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As a carwash operator you may want to know what the Canadian Carwash Association (CCA) does for you and why
you should join or renew your membership. This is a question the office is asked on a regular basis and one
that is not easy to address.
The association is here to represent the interests of carwash owners and operators. This involves:
- Discussions with various levels of government and other special interest groups,
- Providing tangible member benefits,
- Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices,
- Providing opportunities for social interaction for our industry,
- Developing educational programs to assist operators, and
- Providing a place for members, the media and public to call for carwash information.
In order to accomplish these tasks, the CCA is organized into a number of committees that have specific
responsibilities. To help inform our members about the activities of the committees, the CCA has created
new pages for the website (www.canadiancarwash.ca) to address their mandates, composition and deliverables.
To summarize, committees have been struck to deal with environmental issues, educational content
delivery, financial reporting, communications and membership programs.
The environmental committee has, for example, met with several municipal water departments to focus on
carwash industry as the alternative to driveway or lot washing. Most municipalities now have regulations in
place which protect storm sewer run-off from chemicals, such as those used in driveway washing. In their
messages to the public, we’re encouraging them to mention commercial carwash operations as the preferred
choice for carwashing.
Our CARWACS committee is responsible for developing specific content for the two major national trade shows,
one in March in Toronto and the other in September in Calgary, in conjunction with our partner Fulcrum. The
membership committee is responsible for member benefits, such as the group insurance program which offers
substantial discounts for the “right” type of insurance operators need. As well, the Wash Volume Report (WVR),
our quarterly national survey of carwash operations, provides important data about the industry.
Participation in the WVR is free to members, and participants receive specific market data for their region.
Competition Law Compliance
It is the policy of the CCA to obey all laws, including Canada's
Competition Act. Accordingly,
the CCA cautions all member companies against discussing pricing with its competitors, either
in the context of CCA interactions, or outside the CCA . While the CCA does report some data
to its members through the Wash Volume Report, only aggregates and averages are shown and
individual operator pricing information is never disclosed. It is important to note that it
is incumbent upon all companies to avoid discussing pricing with any competitor. If in doubt
regarding the application of the law to your specific situation, please consult a legal advisor.
As for other things the CCA also does not do, we do not promote
one supplier or carwash operator over another.
It is our policy to treat all of our members fairly when it comes to providing
information on the industry or contacts within it when asked by members or third
parties. The CCA does not promote non-members. We do have a carwash finder
option on our website, and members are encouraged to check to make sure their listings
are up-to-date. Please notify us of any changes you may wish to see. As well, there
is a supplier page which lists members who supply goods and services to our industry.
One of the things the CCA is workin on is
communicatng what it is we do to the members. Part of
that change is the new monthly electronic newsletter which started January 2011. If you haven’t seen it, email
us at office@canadiancarwash.ca so that we can make sure you are on the list. We’ve also posted the communications
on the website under newsletters for you to view at any time.
How CCA can do More
Many of the intangible benefits require that members be involved. Saul Barth, the 2010 CCA Ted Snyders Award
recipient, said in his acceptance speech in September 2010 that the most important thing he got from his involvement
from the CCA was access to like-minded colleagues he could ask questions of and interact with. He developed many
friends in the industry whom he could turn to if there was a problem or question at his carwash operation. This
only happened, as he said, because he got involved.
The CCA can and should do more for you, but we can only do so if you too are involved. Review our committee
pages on the website and see if there’s a place you would want to assist.
Note that the CCA wants to expand the distribution of the electronic membership newsletter to include municipal
officials responsible for water regulation and enforcement. If you know of such a person, please send their name,
municipality they work for and email address to
office@canadiancarwash.ca so
they can be added to the list.
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