SUMMER 2005

The CAM conference will be a great ending to a very busy moving season. Movers are reporting one of their busiest summers ever. The national office and the Quebec office have been getting lots of calls from people looking for a mover, and also some complaining about the performance of some of your competitors. Sounds like everyone is under pressure.

Keep your contact information up to date with CAM so we can make referrals to you during the slower off-season.

CAM’S 2005 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND GOLF TOURNAMENT

Mark your calendar: September 19 and golf tournament – September 20. Flyers are in the mail to you, and information is posted on CAM’s website.

We have a great lineup of speakers:

• Jim Larsen is a consultant and coach to moving companies throughout North America; he will demonstrate strategies for improving cash flow.
• Jean-Claude Collard is the new contract manager at the Department of National Defence, and will update movers on the status of the government’s initiatives and new programs within the contract.
• Chris Ferguson is responsible for the implementation of Ontario’s new Consumer Protection Act. He will discuss its provisions and some of the government’s new initiatives to protect consumers, as well as strategies used in other provinces.
• Dave Harrington is a business and marketing consultant who will show some effective strategies for marketing through Yellow Pages and on the Internet.
• Michael Rathbone leads one of Canada’s foremost international shipping firms, and will demonstrate some methods that will help movers to develop this potentially very profitable area.

August 19 is the deadline for early-bird discounts at the hotel and on conference registrations. This conference is about profitability – don’t miss out on these savings.

ONTARIO’S CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

Movers in Ontario are now subject to the new regulations contained in the Consumer Protection Act. Take a few minutes to read the Act. It’s on our website. Of particular interest should be Section 10 – Estimates:

1. Estimates – If a consumer agreement includes an estimate, the supplier shall not charge the consumer an amount that exceeds the estimate by more than 10 per cent.
2. Performance of consumer agreement – If a supplier charges an amount that exceeds the estimate by more than 10 percent, the consumer may require that the supplier provide the goods or services at the estimated price.
3. Subsequent agreement – Nothing in this section prevents a consumer and a supplier from agreeing to amend the estimate or price in a consumer agreement, if the consumer requires additional or different goods or services.

There are some obvious areas of concern for movers, especially when conditions change during a move. Send your questions to CAM, at act@mover.net, and we will forward them to the Ministry for their comments. This legislation might affect all Canadian movers providing estimates on long-distance moves into and out of Ontario.

CAM is currently seeking information from the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services about how the Act will be interpreted and how movers can operate ethically and legally within it.

NORTH AMERICAN VAN LINES APPOINTMENT

On August 3, 2005, North American Van Lines announced that Kevin Devereux has joined its senior leadership team as Director of Agency Development. Kevin comes to North American from BlueBird Relocation Systems and The Office Mover, a long-standing North American agent, where he was Managing Director of the Toronto branch. (Press Release)