At OARA 2026, the key message was that AI is now a practical tool for improving inventory speed, accuracy and workflow, not a distant disruption. Just as important, recyclers highlighted urgent needs around EV safety training, tighter operational discipline and stronger collaboration with government, insurers and the wider aftermarket.
by Kaitlyn Dixon Photography
Artificial intelligence (AI) may have dominated discussion at the 2026 Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) Convention and Trade Show in Markham, Ontario, Canada, last month, but the message from the floor was notably practical. For recyclers, the focus was less on disruption and more on applying new tools, improving operations and strengthening the industry’s voice with government and the wider automotive aftermarket.
“From my perspective it all went very well,” said Wally Dingman, OARA’s executive director. “We had record attendance, raised $37,000 for industry scholarships and had a lot of important and productive conversations with key figures throughout the automotive aftermarket, and even in government.”
AI moves from theory to application
One of the most talked-about sessions, The Future of BidBuddy and AI with ARI – Powered by Auto PARTnered Solutions, looked at how automation and data-led tools are already being used inside recycling businesses.
by Kaitlyn Dixon Photography
“We focused on how AI is actually being used inside the industry, not just what might happen,” said Steve Fletcher, who continues to serve as an industry ambassador and consultant following his retirement as OARA’s long-time executive director. “In the past, it was hypothetical. Now people are showing what’s already happening.”
Fletcher pointed to imaging systems as a clear example of where gains are already being made.
“You can take multiple images of a vehicle, and the system identifies components, flags damage and aligns that directly into your inventory,” he said. “That’s a real productivity gain.”
Dingman also stressed the operational value of reducing delays between dismantling and saleable inventory. “In the past, parts might not get listed for days, sometimes without proper identification. Now the focus is on getting parts online quickly and accurately so they can sell faster.”
Recognition in the automotive lifecycle
While AI attracted attention, the deeper conversation at the event centred on training, safety and the recycler’s place in a changing vehicle market. Dingman, who is also executive director of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada, argued that recyclers are still working to secure recognition as an essential part of the automotive lifecycle.
“We are part of the process,” Dingman said. “You can’t design a system for vehicles without thinking about what happens at the end of life. If recyclers aren’t at the table, then you’re missing a piece.”
by Kaitlyn Dixon Photography
That message is beginning to gain traction in government discussions, he said, helped by coordinated outreach and collaboration with organisations including the Automotive Aftermarket Repairers Association of Canada and the Automotive Industries Association.
“When we collaborate and raise issues together, things like VIN management and traceability, government starts to pay attention,” he said. “The minister told us directly that we’re bringing a perspective they hadn’t fully considered.”
The decision by Ontario’s Associate Solicitor General to speak at the conference was seen as a significant milestone for the association, particularly because the province had approached OARA to secure the opportunity.
“Having that opportunity to speak directly with government is important.”
Fletcher said the announcement also helped build momentum for the event itself. “When we announced he was coming, registrations jumped. It put auto recyclers on the radar in a positive way. The real value is in the conversations that follow.”
Those conversations are already continuing, according to OARA board chair Greg Woodbeck.
“We’ve just made that connection,” Woodbeck said. “Now it’s about sitting down and continuing the dialogue about how we can contribute.”
EV safety remains the most urgent challenge
Alongside policy engagement, Dingman identified electric vehicles as the most immediate operational challenge for recyclers, driven not by uncertainty over market growth but by the risks involved in handling high-voltage systems.
“This is the first time in automotive history where the new technology can actually kill you if you don’t understand it,” he said. “We’ve always figured things out as we go, but that approach doesn’t work with high-voltage systems.”
Training is available, he said, but scaling it across the sector remains difficult.
“The training exists, but it’s expensive,” Dingman said. “We need support, whether from government or manufacturers, to make it accessible.”
The problem is made harder by staff turnover, which can leave businesses paying repeatedly for the same capability. “You train someone, and if they move on, you have to start again.”
Even so, Dingman said recyclers have repeatedly shown they can adapt to technological change. “Every time something new comes along, people think the industry is finished. But we learn it, we adapt, and we move forward.”
by Kaitlyn Dixon Photography
Margin pressure and operational discipline
The convention also turned a spotlight on business fundamentals. Keynote speaker Jer Banta, in his session Effective Qualifying, Overcoming Objections, and Closing More Sales, argued that stronger systems and accountability are essential in a tighter-margin market.
“We were moving a lot of volume but not making the money we should have,” he said. “The turning point was putting proper systems in place, tracking performance, creating accountability and getting organized. Without that, the business doesn’t hold together.”
Banta also addressed how automation is likely to reshape front-end roles. “AI will be able to handle transactions. But salespeople aren’t going away, the role shifts toward managing relationships and following up. Customers still want to know someone is looking after them.”
That point was reinforced by Shannon Nordstrom, president of the Automotive Recyclers Association, who said margin pressure has changed the economics of the sector.
“Back in the ’90s, we didn’t have to think too hard about what vehicles we bought, margins were strong. Today, it’s a much harder nut to crack.”
Nordstrom highlighted compensation strategy as one way to maintain performance, noting that his business offers quarterly bonuses to all full-time staff.
Better alignment across the supply chain
Beyond the speaker sessions, the event placed strong emphasis on collaboration across the wider supply chain. Opening-day roundtables brought recyclers together with insurers, repairers and data providers to identify shared challenges and practical points of alignment.
“We brought those groups together to understand each other better,” Fletcher said. “They don’t always have the chance to sit down and talk through these issues.”
He said closer coordination with the collision sector is especially important. “When we’re aligned, you get better results on cycle time, part quality and availability.”
For OARA’s leadership, the turnout reflected that wider momentum.
“It was our biggest show so far,” Woodbeck said. “Strong attendance, a busy trade floor and full rooms.”
by Kaitlyn Dixon Photography
What it means for recyclers
The 2026 OARA Convention showed an industry focused on practical progress. AI is beginning to deliver real workflow gains, but recyclers remain equally concerned with safety, training, traceability and securing a stronger role in policy discussions. For operators, the message was clear: technology matters, but so do systems, skills and collaboration across the automotive value chain.
