NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE TRADES ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

What NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE TRADES ASSOCIATION OF CANADA does

The National Automotive Trades Association of Canada (NATA) is a federally registered not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, operating since 1947. Originally constituted as an "association of associations" representing provincial and regional automotive bodies, NATA has evolved into a national advocacy organization for individual automotive professionals across Canada, including those in sales, service and repair, parts and supplies, tools and equipment, training, towing, and auto recycling.

NATA's core technology and policy products center on the Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard (CASIS), a voluntary agreement brokered in 2009 between NATA, the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA), and Global Automakers of Canada (GAC), with the Automotive Industries Association (AIA) joining in 2011. CASIS provides the automotive aftermarket with access to OEM diagnostic and repair information equivalent to what authorized dealerships receive, surfaced through the OEMRepairInfo.ca web portal that links to OEM service sites and third-party information systems (Mitchell, Alldata, Identifix). A second product, the Canadian Vehicle Security Professional (VSP) screening program, was developed by NATA in 2012 to qualify professionals for access to key codes and immobilizer reset data under a reciprocal agreement with the US-based NASTF; this program was shut down in 2018 when NASTF redirected Canadian applicants to its own system. Supporting offerings include Training & Education (Red Seal Trade harmonization), federal Advocacy, and member Communication platforms.

NATA's business model is membership-funded, anchored by the Individual Automotive Professional membership tier launched in 2022 at an introductory $20 (+GST) first-year fee (with a $25 standard rate), processed via PayPal. The organization supplements individual dues with provincial/regional association members, while corporate sponsorship is described as a planned secondary revenue stream. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging its website, webinars demonstrating OEM repair access, and direct member communication to recruit automotive professionals nationwide.

Name

NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE TRADES ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

Legal name

National Automotive Trades Association

Website

https://natacanada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NATA is a Canadian not-for-profit national association, founded in 1947, representing individual automotive professionals. It brokers the CASIS agreement granting aftermarket access to OEM repair information and provides training, advocacy, and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnaby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Dues: NATA generates revenue through annual membership fees from individual automotive professionals. The introductory rate is $20 plus GST for the first year, with a standard fee of $25 mentioned. This is the primary revenue source for the organization.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: NATA plans to develop corporate sponsorship as a supplementary revenue stream to support organizational programs and expansion. This is part of their long-term strategic plan.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NATA is a Canadian not-for-profit national association that represents individual automotive professionals and provincial/regional automotive associations. Its core offerings include annual membership, access to OEM diagnostic and repair information through the CASIS (Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard) agreement and the OEMRepairInfo.ca portal, vehicle security professional screening (historically via the VSP program), federal government advocacy, training and education support, and member communication/networking.

Product overview

NATA is a national association serving the Canadian automotive industry since 1947, operating as a not-for-profit corporation. The organization evolved from an 'association of associations' (provincial/regional automotive associations) to now also representing individual automotive professionals. The core offerings center on the CASIS agreement (providing OEM diagnostic and repair information access), the VSP program (vehicle security professional screening - currently suspended), and OEMRepairInfo.ca portal. Supporting services include Training & Education, Advocacy (representing professionals with government), and Communication & Networking. Individual membership ($20 first year) provides access to these programs and industry representation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CASIS: Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard - a voluntary agreement providing framework for auto manufacturers to share service and repair information with the automotive aftermarket industry.
• VSP (Vehicle Security Professional)
• OEMRepairInfo.ca

Products and services

• Individual Automotive Professional Membership Annual professional membership for Canadians working in automotive sales, service and repair, parts and supplies, tools and equipment, training, towing, and auto recycling. Provides access to association programs and industry representation.
• CASIS Agreement (Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard) Voluntary industry agreement stewarded by NATA that provides automotive aftermarket service and repair professionals with access to OEM diagnostic and repair information at levels equivalent to authorized dealerships.
• OEMRepairInfo.ca Portal Companion website to CASIS providing direct links to OEM service information websites and third-party information systems (Mitchell, Alldata, Identifix) to help automotive professionals perform vehicle repairs properly, safely, and efficiently.
• Training & Education Program Programs supporting Red Seal Trade harmonization and continuing education to help automotive professionals keep up with advancing vehicle technology. NATA plans to assemble a complete inventory of automotive training available in Canada.
• Federal Government Advocacy Represents Canadian automotive professionals in consultations with the federal government and stakeholders on regulatory issues, information access, vehicle security, and training matters.
• Member Communication & Networking Communication platform connecting Canadian automotive professionals, sharing industry updates and best practices so members stay ahead of advances in automotive technology and workplace practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• The CASIS agreement provides access to OEM websites equivalent to authorized dealerships, including software updates and current repair procedures

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF)majorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012NASTF is the US organization with which NATA had a reciprocal agreement for vetted Canadian VSPs to access vehicle security-related information. In 2018, NASTF bypassed the Canadian screening process by inviting Canadians to register directly, effectively shutting down the Canadian VSP program.
• Automotive Industries Association (AIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011AIA became the fourth signatory of the CASIS agreement in 2011, joining NATA, CVMA, and GAC to support the automotive aftermarket industry's access to OEM service information.
• Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009CVMA is one of the two associations representing Canadian automobile manufacturers and distributors. CVMA is a founding signatory of the CASIS agreement alongside NATA, enabling aftermarket access to OEM diagnostic and repair information.
• Global Automakers of Canada (GAC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009GAC represents international automotive manufacturers operating in Canada and is a founding signatory of the CASIS agreement, providing the framework for sharing service and repair information with the automotive aftermarket industry.
• CASIS Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009NATA serves as steward of the CASIS agreement and participates in the CASIS Task Force to address vehicle security data access issues and ensure the agreement keeps pace with advancing vehicle technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (CVMA): Canadian association representing major vehicle manufacturers; CASIS signatory and counterparty to NATA in the OEM information access framework. Not a competing association but an allied counterparty on the OEM side of the industry.
• Canadian Automobile Association (CAA): National federation of provincial automobile clubs serving Canadian motorists with advocacy, travel, and insurance services. Comparable in national-scale Canadian membership association structure but serves consumers, not industry professionals.
• Global Automakers of Canada (GAC): Represents international automakers operating in Canada; co-signatory to CASIS. Allied counterparty rather than direct competitor, but materially relevant as the OEM-side counterpart enabling NATA's core program.

Regional players

• Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC): Provincial automotive industry regulator in Ontario. Comparable to NATA in serving automotive industry participants within a defined jurisdiction, though more regulatory than member-association in orientation.
• Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC): Provincial regulator/industry body overseeing automotive business licensing and consumer protection in Alberta. Comparable in advocacy and information functions but provincially scoped rather than national.

Direct peers

• Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada): Canadian aftermarket trade association representing the manufacture, distribution, and sale of vehicle parts, tools, equipment, and accessories. Co-signatory of the CASIS agreement and the most direct Canadian counterpart in scope, though focused on businesses rather than individual professionals.
• Automotive Service Association (ASA): US trade association representing mechanical and collision repair shops and service professionals. Directly comparable in member base and advocacy role, though US-geographic. Closest functional peer outside Canada.
• National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF): US-based organization with the same mission of brokering automotive service information and security credentials access for the aftermarket. Directly comparable function, though US-focused; previously had a reciprocal Canadian arrangement with NATA before the VSP program shutdown.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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