors.”
To stay ahead of rising volumes, Island Auto Supply is restructuring part of its facility. “One of the main projects I’m working on right now is adding another depollution station to handle the additional vehicles,” Livingstone said. “We have some unused space that we’re converting — our service department is moving, and that’s where the new depollution station will go.”
Livingstone said success in 2026 will depend largely on adaptability: adopting new technology, optimizing workflow and making strategic changes to prepare the business for continued growth.
