Ontario Collision Repair Standards Act passes

The act to place Ontario’s bodyshops under industry self-regulation was passed on the last night of the Ontario legislature’s sitting before Christmas break. The Collision Repair Standards Act of 2002 puts the collision, auto body and auto refinishing industries under the authority of a 10-member board which will institute industry standards. The board is made up of four industry representatives, four members of the public and two government officials.Its main function will be to approve or deny the accreditation of shops based on standards to be introduced. Failure to become accredited before doing work could result in a fine up to $5,000 or six months imprisonment.The Collision Industry Standards Council of Ontario (CISCO) is expected to be the basis for standards, based on a brief it submitted to the government in February of 2000. “Those standards largely reflect standards already in use in western Canada,” states a CISCO press release.Other provisions include a “consumer bill of rights” that gives ability of consumers to have their vehicles repaired at a shop of their own choosing, as well as a required declaration of whether parts are OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or aftermarket.