Automotive Industries Association of Canada

What Automotive Industries Association of Canada does

AIA Canada is a national non-profit trade association founded in 1970 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, that serves as the unified voice and resource for Canada's $43.9 billion auto care sector. The organization represents thousands of members across the automotive aftermarket supply chain, spanning collision repair facilities, mechanical repair shops, aftermarket distributors, parts manufacturers, rebuilders, and adjacent industry organizations. Its core mandate is industry advocacy (most visibly on right-to-repair legislation), professional training, market research, and networking.

The association's product portfolio is programmatic rather than technological. Core offerings include I-CAR Canada training (collision repair skills certification with Gold Class and Platinum recognition), the Canadian Collision Industry Forum event series, Government Relations advocacy programs, and Shop Support resources including EV/ADAS workforce training delivered through Ontario colleges. Additional offerings include the Curbside Chat vodcast, tiered research reports, scholarships, and the AIA High Fives for Kids charitable foundation. There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization operates as a membership-based association rather than a software or product company.

Revenue is generated through a multi-stream model. The primary stream is annual membership dues structured across eight tiers by member company sales volume, ranging from $530 (under $1M sales) to $19,170 (over $100M sales). Secondary streams include research report sales (free summaries to $199 full reports), event registration and corporate sponsorships (regional golf tournaments at $295-$1,150 per ticket, CCIF Montreal, Canada Night at AAPEX/SEMA), and member access to Transport Canada Equivalency Certificates for dangerous goods transport. The go-to-market motion is community-led, with member acquisition via regional divisions, advocacy campaigns, training programs, and industry events.

Name

Automotive Industries Association of Canada

Legal name

Automotive Industries Association of Canada

Website

https://aiacanada.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AIA Canada is a national non-profit trade association founded in 1970 that represents thousands of members across Canada's $43.9 billion auto care sector, delivering advocacy (right-to-repair), I-CAR training, market research, and networking services to collision repair, mechanical, distribution, and manufacturing segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nepean

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Annual membership dues calculated based on total sales volume of automotive aftermarket operations in Canada. Tiers range from $530/year (under $1M sales) to $19,170/year ($100M+ sales). Membership includes access to reports, networking events, advocacy services, and training programs.
2. Research reports and publications: Sale of industry research reports including consumer behavior studies, market outlook reports, and sector-specific analyses. Reports are priced from free executive summaries to $199 for full Consumer Behaviour Series reports.
3. Event registration and sponsorships: Revenue generated from event registrations (golf tournaments, conferences like CCIF Montreal, Canada Night in Las Vegas) and corporate sponsorships. Golf tournament registrations range from $295-$1,150 per ticket.
4. Transportation of dangerous goods certification: Equivalency Certificates issued by Transport Canada authorizing members to transport dangerous goods, available for download by logged-in members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AIA Canada is a national not-for-profit trade association that serves as the unified voice for Canada's $43.9 billion auto care sector. Its core offerings include tiered membership services, I-CAR Canada collision repair training (Gold Class/Platinum recognition), Government Relations advocacy (right to repair, dangerous goods transport), industry research and reports, the CCIF event series, and the Shop Support resource center. Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues scaled by member company sales volume.

Product overview

AIA Canada is a trade association offering a portfolio of programs, services, and resources for Canada's auto care industry. The core offerings include I-CAR Canada (collision repair training with Platinum/Gold Class recognition), the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF events), Government Relations advocacy (right to repair), and Shop Support resources. Additional offerings include the Curbside Chat vodcast, Research and Reports publications, Scholarships, and the AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation charitable program. The organization operates as a membership-based association rather than a single product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF): A program that offers events to collision sector stakeholders for networking and learning about industry trends
• AIA High Fives for Kids Foundation
• I-CAR Canada
• Curbside Chat

Products and services

• I-CAR Canada Training Program Standardized training and recognition program for the Canadian collision repair industry, delivered by AIA Canada since 2010 in both official languages and in live class and distance learning formats. Individuals can achieve Platinum recognition and collision repair facilities can achieve Gold Class recognition.
• Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) Event series that brings together collision repairers, suppliers, insurers, associations, OEMs, and educators to network and learn about industry trends and challenges including profitability, vehicle technology, and human resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Keeps Canada's fleet of 26.6 million vehicles on the road through best practices and training
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wakefield Canada Inc.minorOthersSponsor of AIA Canada events and programs. Wakefield Canada is a distributor of Castrol lubricants and automotive products.
• Auto Value / Aftermarket Auto Parts AllianceminorOthersMajor aftermarket auto parts banner program and buying group operating across Canada. Sponsors AIA Canada events.
• BASFminorOthersGlobal chemical company with automotive refinish division. Sponsors AIA Canada as part of industry support.
• Bumper to BumperminorOthersAuto parts banner program under Uni-Select. Major sponsor of AIA Canada events and programs.
• Groupe TouchetteminorOthersQuebec-based automotive parts distributor. Sponsors AIA Canada Quebec Division events.
• MevotechminorOthersAutomotive suspension and steering components manufacturer. Sponsors AIA Canada events.
• WORLDPAC Canada Inc.minorOthersImport and distribution company for automotive parts. Sponsors AIA Canada.
• Phinia (Delphi)minorOthersAftermarket automotive components brand formerly Delphi. Sponsors AIA Canada events.
• MANN + HUMMELminorOthersGlobal filtration company serving automotive aftermarket. Sponsors AIA Canada.
• Carquest CanadaminorOthersAuto parts retailer and banner program operating across Canada. Reports section sponsor.
• ValvolineminorOthersGlobal automotive lubricants and preventive maintenance provider. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• CARFAX CanadaminorOthersVehicle history information provider for Canadian automotive industry. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• DRiVminorOthersAftermarket automotive parts company. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• Lordco Parts LtdminorOthersWestern Canada's largest automotive parts distributor. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• Canadian TireminorOthersMajor Canadian retailer with automotive parts and service operations. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• Dayco Canada CorpminorOthersAutomotive timing belts, hoses, and drive train components manufacturer. Sponsor of AIA Canada.
• Ontario Colleges (Cambrian, Conestoga, Fanshawe, Mohawk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ontario colleges to deliver Innovation in Automotive Training program, including EV up-skilling and ADAS training for technicians. Funded by Government of Canada and Government of Ontario through Employment Ontario.
• Plug N' DrivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization advancing electric vehicle adoption. Collaborates with AIA Canada on EV training programs for automotive technicians.
• Government of Canada / Government of OntariocoreOthersFederal and provincial government funding for Innovation in Automotive Training program through Employment Ontario.
• Transport CanadacoreOthersIssues Equivalency Certificates authorizing AIA Canada members to transport various dangerous goods.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/with_replies
• Facebookfacebook.com/AIAofCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aia-canada

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Automotive Industries Association of Canada