Independent auto repair shops are playing a vital role in Canada’s electric vehicle market as EV ownership grows and service demands change, according to a panel of industry experts.
Daniel Breton, chief executive officer of Electric Mobility Canada, discussed how independent garages are increasingly essential, sharing his own experience with dealer wait times. He told the story of having a charging issue with his EV. He called the dealer and asked if he could come by.
The dealer’s response? The next available appointment was in 32 days.
“So I went to an independent shop,” Breton said at the 2025 AARO Symposium. “I took it there [and] it took 15 minutes. The guy looked at it [and] did a software update. That was it.”
Breton noted the need for shops to have specialized skills but also to build a reputation on trust. If the dealers are falling flat with their service, the independent shop needs to be there to serve those customers
“That’s why you guys, independent garages, are so important in this transition,” Breton said.
Darryl Croft from OK Tire Etobicoke and the Electric Vehicle Network said that when he decided to invest in providing electric vehicle services, building confidence with his staff took time but paid off with visible results.
“There was not a single person that worked for me that thought it was a good idea. And they put all their passion into gears and shifters, and they wanted no part of it,” Croft recalled.
But then they started driving EVs and tinkering with them. Now his staff are all in.
“So it took time to do it, but I made the investment there. And one by one, everyone switched over,” Croft said.
The biggest challenge was getting staff to wrap their heads around the idea.
“If you’re going to attract people to come to your shop, you got to let them know you’re in business,” he added.
And when people see an EV parked at your shop, Croft compared it to a restaurant: If people see a restaurant is crowded and busy, they assume it has good food and people enjoy going there. So if people see EVs at your shop, they’ll figure that you know what you’re doing and may bring their EV to you.
“When you start getting EVs parked around your building and another vehicle’s in [the bay], they think this, ‘This is the place to go,’” he said.
Croft also encouraged shop owners to make the initial investment in tools to get the ball rolling, if the opportunity is there in your area.
“If they see you’re in it, you’re going to grab the business,” he said. “It’s not going to put you out of business to buy the tools [and] do some initial training.”
