For 42 years the UCDA has proudly gone by the name Used Car Dealer Association of Ontario.
In that time, the UCDA has been witness to massive changes in the market, in the technology and the consumers we serve. The quality of the vehicles our members sell has never been better, but ownership is getting beyond more and more people as prices rise.
Part of the reason for rising prices in the aftermarket, of course, is due to external economic forces and pressures beyond our control. Others are due to changes closer to home, from fee hikes by regulators that are grossly in excess of what is fair or reasonable, as well as costs imposed by requirements like FINTRAC compliance, taxes, overhead, and insurance.
The UCDA was founded in 1984 by 7 Ontario dealers as a not-for-profit association. The UCDA currently represents almost 5000 Members, spread through more than 500 Ontario communities. We celebrated our 40th anniversary on November 15th, 2024.
How did we do this? By staying relevant to our members and our mission; to enhance the image of the Used Vehicle Industry through the three pillars of Representation, Education, and Mediation.
We have learned, over all these years, the truth of the statement that individually dealers struggle to be heard, but collectively they cannot be ignored.
We see this played out in our advocacy on files like auto theft, our relationship with law enforcement and Crime Stoppers, our work with government and regulators, our support of charities fighting childhood cancer, our work on education and consumer dispute resolution and, just in the last year:
- Front Line went fully digital in October of 2025
- All new UCDA forms released
- Our first ever UCDA Golf Tournament
- The first dealer-wide survey on ServiceOntario since 2010
- Promoting the UCDA message to the benefit of Members
- Attended 20th annual Used Car Week in Toronto and partnered in the 21st
- Attended numerous trade shows, conventions and conferences
- Maintain an approved extended warranty list
- Conducted media interviews
- Designed FINTRAC for dealers
- Led the way on Digital ID Verification
- Fully rolled out free CPD and Key Elements Education and
- A free flag for every single UCDA member in time for Canada Day!
Our work with like-minded associations and partners in recycling, tires, banking, consulting, market analysis, tax, legal, and various memberships in associations like CCMTA, IATTI and CFLA places us at the forefront and at the table when motor vehicle dealers’ interests are being advanced … or threatened.
The key theme running through all of this, over all this time, is UNITY. It’s not only why the UCDA attracts so many new members, it’s why existing members in their hundreds renew their membership, year after year after year.
We felt it was high time that our name reflect this unity, celebrate it as our core strength and change our corporate name to capture the spirit of what we do here every day. We are as proud of our old name as we are our new one, the
UNITED CAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION (UCDA)
UCDA members are united in their quest to demonstrate profession-alism and agree to abide by our Code of Ethics; to do an even better job in this business than the minimum expectations placed on dealers.
You already have the UCDA logo on your wall, your window, your plate bags, and that will not change, but going forward you will know, for sure, you are part of something bigger than just your single business. You are part of a very large group, an association, that has your back.
We will not forget our past as we look to the future, and the future for the UCDA is bright, as we venture into our 5th decade serving our great members in this dynamic industry.
The UCDA Stands for Dealers
The UCDA Stands with Dealers