Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association

What Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association does

Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) is a member-driven, nonprofit industry association founded in 1992 that represents professional auto recyclers across Ontario, Canada. The association operates as a founding member of Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) and stewards the Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code (CAREC), which it requires of all Direct Members and is actively lobbying the Ontario government to make mandatory for any entity processing end-of-life vehicles.

OARA's product surface is a portfolio of member services rather than a unified software platform. Its core consumer-facing asset is the Parts Locator, an online tool that routes consumers and repair shops to CAREC-certified member recyclers offering "Green Recycled Parts" — road-tested, OEM-specification used parts priced at roughly half of new OEM replacement parts. The association layers on the Gold Seal quality certification, an annual Convention & Trade Show (held at the Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview, billed as Canada's largest auto recycling event with 60+ booths and 40+ exhibitors), an ELV Waste Disposal Site Guidance Manual (sold for $500–$925 CAD), a Scholarship & Benevolence Program ($430,000 cumulatively to 443 recipients since 2010), EV/Hybrid dismantling resources, a Canadian Auto Recyclers Magazine (2019–2026), and free occupational health and safety resources delivered in partnership with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS).

OARA is funded through a subscription-style revenue model: recurring annual Direct Member and Associate Member dues form the base, supplemented by transaction-like revenue from convention exhibitor booths and sponsorships and one-time license fees for the ELV Guidance Manual. Its go-to-market is community-led, anchored by the annual convention, the Parts Locator, certification programs (CAREC, Gold Seal), and member-to-member networking. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors drawn from its membership, including recently refreshed leadership with Eric McDonald (Bodyline Auto Recyclers) joining and Jeff McGregor (McGregor Auto Parts) departing after a decade of service.

Name

Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association

Legal name

Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association

Website

https://oara.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) is a 1992-founded nonprofit membership association representing Ontario auto recyclers, operating CAREC environmental certification, a Parts Locator for recycled OEM parts, an annual convention, and compliance resources for member businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from Direct Members and Associate Members who join OARA for access to certification programs, networking, and member benefits
2. ELV Guidance Manual Sales: Sale of End-of-Life Vehicle Waste Disposal Site Environmental Review & Guidance Manual - digital download at $500 CAD (with previous CAREC audit) or $925 CAD with implementation consultation (without audit), plus 13% HST
3. Convention and Trade Show: Revenue from exhibitor booth fees, sponsorships, and attendee registration for annual convention events - described as Canada's largest auto recycling convention

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OARA is a membership-based industry association representing professional auto recyclers in Ontario. It provides CAREC environmental certification, a public parts locator for recycled OEM auto parts, legislative advocacy, an annual convention and trade show, and member resources.

Product overview

Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) is a professional membership organization representing auto recyclers in Ontario since 1992, operating as a founding member of Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC). Rather than offering a unified software platform, OARA provides a portfolio of member services including the Parts Locator and Green Recycled Parts programs for finding and purchasing certified recycled auto parts; the CAREC (Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code) certification program for industry standards compliance; annual Convention & Trade Show events; Scholarship & Benevolence Program for member employees; ELV Waste Disposal Site Guidance Manual for regulatory compliance; Health and Safety Resources in partnership with WSPS; and the Canadian Auto Recyclers Magazine publication. OARA's offerings are designed to support member businesses through standards certification, networking events, educational resources, and industry advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parts Locator An online search tool enabling consumers and businesses to locate recycled auto parts from certified OARA member recyclers across Ontario.
• Green Recycled Parts A branded program representing high-quality used OEM auto parts processed through certified CAREC-compliant recycling facilities, offered at approximately half the price of new OEM parts with environmental benefits.
• Annual Convention & Trade Show Canada's largest auto recycling event featuring 60+ booth trade show, keynote presentations, industry panels, roundtables, networking, and facility tours, held annually in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
• Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code (CAREC) Certification A national code of practice for automotive recyclers standardizing end-of-life vehicle recycling processes to protect water, air, and soil from harmful materials; required for all OARA members.
• Scholarship & Benevolence Program Post-secondary education funding and benevolence support for children of employees of OARA Direct Members, providing scholarships and unexpected expense assistance.
• ELV Waste Disposal Site Guidance Manual A compliance manual developed with Prime Environmental to help ELV processors understand regulatory obligations for Ontario EASR End-of-Life Vehicle Waste Disposal Site regulations, including record-keeping templates and environmental program development tools. Priced at $500 CAD digital download (with CAREC audit) or $925 CAD with implementation consultation.
• Health and Safety Resources Free occupational health and safety resources, webinars, and support provided in partnership with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) for OARA members.
• Canadian Auto Recyclers Magazine An annual industry magazine covering auto recycling trends, news, and best practices, with issues published from 2019 through 2026.
• Gold Seal Program A certification program recognizing excellence among auto recycling businesses meeting elevated industry standards, providing consumer confidence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Green recycled parts are generally about half the price of new OEM replacement parts
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Environment CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The National Code of Practice for Automotive Recyclers was developed by ARC for Environment Canada in 2008 for the National Vehicle Recycling Program called 'Retire Your Ride'. OARA continued and expanded the program after Retire Your Ride ended in March 2011.
• Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOARA is a founding Member of Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC), the national umbrella organization for auto recyclers. OARA has been at the forefront of the professional auto recycling industry through this partnership, working on national standards and industry initiatives.
• Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)minorOthersWSPS is a not-for-profit occupational health and safety association providing free resources and support to OARA members including safety resources, free webinars, and health and safety guidance for auto service and recycling operations.
• Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code (CAREC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAREC is the National Code of Practice for Automotive Recyclers developed for standardizing end-of-life vehicle recycling. OARA requires all members to be CAREC certified and has been lobbying the Ontario government to make it mandatory.
• Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConvention venue partner hosting the annual OARA Convention & Trade Show. Room block at $179/night with reduced parking rates.
• Retire Your RidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Vehicle Recycling Program under which the CAREC Code of Practice was originally developed. OARA has expanded the program's scope beyond the original vehicle targets to cover all end-of-life vehicles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LKQ Corporation: Largest North American provider of recycled and aftermarket auto parts; LKQ Canada is already a participant in OARA's scholarship-affiliated member base. It is a broad incumbent that competes with OARA's member businesses on parts supply, scale, and insurer relationships.
• Copart: Leading global online salvage vehicle auction company with significant Canadian operations. Adjacent to OARA's members in the upstream flow of end-of-life vehicles and competes for the attention and business of insurers that OARA's certified-parts program targets.
• IAA (Insurance Auto Auctions / RB Global): Major North American salvage and total-loss vehicle auction operator (now part of RB Global). Adjacent incumbent that sits upstream of OARA's recycling members in the ELV supply chain and competes for insurance-carrier relationships that anchor certified-parts demand.

Emerging players

• Pull-A-Part: US-based self-service auto recycling chain with a comparable recycled-parts model but lower-touch retail experience. Competes indirectly with OARA's full-service certified recyclers for budget-conscious consumers and body shops seeking used parts.

Regional players

• Automotive Recyclers Association of Australia (ARAA): Australian national trade association for automotive recyclers running a similar model of certification, advocacy, conventions, and member services. Comparable in function and structure to OARA but operates in a different geography with its own regulatory environment.

Direct peers

• Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA, US): US national trade association for automotive recyclers with the same core model: member dues, certification programs, advocacy, conventions, and industry publications. Closest functional peer to OARA — same business model and member-base type, but operating in the United States at national scale.

Others

• Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC): National umbrella trade association for Canadian automotive recyclers of which OARA is a founding member. ARC operates at the national level across policy, standards, and publications, while OARA executes the Ontario chapter — comparable in mission and member-base type, but OARA is an affiliate rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oara

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association