Trillium Automobile Dealers Association Statement on Digital Dealer Registration

For the 1,000 new car dealer members of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association, the rollout of Digital Dealer Registration marks the most important policy announcement made by the Ontario Government in a generation.

Allowing new car dealers to electronically register the vehicles they sell or lease, brings the vehicle sales process into the digital age. No longer will dealers waste time and money by making multiple trips to a licensing office or waiting in line for registration services.

Dealers will be able to register vehicles online and hand over the keys to the customer minutes after signing on the dotted line – rather than hours or days later.

This cuts red tape and saves consumers and automobile dealers time and money.

Trillium is incredibly thankful to Ross Romano, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, for saying ‘yes’ to modernizing the vehicle sales process, and placing the consumer at the centre of government decision making.

Digital Dealer Registration has been talked about for decades. But the buck finally stopped with Minister Romano and Premier Doug Ford. They saw the problem, acted decisively, and stepped on the gas to get Digital Dealer across the finish line.

The rolling out of Digital Dealer is another example how Premier Ford and Minister Romano’s Government are the most pro-auto retail Government in decades. This game-changing announcement comes after other significant red tape cutting measures like eliminating the Drive Clean program, scrapping the College of Trades and lowering the cost of vehicle ownership by eliminating licence plate renewal fees.

Digital Dealer was made possible by Kitchener – Conestoga MPP Mike Harris championing this issue. Soon after being elected to Queen’s Park in 2018, he decided to tackle the outdated method of registering vehicles head on by introducing Bill 50, the Cutting Red Tape for Motor Vehicle Dealers Act – which would allow the electronic registration of vehicles by automobile dealers. His tireless advocacy resulted in Bill 50 receiving all-party support, and eventually became the Government policy announced today.

Trillium also thanks Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for his steadfast support over the years. In Opposition, Minister Clark heard first-hand from new car dealers in his riding about the burdensome registration process. In response, Minister Clark tabled three separate Private Member’s Bills aimed to offer electronic vehicle registration.

Digital Dealer Registration is the type of forward-thinking policy Ontario needs to modernize the car buying process and do what’s best for those involved in a vehicle transaction.

– Frank Notte

Director of Government Relations
Trillium Automobile Dealers Association