Written by: Chantal Nadeau-Cox

Emily Chung, President and CEO of AIA Canada, highlighted the growing challenges facing the collision repair sector, with a particular emphasis on the skilled labour shortage during the CCIF conference on March 12 of 2026. She stressed that attracting talent must begin earlier, noting that many students make career decisions as early as high school. She encouraged greater industry involvement in schools to promote collision and automotive trades as viable, rewarding career paths.

She also identified a critical gap in educator development, pointing out that many high school technical teachers lack up-to-date industry training. Strengthening their knowledge, she argued, is key to better preparing students for modern repair environments.

Emily Chung further connected workforce challenges to broader industry issues, including limited access to repair information and evolving vehicle technology. Looking ahead, she emphasized collaboration between industry, education, and government as essential to building a sustainable talent pipeline and ensuring the long-term strength of Canada’s collision repair and automotive sectors.

Text credit : Chantal Nadeau-Cox

Picture credit : AIA Canada