Hey fellas,

It's been a very long time since I last posted. No, there's still no car in the garage. Life is simply not cooperating, but I still think there's light at the end of the tunnel, although that light may now have become an oncoming train.

I just received an email from Al Beix at Western Canada Cobras, who forwarded an email from someone in Ontario describing his challenges with a recent change to Ontario provincial legislation. This is a direct copy n paste of that email with individuals names and contact info (other than Al's since we all know him) removed for privacy's sake.

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I received the following from an acquaintance in Ontario that is interested in building a factory Five Kit car.

He has run into a roadblock of immense proportions in the form of recently changed Ontario Dept of Transport regulations that make no provisions what so ever for licensing any car that does not meet every single one of the current Motor vehicle safety act requirements!

The full email he sent me is below my commments, but the critical part reads as follows.

Hi John,
I appreciate that it has been some time that has passed. I do not have anything to report as forward movement on criteria for kit cars.
If you wish for my answer today, it is that the vehicle must meet the criteria of the Passenger/Light-duty Vehicle Inspection Standard to have a safety standards certificate issued. That is not the popular answer for you, nor other hobbyists. However there are no exemptions or modifications in the legislation that apply. I do not have a timetable for such considerations to advise you of.

At the moment this applies to only kit cars, but it is not much of a stretch to see how this could be expanded to anything with wheels that does not meet these requirements. (Think, Collision avoidance, Active Cruise Control, ABS Brake Systems, Anti Upset technology, etc, etc., etc)

The Specialty Vehicle association of Ontario (SVAO) is working with the Ontario provincial Govt and SEMA to see these regulations changed.

If you do nothing else at all in support of our hobby this year I urge you to read the following email and then go to the SVAO web site at Specialty Vehicle Association of Ontario Official Home Page. and click on the JOIN NOW Link on the right side of the page about half way down the page to add you name the the SEMA Action Network.

SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association and they are a strong and influential lobby group that has been successful in pushing through all manner of legislation that works FOR our hobby in the USA. With a large enough buy in from the Canadian hot rod, kit car and specialty car communities they can be just as effective in Canada. We need to see a minimum of 6000 people sign up for this so lets all get to work and make this happen - for the sake of our hobby!

The other thing you can - in fact MUST do if we are to succeed - is forward this email on to every one of your like minded friends urging them to sign up and pass it on to their friends.

Folks, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! With enough pressure from the hot rod and specialty vehicle community we can stop and perhaps even reverse this oppressive legislation before it spreads to the rest of Canada!

The full Email I received follows.

PLEASE - Read and ACT on this!

Your Hobby depends on it!

Regards

AL Beix
Western Canada Cobras



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Date: Thu, Mar 9, 2017 at 2:23 PM
Subject: Update from Ontario
To: cdncobraguy at gmail. c o m



Hello Al,

I apologize that it has taken so long since we last talked, but here is the word for word that I got back from our MTO in regards to the new safety standards

Hi XXXX,
I appreciate that it has been some time that has passed. I do not have anything to report as forward movement on criteria for kit cars.
If you wish for my answer today, it is that the vehicle must meet the criteria of the Passenger/Light-duty Vehicle Inspection Standard to have a safety standards certificate issued. That is not the popular answer for you, nor other hobbyists. However there are no exemptions or modifications in the legislation that apply. I do not have a timetable for such considerations to advise you of.


I have found some help from the Gentleman listed below, he is the chairman of the SVAO .Very nice person to talk to and is currently trying to work out some communication with the MTO in regards to this situation. Please feel free to forward or provide this contact information to whom ever you think would benefit. The more support we can generate the better as the regulations affect any vehicle built that does not have pre registration dating back at least a few years
Also if any one would like to contact me for any information as I currently know it please pass along my e-mail as well

The SVAO: Dedicated to the protection and preservation of Specialty Vehicles

Specialty Vehicle Association of Ontario Official Home Page.

XXXXX XXXXXXXX Chairman (###) ###-####



Thank you

XXXX XXXXXXXX

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