The Recreation Vehicle Dealers’ Association of Canada (RVDA) and Canadian Campground and RV Council (CCRVC) hosted a joint advocacy push on Parliament Hill from April 13 and 14, 2016.
With nearly 200 new members of parliament elected in the October 2015 federal election, the 2016 Hill Days represented a particularly significant opportunity to forge critical relationships with a government that has committed to more than $125 billion in infrastructure spending over the next 10 years, along with significant tourism investment.
On April 13 members of both associations gathered for a joint reception at the Parliamentary Restaurant on the sixth floor of Centre Block, which was attended by several Members of Parliament in spite of ongoing committee meetings and votes on the Hill. The reception gave RVDA and CCRVC representatives an opportunity to informally dis-cuss issues related to the RV and camping industries in Canada.
This successful start was followed the next day with a breakfast hosted by Gudie Hutchings, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism. As a lifelong supporter of the RV and camping industry, Ms. Hutchings shared many personal stories as well as her insights on moving the industry forward on the agenda of the current government. Breakfast events provide the group with an opportunity to start the day productively with a healthy meal, and to coordinate meeting logistics with their fellow representatives.
No less than 40 face-to-face meetings were held in Ottawa with senior bureaucrats and newly elected MPs in order to advocate on behalf of the Canadian RV industry, as well as a number of meetings in the riding both prior to and following the Parliament Hill Days – cumulating in a total of 50 meetings overall. Representatives were able to secure a number of commitments from legislators that will help to encourage investments and regulatory changes to assist Canada’s RV industry over the years to come.
RV Industry Facts & Background Information
In support of the face-to-face discussions with legislators and senior policy-makers, a leave-behind prepared by the RVDA of Canada provided a detailed overview of the socio-economic impact of Canada’s RV industry. The document makes interesting reading, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the full scope and reach of our industry. Key messages include:
The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada (RVDA) is a professional trade association for businesses involved in the RV industry. The RVDA of Canada is a national, volunteer federation of provincial and regional RVDA associations 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.
The RVDA of Canada also facilitates a variety of training, recruitment, human resources, and educational programs covering all areas of an RV Dealership for RV Dealers across Canada. The education strategy includes service seminars for RV technicians, training through Distance Learning Networks and the virtual RV Learning Centre. The RV rental industry offers more than 350,000 RV nights in Canada each year to both domestic and international travelers. In 2011, the total economic activity associated with the Canadian recreation vehicle industry reached $14.5 billion. Canadians spend $2.9 billion at RV retailers, $1.4 billion on storage, insurance and accessories, and they spend $7.0 billion on goods and services as they travelled across Canada.
RV Industry Facts:
- 14% of Canadian households own an RV
- There are over one million RVs on Canada’s roads today
- Canadians embark on approximately 8 million RV trips a year
- The RV industry generated $14.5 billion in total economic activity in 2011
- 40% of RVs are owned by people under the age of 55
- 40% of RV families have children
- Studies show there is up to a 70% saving during an RV vacation vs. a traditional vacation
- Many RVs can be used through-out the year
- 90% of RVers say seeing the country is their top priority
- RVDA of Canada estimates that retail sales in Canada in 2011 totaled just over $3.0 billion
- Wholesale shipments exceeded 60,500 units in 2013 with over 54,789 new unit registrations in Canada
- Over 90% of vehicles sold are towables, almost 10% are motorized
The joint efforts of RVDA of Canada and CCRVC led to an extraordinarily successful 2016 Hill Day. Follow-up has been completed to ensure that the MPs who made commitments on the Hill Day deliver on their promises, and advance the agenda of Canada’s RV dealers.
