Automotive News Canada Podcast

Porsche Cars Canada CEO John Cappella sat down for a fireside chat at the Automotive News Canada Congress in Toronto to talk about the luxury market, EVs, ZEV mandates, and the new Porsche Experience Centre in Toronto. This is that discussion in its entirety.

Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association CEO Brian Kingston and Canadian Automobile Dealers Association CEO Tim Reuss recap the federal government’s auto theft summit, explain what — and where — the problems are, and offer some solutions.

Canadian International AutoShow General Manager Jason Campbell explains how the 2024 show jumped to 44 brands from the 28 it had on display last year. He also talks about aiming to double the number of electric-vehicle test drives and moving part of that EV track outdoors. And, he says automakers still see great value in a show such as CIAS.

Hyundai Canada CEO Don Romano explains how the brand has been successful at selling EVs, why it supports a ZEV sales mandate and says affordability is still an issue. He also talks subscription services, logistic bottlenecks and the end of fossil fuel.

Deloitte Automotive Research Leader Ryan Robinson discusses the Global Automotive Consumer Study, its key findings, affordability, EVs, and more.

VinFast Chairwoman Madame Thuy talks about the VF3, Wild concept pickup, North America’s appetite for electric vehicles and the process of building out a dealership network in Canada and the United States.

BlackBerry QNX Vice-President of Products and Strategy Grant Courville tells us why he believes “the time has come for the software-defined vehicle.” He also explains BlackBerry’s role in automotive, talks about the tech giant’s latest partnership with Stellantis and Amazon, and identifies one challenge the company — and Canada as a whole — faces.

Canadian Automobile Dealers Association CEO Tim Reuss talks about 2023 as the start of a return to normal sales. He also discusses what lies ahead for dealers in 2024, talks ZEV sales mandates and clarifies what right to repair means in Canada.

In this replay of the Nov. 24, 2023, Automotive News Canada Podcast, Lana Payne, president of Unifor, takes us inside the contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers, how the deals affect the industry — from wages to the competition to pricing — and where the union goes from here.

David Adams, head of the Global Automakers of Canada, and Brian Kingston, who leads the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, discuss all the issues their members have with the new federal Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, which forces automakers to sell a defined percentage of zero-emissions vehicles each year. They talk about incentives, infrastructure, and how achievable the goal o...

Ralph Gilles, chief designer at Stellantis, looks back on the Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Charger as the trio of cars, built in Brampton, Ont., come to an end. He also talks a bit about what replaces them and what’s next for Brampton.

Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli says auto investment in the province might have exceeded expectations in 2023 and says more is still to come.

Toyota Canada Inc. Vice-president Stephen Beatty talks about the automaker’s electrification strategy and why it’s so focused on hybrids. He discusses the Crown Insignia and explains why the Camry is available only in a hybrid in Canada.

Lana Payne, president of Unifor, takes us inside the contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers, how the deals affect the industry — from wages to the competition to pricing — and where the union goes from here.

Erin Kerrigan, founder and CEO of Kerrigan Advisors, talks about which automakers dealers trust the most — and least. She also says it’s still “raining Canadians” in southern U.S. states where Canadian dealers are buying stores. And, she explains how electric vehicles are affecting dealership valuations.

Flavio Volpe, head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, tells us why he’s ringing alarm bells so loudly of China’s growing auto presence in Mexico. He explains Chinese automakers have advantages North American companies don’t and why that could hurt Canadian suppliers in the long run.

On this replay of the June 2, 2023 Automotive News Canada Podcast, Porsche Canada CEO John Cappella gives a lay of the Canadian luxury market, explains how electrification affects sports cars, and tells us what effect the luxury tax is having.

Ford Motor Co. of Canada CEO Bev Goodman talks electric vehicles, sales and more during a fireside chat at the 2023 Automotive News Canada Retail Forum.

In this Automotive News Canada Podcast replay from Aug. 25, 2023, Volkswagen Canada CEO Pierre Boutin talks about VW Canada’s role in the St. Thomas, Ont., electric-vehicle battery plant, new product, including the ID Buzz, the need for a harmonized North American charging standard, and more.

Brock University Labour Professor Larry Savage on the “celebrity status” of UAW President Shawn Fain in the U.S. and the “Lana Payne/Dave Cassidy drama” at Unifor in Canada. He also talks about the power unions currently hold and whether Unifor members at Stellantis might break from pattern bargaining.

Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecast at U.S.-based AutoForecast Solutions, says the North American auto industry is “under attack” from all sides. Labour strife, rising interest rates, and still spotty inventory are hitting the industry simultaneously. Still, he says inventory and output continue to rise.

John D’Agnolo, the head of Unifor’s Ford master bargaining committee, talks about what it was like bargaining with the automaker, breaks down what’s in the new contract, and explains why he believes it’s a winner. He also explains why comparing Unifor demands to those of the UAW isn’t realistic, and he talks about the impact UAW President Shawn Fain is having on negotiations between Unifor and the...

Automotive News Canada Toronto Bureau Chief David Kennedy breaks down everything we know about the tentative deal before Unifor and Ford Motor Co. of Canada. And he tells us what comes next.

Brendan Sweeney, managing director of the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing, Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, deconstructs the recent Parliamentary Budget Officer report that says it will take the federal government 20 years to break even on its investments in two electric-vehicle battery plants in Ontario.

Bruce Johnson, the senior director for dealer management systems at CDK Global, talks about the challenges dealers face right now, technology in the service department, the effect interests are having, and the firm's new deal with BMW Canada.