Marking Milestones: Tropicana Community Services celebrates auto body and collision repair pre-apprenticeship graduates
Toronto, Ontario — Tropicana Community Services recently celebrated the graduation of its 2023 and 2024 classes in the Auto Body and Collision Damage Repairer 310B Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Marking 14 years of the organization’s dedication to skills development in the Canadian collision repair industry, the ceremony highlighted the program’s role in addressing the skilled labour needs […]
Buddy Up: Manitoba to reinstate one-to-one apprentice-journeyperson ratio Oct. 30; Exemptions available, says ATA of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Manitoba is reinstating its one-to-one apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio as of Oct. 30, though collision centres may apply for exemption to keep the two-to-one ratio via the Automotive Trades Association (ATA) of Manitoba. ATA of Manitoba President Norm Bruneau said the organization will link the applicable apprenticeship forms on its website. “We’re happy to […]
Refinishers Reach New Heights: The Paris 2024 Olympic flame cauldron has a collision repair connection
Paris, France — Those who have tuned in to coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games may have noticed the gleaming hot air balloon floating over the city, housing the Olympic flame. But did you know the vessel for the ancient fire bears a connection to our industry? Last week, BASF shared that its customer […]
Tropicana’s Teachings: Pre-apprenticeship auto body students experience collision repair at AkzoNobel headquarters
Toronto, Ontario — Tropicana Community Services brought its class of pre-apprenticeship students to AkzoNobel’s headquarters and training centre for a Discovery Day event last Thursday, where they were showed the ins and outs of the trade by professionals from AkzoNobel, CARSTAR, LKQ Canada and 3M. First up on the agenda was a painting workshop hosted […]
Alberta Strong: Provincial Skills competition sees diverse winners list, all-female podium
Edmonton, Alberta — Last week was a Skills Canada extravaganza as the organization hosted both its Ontario and Alberta Provincial Skills Competition in Toronto and Edmonton, respectively. Skills Alberta announced its winners in a Thursday evening livestream following two days of competition. In the autobody repair, secondary level, Fiona Miller from Central Memorial High School […]
Ontario’s Honourees: Skills Ontario winners announced; Centennial College claims two collision repair medals and one car painting podium spot
Toronto, Ontario — Young collision repairers and automotive painters went head-to-head earlier this week to compete for the Skills Ontario title of best repairer or refinisher. Following two days of competition—secondary students on Monday, post-secondary Tuesday—the winners were announced Wednesday morning. In the post-secondary collision repair category, first place went to Liam A. from Mohawk […]
Talent on the Rock: Adam Downey takes autobody repair gold; Blake Burton takes first in car painting at Skills Newfoundland competition
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador — Skills Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador chapter hosted its provincial competition last Friday, March 15, where over 300 regional finalists from across Newfoundland and Labrador, including intermediate, secondary, and post-secondary students and apprentices, competed for medals in more than 40 different areas of expertise. The event had competitors in both […]
Car Camp: Southern Alberta Institute of Tech offers autobody summer camp
Calgary, Alberta — The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology kicked off a brand-new summer camp on Monday. Exploring Trades, Auto Body is a five-day, in-person camp designed for students from Grade 9 through Grade 12. Campers will gain hands-on experience with autobody techniques and procedures while learning the ins and outs of automotive prepping and […]
Quite the Impression: Canadian-designed and painted classic hits the auction space
Montreal, Quebec — Art and auto enthusiasts, unite! A specially-painted 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera is going up for auction. The car, designed by Montreal-born artist Jean-Pierre Lafrance and painted onto the car by autobody painter Yves Thibeault. Thibeault used airbrushes, hand brushes, spray paints, markers, finger-painting, and sanding to translate Jean-Pierre Lafrance’s directives onto the […]
Matrix to sponsor second season of Restoration Garage
The Guild of Automotive Restorers in Bradford, Ontario, is the setting for the History Channel show Restoration Garage. Massillon, Ohio — September 9, 2014 — Matrix Automotive Finishes has announced its partnership and support for Season 2 of History Channel’s reality TV show, Restoration Garage. Restoration Garage is a show that […]
