Certifications

As a standard for repair quality the ICBC program had fallen behind over the years and was not up to the reality of modern cars. In 2018 ICBC started planning a new program with more relevant equipment and training requirements. This program, the ICBC Collision Repair Network, was implemented in early 2020, with the equipment requirements mandatory in January 2021.

At Tsawwassen Collision we viewed these equipment requirements as a basic minimum, which we had been well ahead of for many years. ICBC training requirements were also fully met with our existing I-CAR Gold status. It took only a few administrative changes for us to qualify for the new program as it rolled out.

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) was started in the mid-70s in America as a non- profit organization with membership from all areas of the collision repair industry. The primary objective of the program is the providing of training and technical resources for technicians and others working in collision repair. Today I-CAR licenses its programs in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

For many years training in BC was dominated by the requirements of ICBC and I-CAR had a very limited presence here. In 2015 management at ICBC realized that training of the industry should not be a core part of their business and they have moved away from their training role. With this change the I-CAR program became the training standard for progressive shops in BC.

In mid-2016, of the more than 450 ICBC accredited shops in BC, Tsawwassen Collision was one of only 23 that had become involved in the I-CAR program. In October 2016, the first of these shops achieved Gold Class level and in December 2016 Tsawwassen Collision was the 9th. We have maintained this every year since and added Gold Class Aluminum in 2019.

For a manufacturer, managing a certification program with hundreds of repair facilities across the country is a daunting task and at January 2024 GM is the only main line manufacturer managing their own program. Many of the others provide certification through a third party certification company.

From 2018 through 2022 Tsawwassen Collision was certified through a third-party certification organization by Ford, Kia, Nissan, FCA (Fiat Chrysler America), Honda/Acura, Hyundai and Genesis. At the end of the 2022 licensing period, we felt that these certifications had become very weak. There would be a cursory inspection of equipment once a year, a checklist of documents and then very little contact and really no support. If we wanted to do a proper repair, as we always did, it would be up to us to find the information and do the right work. There was very little behind the plaques on the wall and we opted out of the program at the 2023 renewal.

Safety or Marketing Driven Certification

Other manufacturers put conditions on their certification programs that have nothing to do with repair quality. Tsawwassen Collision meets all Toyota repair capability requirements, but Toyota adds the requirement that the repair shop be sponsored by the local dealer. If, as in our case, that dealer has its own collision shop they will refuse to sponsor any other shop to encourage as much work as possible to their own facility.

Infiniti requires a paid subscription to a data collecting service which funnels information on every repair back to Infiniti. Many people are getting tired of constant data collection but even if we accepted it at Tsawwassen Collision our in-house custom designed software systems are not compatible with the data collection system required. Complicated, but nothing to do with repair quality.

The Luxury Brands and Tsawwassen Collision

The luxury brands do manage their own programs and these programs are very good. They are also very specific with brand aligned equipment and training. Tsawwassen Collision focuses on the local community, driving a wide range of vehicles. While our equipment covers the core requirements for these luxury brands there are still significant costs to complete the process, and these would not be justified by the volume we would do nor would we have the space for their specific equipment.

We made the decision to become Tesla Certified for several reasons, with the number of these cars in the South Delta area being a big factor. The Tesla specific equipment required was not a trivial investment in dollars and space.

Repairing luxury vehicles with lighter damage is well within our capabilities, and we are confident in such repairs. However, when structural damage is involved, we understand that it is essential to have brand-specific training and tools to maintain the integrity of the repair. We appreciate the trust our customers place in us when bringing this type of work, and we make sure to refer it to fully certified facilities.

Many of the luxury brand certifications focus on structural work, often by limiting the sale of structural parts to certified shops. Our local dealers understand our capabilities and sell us parts that are not restricted without hesitation. They will often refer local owners with these lighter repairs to us, knowing it will be done properly.