News from RVDA News Highlights
Newsletter
• 2020 Canadian RV
Dealer of the Year— Last Call for Nomination
• RV Service / Writer
Advisor Online Courses
• How to become an RV
service technician— Live Webinar
• Take the 2020 Dealer
Satisfaction Index (DSI) Survey
Inside this issue: A Professional Sales 4-5 Force by Dave Kahle 2020 Canadian RV 6-7 Dealer of the YearCall for Nomination Federated 8-9 Insurance—Cyber Risk your Business Could Face During a Pandemic RV Service Wrter/ Advisor Online Courses
12
How to become an RV service technician
14
Take the 2020 Dealer Satisfaction Index Survey
15
PURIFYD- Be Aware of Ticks & Mosquitoes and Enjoy Your StayCation
16-17
Newsletter
August 2020
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Dear Members, I hope that everyone is still holding up well and managing to keep positive as we continue to navigate through the pandemic. It is nice to see that everyone is doing their part and we are able to keep the virus numbers relatively low in Canada. Stay the course and we will get through this. The summer seems to be zipping by as the RV industry tries to keep up with the demand from consumers. We have seen a surge in sales and are attracting many new consumers into the lifestyle. This is not surprising, as a recent poll by Research Co. found that less than a third of Canadians are willing to take a flight anywhere whether it's to another continent, to another province, or within their own province. Consumers still view RV travel as a safer alternative. Data derived from Go RVing Canada’s website validates our findings. In July, overall page views were up over 20% and visits to dealers’ sites were up 14%. As well, the trip planner feature saw a gain of 47%. Even more importantly, organic traffic to the site increase by 28%. This is great because we had reduced our paid advertising and still saw huge gains to dealer sites, the affordability calculator and campground listing searches. Our recent new unit sales statistics also support this with over 32% growth in June over the same period last year. Both motorized and towables saw a significant increase. While Dealers are busy selling, renting and servicing RVs, the RVDA of Canada continues our advocacy and government relations work to achieve our strategic goal of proactively advocating policy that will benefit RV Dealers across Canada. One of our annual endeavours is the participation in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance pre-budget consultations process. This year’s recommendations were as follows: Recommendation 1: Introduce a short-term GST/HST holiday on RV sales across Canada. Recommendation 2: Reintroduce the Canada Secured Credit Facility to increase lending capaci ty in the industry and support RV and automobile dealers.
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Recommendation 3: Due to the geographic constraints of the existing programs, the Govern ment of Canada should create an Apprenticeship Travel Grant that could be used by those who are required to travel in order to undertake an apprenticeship training program. This Grant should be targeted towards those enrolled in programs that are not offered in their city, town or province. Recommendation 4: The above mentioned Grant should be a taxable cash grant of $2,000$4,000 per person, per year, in order to provide support for items such as travel costs, lodging, and care arrangements for families. Recommendation 5: The Government of Canada should provide targeted and dedicated invest ment in camping/RV infrastructure in Canada’s National Parks. The 119 Federal campgrounds are comprised of over 10,800 campsites. Of these sites, 7911, or 80%, remain un-serviced. In vesting in camping/RV infrastructure will play a critical role in the overall contributions of the tourism industry to future economic development and prosperity. Many of our association and industry events are moving to a virtual or semi-virtual platform. I actually came across a word the other day to describe this: ‘Phygital’ - the fusion of physical and digital. For example both Okanagan College and SAIT are offering their RV technician apprenticeship programs this fall with a combination of in-class and online training. Please consult our www.rvcareers.ca website for more details on the phygital training available to you and your staff. Due to ongoing concerns and uncertainty with the COVID-19 virus, the RVDA of Canada Board has made the decision to postpone the 2020 Calgary Trouble Shooter Clinic to the fall of 2021. In the meantime, we are in discussions with suppliers to host a series of live webinars to answer some technical questions with live demonstrations. Watch you inbox for further details. Stay Safe! Gord Bragg, Chairman of the Board RVDA of Canada
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A Professional Sales Force By Dave Kahle It’s one of the most common laments I hear from CSO’s: “I wish I had a more professional sales force.” No doubt that thought has passed through your mind at some time in the recent past. You’re not alone, of course. What does it mean to be a “professional salesperson?” Four Basic Characteristics of a Professional Sales Force 1. A professional salesperson strives continually to do a good job This sounds so simple, but it is often the first complaint I hear. The world is full of salespeople who have plateaued at a certain average level of performance and are content to remain there. Too many sales people are satisfied with just doing the job — with mediocre performance. Why? Because they don’t see it as a profession, they see their work as a job, a necessary inconvenience that fills the work week and provides a paycheck. The professional salesperson sees the job as a challenge to continually strive for greater performance and more personal growth. He/she understands that professionalism demands a commitment to excellent performance, and strives to deliver. 2. A professional salesperson is a good employee I wish I had a dollar for every salesperson I’ve run across who thinks of himself as an independent business person with no compulsion to follow the company’s directions. They consider themselves outside of the world defined by the policies, strategies, goals and procedures of their employer. Believing that their relationships with their customers are unshakeable and personal, they provide lip service to their manager’s directions and go about their jobs as they see fit. They mistakenly equate experience with competence. Tacky. Misguided. Unprofessional. 3. A professional salesperson is committed to personal growth Every profession in the world expects a minimum degree of competence to enter the profession. That’s why lawyers must pass the bar exam, ministers and social workers must graduate from college, teachers must pass their student teaching experience, and EMT technicians must pass their exam to be certified. Not only does every profession have minimum requirements, so too every profession then demands the continual improvement of those practitioners who are dedicated to that profession. That is why lawyers have conferences, nurses and teachers have in-services, doctors take advanced training, etc. High standards and continuous improvement are the characteristics of every profession. While we may be a generation away from universally requiring minimum standards in our entry-level salespeople, we can certainly expect those who make their living by this means to regularly invest in their own improvement. From my experience, I’m convinced that only five percent of the salespeople in the world have spent $20 or more of their own money on their own improvement in the past 12 months. That’s an indication of the degree to which they are committed to personal and professional growth. The professionals do. The non-professionals don’t. 4. Professional salespeople are individuals of substantial character You just don’t expect foul language, coarse behavior, substance abuse, financial shortcuts and unethical behavior from a professional of any kind. That’s because there is a universal perception of a professional as a person of substantial, reliable character of a high order. They are more disciplined, more ethical and more refined than the mass of humanity. Or at least they should be.
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How did we get in this mess? We look around for a culprit and, surprise, we discover him in the mirror. For generations, we have seen a mindset toward the sales force that goes like this: “Hire from inside, provide a 100% commission pay plan, and look the other way. Anybody can be a salesperson. Just make sure they have enough product knowledge and expect the pay plan to separate the competent from the ill-equipped.” So we filled our sales forces with competent customer-service reps who were envious of the “big bucks” made by the salespeople. We never demanded professionalism. We only wanted a body to fill the slot. We are the culprit. Every unprofessional salesperson in our sales force is there as a result of a series of decisions we made. How to fix it Just as it took a generation to get us in this situation, so too, it will take years to get us out. Understanding this is a long-term project, here are some concrete steps to take to upgrade the professionalism of your sales force and implement changes. Step One: Start at the source Change your thinking. Think professional. Then, start talking about it. Let everyone know, over and over, that you expect professionalism. Begin by sharing this post with your sales force. And then discuss it with them. Lead and encourage them with a discussion. Set the standard. Talk the talk. Your repeated public stance will gradually infuse the thinking of all your employees. Starting with your thinking will slowly change their thinking. Step Two: Begin to treat your salespeople like professionals Expect accountability. Expect striving for excellence. Expect solid character. Develop standards. Hold people accountable. It’s an amazing truth of human nature that people will live up to the image they have of themselves, and to the expectations others have for them. When you start to treat your salespeople like professionals, you gradually influence their expectations for what is required in the job. Step Three: Provide resources Show them you will invest in their development. Don’t expect that just because they’ve been doing this for a few years that they know how to do it well. Train them in the best practices of professional distributor salespeople. That doesn’t just mean a one-day seminar and then you’re done. It means a consistent, regular injection of education, encouragement, inspiration, and motivation. Budget for training, and provide it monthly, at least. Step Four: Hire quality and character Sooner or later you’re going to face the need to acquire a new salesperson. Here is your real opportunity to upgrade. Focus on character and competence, not product knowledge. Hire people who already see themselves as professionals, and help them learn the product side of the job. Product knowledge is just knowledge. It can be gained. Qualities of character are far more easily hired than developed. There is no magic wand, other than a wholesale replacement of the sales force, that will transform an average group into a professional force. However, it can be done, as those exceptional sales forces scattered among us prove. The results of a highly effective, well-respected sales force will be measured in economic terms for decades.
Originally published: https://www.davekahle.com/professional-sales-force/ Dave Kahle is one of the world's leading sales authorities. He's written twelve books, presented in 47 states and eleven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Sign up for his free weekly Ezine. His book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, has been recognized by three international entities as "one of the five best English language business books.” Check out his latest book, The Good Book on Business
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Deadline: August 31, 2020
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During a pandemic, there are a number of things business owners need to think about, ranging from the safety of their employees to their bottom line. But one area of risk, that you may overlook, is cybercrime. Opportunistic hackers may see a pandemic as a chance to attack while organizations are distracted and dealing with the challenges a situation like that can bring with it. That’s why it’s vital to know what the risks are, and what you and your employees can do to combat cybercrime. Social engineering The vast majority of cyber-attacks – by some estimates, 98 per cent – deploy social engineering methods. They exploit fear and uncertainty to trick users and gain access to their passwords, networks, and data. Recently, cyber criminals have been using the fear surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic to their advantage. One method they’ve used to do this is through phishing e-mails. Phishing is a type of cybercrime during which fraudulent communications are used to trick users into revealing things like passwords or credit card information. The communications can also be used to gain access to a business’ network. Phishing can occur in a variety of mediums, ranging from emails to phone calls to text messages or even faxes.
This form of cybercrime is by no means new. Historically, scammers have utilized a number of tactics, including posing as members of the Canadian Revenue Agency or as law enforcement officers to trick people into revealing personal information. With COVID-19 cases on the rise, phishing e-mails have begun popping up in which scammers pose as health professionals, claiming to represent well-known organizations like The Canadian Red Cross or World Health Organization. They do this with the intention of tricking people into downloading malware or clicking malicious links. Because of this, even if an email claims to have information about the pandemic, be sure to read it carefully to make sure it’s legitimate. A recent malware attack took advantage of internet users’ interest in information about the coronavirus. The malware attack aimed at those looking for cartographic presentations of the spread of COVID-19 online and tricked them into downloading and running a malicious application which compromised their computer. To help combat situations like this, employee’s computers should have adequate firewalls in place, and they should be instructed to stay away from websites not pertaining to their work while on their work computer. Vulnerabilities at home During a pandemic, health concerns can lead some companies to have employees begin working from home. While this is great from a public health standpoint, it can open businesses up to a variety of cyber exposures they wouldn’t otherwise have to worry about. With everyone relying on digital infrastructure more than ever, the cost of an attack could be very high. With employees working from home, companies should ensure they have a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in place. It allows employees a secure way to access their work network from home. Multi-factor authentication should also be utilized for accessing email and virtual networks. Lastly, employees should be reminded to have long, complex passwords for their home Wi-Fi networks and to never re-use passwords across the Internet.
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Microsoft offers various services that could help your employees work efficiently while at home. These include training materials for Microsoft Teams, Office 365, and Windows 10. To learn more, visit their health and training website. Employee error Employees who are working in unfamiliar places and distracted by the pandemic – and the effects it could have socially, economically, and financially – may be more likely to make mistakes they wouldn’t otherwise. This can open companies up to hackers who use various techniques (like phishing) to trick employees. To combat this, education is key. Confirm that your employees are aware of the various types of cybercrime and how to spot them. Also, be sure to educate them on the technology involved when working from home (e.g. how to log onto the VPN). This will ensure employees are less likely to panic and make mistakes. Ensure you’re protected Making sure your company’s cyber security efforts are up-to-date and that your employees are aware of the risks and how to mitigate them is key. But on top of that, it’s important to ensure you have the necessary coverage should something go wrong. Cyber risk coverage is designed to support your business if computer networks are breached. Reach out to your broker to find out if you’re adequately protected or visit our cyber risk coverage page to find out more!
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Canadian retail sales statistics are now available for both motorized and towable recreational vehicles. These statistics will allow dealers to better manage the inventory on their lot by knowing which units are selling in their area, which price points are attracting buyers as well as knowing the local trends affecting their marketplace. The RV retail sales statistics compiled by Statistical Surveys Inc. are the result of matching manufacturer VIN numbers with RV registrations. The RVDA of Canada endorsement agreement includes free access for national monthly figures only, for members only. Going forward, these figures will be published in the RVDA of Canada bimonthly newsletter and archived at the “RV Statistics / National RV Sales” link on the member side of www.rvda.ca. This information is copyrighted to Statistical Surveys Inc. and for your use only, not for distribution. In order to protect your endorsement benefit, please honour that confidentiality. To purchase more detailed statistics – by province, region or city – please contact Scott Stropkai of Statistical Surveys Inc. at 616-281-9898 ext 128 or sstropkai@statisticalsurveys.com. To learn more about Statistical Surveys Inc., visit www.statisticalsurveys.com.
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Elite Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Aviva Canada Inc., one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada which provides insurance protection to more than 3 million Canadians. Aviva Canada is on a mission to change insurance. "At Aviva, we listen to our customers' views and opinions because by listening and acting on your feedback, we become better at what we do. We want Aviva customers to feel they are being treated as people, not as a number. We want our customers to be confident and comfortable that they have the right insurance to cover their needs. And we want our customers to have a positive experience at Aviva. We've already started the change by introducing our claims service satisfaction guarantee which you can learn more by visiting www.ClaimsGuarantee.com Elite Insurance Company is Canada's largest insurer of specialty personal insurance products since 1954, covering recreational vehicles, mobile homes, antique & custom cars and pleasure crafts. To learn more about Aviva Elite and their mission to change insurance visit their website: www.avivacanada.com Aviva Elite
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The First Quarter Economic Review is intended to deliver a comprehensive look at the economic indicators affecting the RV Industry in Canada. These products are intended to provide members with current economic information, which can assist them in gaining insights into the changing economic dimensions of the RV industry and the economy at large. Download this report on RVDA of Canada member site under Member services / Industry Relations tabs (login required)
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To learn more about the fully interactive course and view a course demo, click here For more information visit www.rvlearningcenter.com.
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If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact Anita Lien at the RVDA of Canada office at 604.718.6306.
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Deadline: August 31, 2020
Please complete the 2020 DSI survey online now. The deadline for completing the survey is September 4, 2020. All responses are tabulated by an independent research company, and only aggregate numbers are released. If you have any questions or have recently taken on a new brand and would like to be a part of a brand committee, please contact Jeff Kurowski at RVDA of America at 1-800-336-0355 ext. 121.
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Be Aware of Ticks & Mosquitoes and Enjoy Your Stay-Cation
Campgrounds continue to be part of many people’s “stay-cations” and more and more people are continuing to vacation into the fall in their own states or provinces, to maintain the social distancing protocol during the pandemic. Depending on where you are living, there are a number of pests that we should be aware of. Here are some tips on what insects to watch for, and how to help keep you and your family safe and healthy while enjoying the outdoors.. What to watch out for when you are outdoors Ticks With the climate change, ticks are now increasing proportionally with our warming climate. With the growth of the tick population, we are seeing an increase in Lyme disease cases.
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Tips to keep you safe from ticks •
Leafy beds, long grass and branches - ticks hang out in these environments and easily hop onto whatever brushes past them. So, try to stay in the middle of the trail.
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Wear long-sleeves and long pants in lighter colors so that they are easier to spot and don’t have immediate access to your skin.
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Do a check when you return to your campsite and brush or shake off your clothing.
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If you do find a tick, carefully remove with tweezers and take a picture of it to share with your doctor if you do begin to feel ill.
Mosquitoes These pesky insects are generally part of our camping life, but with the warming climate, we are noticing an increase in numbers as well as the diseases they are spreading. Tips to reduce the impact of mosquitoes • Reduce and cover the containers lying around where still water can collect – providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes. • Be aware that mosquito bites can make you sick, as they spread some viruses, so use insectrepellent as directed. • Cover up with long sleeved shirts and pants to reduce access to skin.
Health tips from PURIFYD®SYSTEMS - we provide a health protection system that keeps people safe from viruses, bacteria, toxic molds and spores, as well as small biting insects that may be lurking in your RV or camper.
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RVDA Member Discount Programs & Benefits
Discounts on hotel rooms – access to Choice Hotels program discounts of 15-20% at over 325 hotels in Canada & 6,300 hotels worldwide, & some complimentary services at select hotels. Aeroplan or Choice Privileges points can be earned. Book travel be online, on your mobile device or via a toll-free number.
on select Exclusive discounts up to 35% off select FedEx services when shipping within Canada, to the US, or internationally. If you have a FedEx account, simply enroll in this program through the dedicated FedEx webpage that can be found at the member link If not, see the member benefit page for a link to do so. View FedEx services at www.fedex.ca.
Discounts and offers for top attractions, shows and other entertainment! Now you’ll have access to exclusive discounts, special offers and access to preferred seating and tickets to top attractions, theme parks, shows, sporting events, movie tickets, hotels and much more. Be sure to visit often as new products and discounts are constantly being added!
on tools An array of products at very competitive prices in over a dozen Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) categories, with two discount structures – based on national volume and on catalogue prices. Inventory at each branch location is tailored to the local market. For a complete list of products available, a credit application form to sign up for an account, & a contact for complete details on this program, click here.
Petro-Canada SuperPass Credit Card Discount With use of the Petro-Canada SuperPass credit card, members of Explorer RV Club & RVDA of Canada can realize significant savings, convenience, control & security. Click here for an information / application form & contact information
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RVDA Member Discount Programs & Benefits
Discounts on 3 payroll & employment compliance resources An exclusive 20% discount on 3 of their publications: Human Resources PolicyPro, Human Resources Advisor and HR infodesk; & free trials of information services. The constantly-updated information will help you understand employer obligations & legal requirements, & stay updated with Canadian federal, provincial & territorial employment legislation.
Substantial savings on UPS services Preferred pricing with UPS for Canada-wide, USA and other destinations for expedited and standard services via Wholesale International Couriers and Freight Forwarders through UPS’ website. Visit the member link or contact information to set up an account.
Discounts on promotional products Volume-based preferred pricing on a wide range of promotional products in over 700 categories. Imago Marketing is able to distribute to all locations across Canada Visit the member link above for the member code. For more information, contact Jessie Lo at jlo@imagomarketing.com or 604.304.6246.
Discounts on Dale Carnegie Training programs 10% discount off local pricing for any Dale Carnegie Training program. Contact your local training office for class details / dates, or find an office near you. Download & present this offer to them to qualify for the discount.
Marks: Discounts (in-store) on select workwear 10% discount on the numerous items listed on our member program card, including work clothing, gloves, belts, winter and safety accessories and CSA-Approved Footwear. Show your card at the check-out counter
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Did you know about the RV Careers website? The RV Careers site was developed to raise awareness to career opportunities available in the Canadian RV industry. It provides some background information to the various departments found within an RV dealership, apprentice and technician training opportunities. It also contains information for employers on how to hire and work with apprentices and apprenticeship authorities and how to access the numerous Federal, Provincial and private grants available.
Hiring? When you visit the site, the first thing that should jump out at you is “jobs.� And, the call-to-action would be to see what jobs are available and to look deeper for the job and training requirements.
You can add, edit or remove your job posting whenever you like. You will be able to receive job applications via e-mail. Before this listing expires (in 45 days), you will be notified to either update or delete the posting.
You have full control of your job postings!
To post a job, go to the employers tab and log in using your RVDA of Canada user name and password. Contact RVDA of Canada at 604-718-6325 or e-mail if you do not have this information.
Upcoming Events
Newly added events include career fair, RV lifestyle, trade show, workshop, and online training events. The news listing will keep you and your staff up to date on training and industry events.
Education for those currently working in the industry vs. those looking to enter the industry If you currently work in sales, parts, or service, you will want to visit the Education page.
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There are training and educational programs for technicians, parts/service management programs, sales, marketing and F&I programs, administration/ accounting programs and awards available. For apprentices and anyone wishing to
become an apprentice, detailed information can be found on the Become an apprentice page. There are many programs such as youth and pre-apprenticeship where high school students can get practical work experience. If there isn’t one in your area, there’s information available under the Employer page on how to start and implement your own apprenticeship program.
Financial incentives and assistance programs There are many financial incentives for both apprentices and employers to participate in an apprenticeship as well as assistance from Provincial and Federal governments and your local RVDA. On the financial incentive page, it lists numerous benefits for apprentices to participate in an apprenticeship and for employers to hire apprentices. There are numerous Federal, Provincial and RVDA Financial assistance programs such as bursaries and grants. If you have any suggestions or comments about how we can improve the site, please email us or comment on the RV Careers Facebook page!
News from RVDA RVDA of Canada Mission Statement: The RVDA of Canada is a national federation which exists to protect and promote the interests and welfare of RV Dealers across Canada in order to enable the industry to maximize its potential.
Newsletter Editorial Staff The RVDA of Canada Member Newsletter is produced and distributed through the national association office : RVDA of Canada, Richmond BC For Inquiries please contact us at: #145 – Coppersmith Way Richmond, BC V7A 5J9 Ph: (604) 718-6325 Fax: (604) 204-0154 www.rvda.ca powered by rvhotlinecanada.com
Board of Directors Executive Committee Chairman, Gord Bragg, Hub City RV, Lantzville, BC
Emails : Eleonore Hamm, eleonore_hamm@rvda.ca Anita Lien, anital@rvda.ca Amee Inocencio, ainocencio@rvda.ca
Post your Positions at
www.RVCareers.ca
To post a job, simply go to the employers tab and log in using your RVDA of Canada user name and password. Contact RVDA of Canada at 604-718-6325 or e-mail if you do not have this information.
WWW.BUYLOCALRV.CA RVDA of Canada’s “BUY LOCAL” campaign promotes “Buy your RV close to home. It’s better in the long haul, to consumers. We encourage you to download a copy of brochure available at the member’s website.
Vice-Chairman, Josée Bédard Roulottes Chaudière Lévis, Quebec Treasurer, Dale Hopkins RV City Morinville, AB Past Chairman, Herb Cowen, Pike Lake Golf Centre, Pike Lake, ON Directors Jim Gorrie GNR Camping World
Ken Dobson Leisure Time Sales
Roland Goreski Campkin’s RV Centre
Kyle Kehoe Kehoe RV
Jonathan Stone Stone’s RV Center
Dean Goerzen Go RV
Marc Rémillard Centre du Camping Rémillard
Greg Nikkel NR Motors Ltd.