Jason Friesen named 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 – The 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year Award was presented this morning to Jason Friesen, of Voyager RV Centre, Winfield, BC.
Melanie Taylor, Associate Publisher of RV Lifestyle Magazine and RV Dealer News, the founding sponsor of the Award, made the presentation at the RVDA of Canada AGM, held at the RVDA Convention/Expo in Las Vegas, NV.
In her formal presentation, Melanie shared the following thoughts on the award:
“The Canadian RV Dealer of the Year Award was created in 1989 in honour of Walt Paseska, whose energy and dedication played a key role in the development of the RVDA of Canada, and the various provincial and regional RVDA chapters across Canada.
“The award is presented each year to a Canadian RV Dealer in recognition of significant long-term commitment and dedication to the RV Lifestyle, the RVDA movement, and the community at large.
“The criteria for nomination for this prestigious award are based on consumer and peer reviews, the roles played by the nominees to promote the RV lifestyle and the betterment of the community and the RV industry as a whole – unlike some of the other awards, the Canadian RV Dealer of the Year is selected based on the significant long-term contributions by a dealer principal to the RVDA movement, the RV community, and the community at large – The selection process is not based on the sales volume or the size of the dealership.
“Each year, nominations are presented by the various Canadian RVDA chapters, and by the industry at large.
“Each nominee remains eligible for a period of three years – in recognition of the fact that in any single year, there may be two or more individuals whose efforts are worthy of this very distinguished honour.
“This year’s candidates for the Canadian RV Dealer of the Year Award were nominated by their RVDA chapters.
“The selection committee is comprised of five recent award recipients, along with a representative from RV Lifestyle Magazine – the nomination process and voting procedures are overseen by RVDA of Canada.
“Your selection committee for the 2023 award includes: Jim Gorrie, Kevin Betzold, Bruce Marsh, Al Robinson, Andy Thomson, Roland Goreski, and myself, working under the supervision of Eleonore Hamm.
Nominees for the 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the year were as follows:
- Keith Barrick, Keith’s Trailer Sales, Orton, ON
- Marco & Mylaine Boudreault, E. Boudreault VR, Ancienne-Lorette, QC
- Chardell Brydon, Jerry’s RV Trailer Sales, New Minas, NS
- Jason Friesen, Voyageur RV Centre, Lake Country, BC
- Kyle & Jeff Redmond, Bucars RV Centre, Balzac, AB
- Murray Sullivan, SMP RV, Huston, BC
To read the feature story on the 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year nominees, please follow this link:
All of the nominees have demonstrated remarkable achievements in their careers. Each of them, in their own right, is worthy of this prestigious award. However, there can only be one Canadian RV Dealer of the Year for 2023…
Our 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year joined the management team at his family’s RV dealership in 2003 and became the acting Dealer Principal the following year when his father retired. In 2009, he became the Vice President of the dealership and immediately set the new direction of the dealership to match his vision.
In recent years, he established a charitable initiative, where dealership staff were given a list of 25 local charities to vote on, with the top 7 charities chosen to receive a share of $100,000 in donations.
Our 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year and his RV team are very active members of the RVDA of BC as well as the RVDA of Canada, contributing endless energy and effort to a wide range of RVDA and industry projects, including the Okanagan College Trades Training complex development.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating our 2023 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year, Jason Friesen, of Voyager RV Centre, Winfield, BC.
In accordance with our tradition, the award was presented to Jason by Jim Gorrie, our 2018 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year.
Previous winners of the Canadian RV Dealer of the Year Award include:
1989 – Doug Petrie, Niagara Trailer Sales, St. Davids, ON
1990 – Doug Williams, Twin City Trailer Sales, Bedford, NS
1992 – Gil Robert, GNR Camping World, Winnipeg, MB
1993 – Gary Hodgins, RV City, Morinville, AB
1994 – (Tie) Eleanor Powers, Claynor RV World, Langley, BC and Fred Benninger, Mobilife RV Centre, Kitchener, ON
1995 – Don Main, Pik-A-Dilly Trailer Sales, Brandon, MB
1996 – Louis Gaudette, Roulottes RG Gagnon, L’Assomption, QC
1997 – Don Sneyd, Ruston RV Centre, Burlington, ON
1998 – Ken Langevin, Walt’s Trailer Sales, Headingley, MB
1999 – Bill Redmond, Bucars RV Centre, Calgary, AB
2000 – Art Pike, Westgate RV Centre, Kelowna, BC
2001 – Woody Paylor, Woody’s RV World, Red Deer, AB
2002 – Derek Dobson, Leisure Time RV Sales, Saint John, NB
2003 – Shelly Shewchuk, Recreation World RV’s, Thunder Bay, ON
2004 – Jack Bell, Chemo RV Sales & Service, Williams Lake, BC
2005 – Robert Rémillard, Centre du Camping Rémillard, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
2006 – Kim Stone, Stone’s RV&Home Center, New Glasgow, NS
2007 – Marty Vellner, Vellner Leisure Products, Red Deer, AB
2008 – Wayne Hambly, PEI Home&RV Centre, Charlottetown, PEI
2009 – Dave Dobson, RV World, Waasis (Fredericton), NB
2010 – Daniel Morin, Roulottes Desjardins, St-Jérôme, QC
2011 – Tom Ramsay, Meridian RV Mfg. Ltd., Port Coquitlam, BC
2012 – Garth Bromley, Transcona Trailer Sales, Winnipeg, MB
2013 – Ian Moore, Big Boy’s Toys, Nanoose Bay, BC
2014 – Gérard Dufresne, Caravanes de la Petite Nation, L’Ange-Gardien, QC
2015 – Sam Parks, Camp-Out RV, Stratford, Ontario
2016 – George Goodrick, Adventure Sports, Dartmouth, NS
2017 – Jason Bell, Chemo RV Sales and Service, 100 Mile House, BC
2018 – Jim Gorrie & Kevin Betzold, GNR Camping World, Winnipeg
2019 – Bruce Marsh, Cape Breton Trailer Sales, Bras D’Or, NS.
2020 – Al Robinson, Great Canadian RV, Peterborough, ON
2021 – Andy Thomson, Can-Am RV, London, ON
2022 – Roland Goreski, Campkin’s RV Centre, Whitby, ON
