Auto Service World
News   July 27, 2016   by Allan Janssen

AARO petition seeks to get unfit vehicles off the road

Ontario association is looking for 50,000 signatures supporting a call for mandatory vehicle inspections.


The Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario (AARO) thinks the province needs mandatory inspections to get unfit vehicles off public roads… and it has drafted a petition that says as much.

Mechanical FitnessThe Burlington, Ont.-based association has been advised by Jeff Yurek, the Conservative member of the provincial legislature for the riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London, on how to properly submit the petition to the Ontario legislature.

AARO released the petition to its members earlier this week, encouraging them and their customers to support the call for a biennial vehicle inspection (once every two years).

“There are a lot of consumers who have concerns about the safety of vehicles on the road,” said AARO executive director Diane Freeman. “There are a lot of cars out there that have not been maintained.”

Although details have not been finalized as to how a mandatory inspection would run, she said she hopes it’s similar to the recently-updated motor vehicle inspection standard that applies to vehicles that are changing hands or being brought into the province.

She said Yurek was very helpful as they discussed the issue, and he is prepared to file the petition with the clerk of the Ontario legislature.

Yurek’s riding includes St. Thomas, Ont., home of AARO vice-president Bob Ward’s shop, The Auto Guys.

Ward said there’s an urgency in trying to rid Ontario roads of dangerous vehicles.

“There has been an increase in vehicle collisions in Ontario. Some of these are directly related to mechanical fitness,” he said. “Currently no inspection is required unless the vehicle is changing ownership. The recent changes to the Motor Vehicle Inspection program are a step in the right direction. With so many vehicles on the road today, there needs to be a way to improve the mechanical fitness of non-commercial vehicles.”

The association is calling for a minimum of 50,000 signatures to present it to government. The signatures must all be original – no faxes or copies.

Below is a copy of the petition that can be printed, signed, and submitted to AARO by mail. The association’s mailing address is 10-5100 S. Service Rd., Burlington, Ont., L7L 6A5.

01-AARO Petition


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3 Comments » for AARO petition seeks to get unfit vehicles off the road
  1. GLENN PETER BOTTOMLEY says:

    It’s about time someone is stepping up to the plate on this issue of safe vehicles. As a automotive repair shop owner, and a certified technician both truck coach & automotive .we see a lot of vehicles with questionable structural integrity. Steering and brake issues etc. Often the owner refuses repairs and only wants a oul change. Then there are the home mechanics that work on not only there own vehicles but all of there friends . At present there is no way of seeing these vehicles in a accredited repair shop until they are sold .it is assumed that a vehicle is safe so long as the original owner keeps the vehicle . I myself have a 1995 chev truck that I purchased in 1997. First off I can assure you it has had regular maintainance and would pass a safety inspection as I strongly believe in keeping it safe . But it is also 21 years old and has never been required to actually go through a inspection by law. How many older wore out vehicles are heading towards you and your family on ontario roads that only receive oil changes and shoddy repairs after a failure that scared the owner into doing something about the problem finally!! In the heavy duty end of things each truck we work on has to annually pass a certification this started over 20 years ago .why are we excluding smaller vehicles ? Also why are we selling safety related parts to every Tom and Joe that has a set of wrenches!! Shouldn’t the ontario collage of trades get on board with this. After all we as technicians have to pay them a annual fee.

  2. Herman Fehr says:

    This is and exceptional idea however I am sure it will be over buerocratized if left to the gov’t to implement
    The inspection could be staggered on opposite years of etest

  3. Afonso Albuquerque says:

    I for one believe this legislation is long overdue. In Europe it has been standard procedure for over 50 years, so why has it taken North American’s so long to catch up.
    There are too many back yard and driveway brake jobs going on and those vehicles are on the same road as everyone else who does maintain their vehicles by professionals.

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