The Western Canada Automotive Business Association (WCABA) “Where Small Business Matters” is a recently incorporated not for profit association formed by members of the towing industry, in response to critical financial and operational issues for their industry that seem to involve ICBC at every turn.
 
The WCABA wishes to thank Minister Kevin Falcon for his leadership in demanding the recently released review on the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC), and for taking swift steps to make changes to ICBC’s governance.
 
President and CEO of the WCABA, Dale Finch states…. The Towing Industry is financially struggling because ICBC took the unprecedented steps to request a federal competition bureau opinion. This opinion has changed all industry stakeholder relationships in the province that has worked in BC since 1973, even as ICBC was formed. ICBC knows that industry stakeholders do not have the financial resources as ICBC does, to legally decide this issue. We need Minister Falcon’s intervention. Businesses should not be put out of business, by a crown monopoly. That is a real possibility in the towing industry.
 
Finch states, “Rate setting or in this case the lack of rate setting is not only affecting tow companies financial survival, but everyone who works in the towing and recovery industry, who earns their living working for the these companies. Our Towing & Recovery Industry runs 24/7 businesses and works with their partners the police and fire departments, in some horrible weather and with the public in very stressful and in some cases, tragic situations.” Costs are going up on everything including truck insurance from ICBC, but revenues aren’t keeping pace. We need to be able to pass on our cost increases and that includes several programs including municipal contracts being dictated by ICBC rates.
 
The WCABA believes now is a time for strong leadership at ICBC. Finch states “The very recent appointment of Paul Taylor to the position of Board Chair is great news.”  Mr. Taylor is a very experienced business and financial person. We have a long ways to go in sorting out our industry issues but if anyone that has the balance to sort out this situation, it is he.
 
We do not want a repeat of the devastation to the Towing and Recovery industry that the Auto Rental Industry experienced 4 years ago under ICBC’s controversial bid process.
 
The WCABA looks forward to working with Minister Kevin Falcon and ICBC Chairman, Paul Taylor in the coming weeks on resolving the issues affecting the Towing and Recovery Industry.

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