2021 Automotive News Canada All-Stars

If 2020 was spent living from one COVID-19 crisis to the next, then 2021 was about finding normalcy, even if it was unfamiliar.

The 2021 Automotive News Canada All-Stars appeared to be unwilling to settle for normal. In fact, many were selected because they were integral to the biggest auto-industry stories of the year, from U.S. retail giant Lithia Motors and Driveway acquiring Canada’s Pfaff Automotive, to the revival of the Oshawa Assembly Plant to build Silverado pickups.

There were many other bold business moves — literally — such as relocating a dealership into the West Edmonton Mall, and vehicle shipments from China that swapped Canadian coasts to slash weeks off delivery times.

Other All-Stars set out to strengthen their companies by diversifying their portfolios: One dealership group now has electric-vehicle stores and another is focused on an expansive strategy for used vehicles, which have become critical since the pandemic-related microchip shortage has impacted new-vehicle production.

Fewer available microchips led automakers to cut production of certain vehicles, and information and communication regarding production and inventory became daily reading for stakeholders in the industry. Automotive News Canada has an All Star for that, too.

Others made strides environmentally or focused on diversity in their workplaces. It should be no surprise that that’s also beneficial for the bottom line.

The auto industry is famously known for giving back to the communities that help it thrive, and that took many forms in 2021, most notably with regard to the wildfires and the flooding in British Columbia.

The list goes on.

It’s not possible to honour the countless All-Stars from coast to coast, but Automotive News Canada is pleased to recognize a handful who led the way.