LABOUR SHORTAGES AND RETENTION STRATEGIES TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN TORONTO
Canada’s auto repair and maintenance sector is confronting a labour shortage rooted as much in retention as recruitment, industry leaders said following the Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference, held March 12–13 at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre in Toronto.
The sold-out event brought together repair shops, parts suppliers, insurers and service providers from across Canada, with workforce challenges emerging as a central theme. Speakers said the shortage reflects structural issues inside shops that are pushing workers out faster than new ones can be brought in.
“Retention strategy, in my opinion, is the best strategy,” Saifullah Sanaye, CEO of The Mechanic and Technician Upskilling Canada, a Canada-based training organization, said during a workforce panel. “If you keep having to recruit, you need to ask yourself what’s going on in your organization.”
Sanaye identified the cost of entry as a key barrier, particularly for new technicians expected to supply their own tools.
“My tools are probably $60,000,” he said. “Tools are expensive. Shops need to provide more tools for those learning technicians.” Other panelists said hiring practices are already lagging behind technological change.
“A lot of companies are still hiring people for the role tomorrow,” said Hitesh Patel of Transtar Industries, a Cleveland, Ohio-based powertrain parts supplier. “AI can build a presentation pretty quickly and analyze your data faster than someone building models in Excel.”
Employers should instead prioritize adaptability and long-term potential, he said. “What’s their potential and where can they grow in the future?”
Chris Theodoratos of Mr. Lube + Tires Canada, headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ont., said bias in hiring continues to limit growth.
“Maybe you’re hiring somebody that’s just like you,” he said. “But if you’re trying to expand your business, maybe you need somebody with a different experience.”
He also distinguished mentorship from sponsorship, arguing advancement depends on leaders actively advocating for employees. “A mentor is basically a coach,” he said. “Sponsorship is advancing. Who are you picking… to move to the next stage?” Shannon Miller of Accelerate Auto, a Canada-based workforce development organization, said efforts to widen access to automotive careers remain essential, framing diversity initiatives as a question of equal opportunity.
“Very often it’s just about equal opportunity,” she said, adding that structured mentorship helps break down barriers and build pathways into the trade.
Workforce concerns extended to education and early career awareness. Emily Chung, president and CEO of AIA Canada, headquartered in Ottawa, said the sector is engaging potential workers too late.
“I believe the decision of where they’re going after high school starts at a very young age,” she said. “We could be there presenting automotive as a very viable career option at an even younger level.”
She also pointed to gaps in teacher training as vehicle technology evolves and said closer coordination between industry, government and schools is needed.
The panel was moderated by Stephanie Cooney-Mann of UAP Inc., a Montreal-based automotive parts distributor.
Alongside the conference, the Women’s Industry Network held a Toronto gathering tied to the Canadian Collision Industry Forum, drawing nearly 30 participants and marking expanded Canadian sponsorship and upcoming student scholarships, according to co-chair Ritu Shannon of Enterprise Mobility, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
The conference’s workforce discussions pointed to a consistent conclusion: without changes to workplace conditions, hiring strategies and early talent development, the sector’s labour shortage is unlikely to ease.
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