Groupe Rémy Rousseau recently brought together a group of key players from Quebec’s automotive industry at the offices of the Société de Gestion des Huiles Usées (SOGHU) for a strategic roundtable discussion. This initiative aimed to break down silos, foster collaboration, and lay the groundwork for concrete actions to address the sector’s major challenges.
Bringing together leaders, experts, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and technology specialists, the meeting reflects a clear objective: to move from ideas to action in order to build a stronger, more connected, and forward-looking industry.
Participants included:
Rémy Rousseau – President of Groupe Rémy Rousseau, President of Employeur Exceptionnel, and President and Publisher of AUTO-GESTION magazine
Réjean Lortie – Consultant and speaker
Jean-François Richard – General Manager at SOGHU
Karim Mouldi – Founder and President of CANARI International Recruitment and Co-founder and Vice President of Saisonnier.ca
Benoit Charette – Owner and Editor-in-Chief of L’Annuel de l’Automobile
Vanessa Barette – Marketing Director at Carrus Technologies Inc.
Jessica Parent – General Manager and Editor-in-Chief of AUTO-GESTION magazine
Marco Fillion – Director of Business Development, Quebec, at Systèmes Nexera Inc.
Pierre Thériault – Sales Director for Groupe Rémy Rousseau
Major issues at the heart of discussions
The discussions highlighted several critical challenges currently affecting the industry.
The labour shortage remains a central issue. The industry now relies heavily on foreign workers—up to 30% in some sectors such as collision repair—while regulatory constraints continue to increase. This situation is particularly challenging for smaller shops, which struggle to keep up.
Participants also pointed out a significant lack of communication between different stakeholders. Many organizations, despite their influence, remain largely unknown to one another, limiting opportunities for collaboration and reducing the impact of existing initiatives.
On the training side, there is still a gap between the skills being taught and the realities of the field, especially given the rapid evolution of technologies (electric vehicles, digital tools). This is compounded by a lack of attractiveness in these trades, which affects workforce renewal.
Finally, the issue of siloed work is evident: despite the wealth of expertise within the industry, efforts often remain isolated.
A shared ambition: collaborating to move forward
Beyond identifying challenges, the meeting helped establish a shared vision: to create a true collaborative partnership where expertise, networks, and initiatives are pooled together.
Key action areas identified include:
- Increasing collaboration and cross-promotion between organizations
- Developing shared content to inform and raise awareness across the industry
- Organizing regular meetings to ensure concrete follow-ups
- Strengthening outreach to young people to promote careers in the industry
- Deploying coordinated media initiatives to amplify the sector’s voice
- Supporting innovation, particularly through the integration of new technologies
From ideas to action
This meeting marks the starting point of a structured initiative for Quebec’s automotive industry. Driven by a strong belief—“the beauty of an idea lies in the action it generates”—it aims to turn discussions into tangible results.
Participants have committed to actively contributing to this momentum by sharing their networks, expertise, and acting as ambassadors within their respective spheres.
A follow-up meeting is already planned in the coming months to track progress and expand the circle of collaboration.
An industry in motion
In a context of rapid transformation, this mobilization sends a clear message: Quebec’s automotive industry is ready to collaborate and work together.
Many projects are already in development.
The future looks promising… stay tuned.
Picture credit : Jessica Parent
