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After four long years, the Vancouver International Auto Show made its triumphant return with much fanfare, marking its 100th edition with an unforgettable opening night celebration. The highly-anticipated show kicked off with a wonderful opening night gala, where industry stakeholders, media representatives, government officials, and friends of the New Car Dealers Association of BC came together to celebrate excellence in the automotive sector. The glitz and glamour of the gala was a splendid occasion to bring everyone together and spend time with familiar faces, but it wasn’t just for show. The gala also served as a charity event benefiting the New Car Dealers Foundation of BC and the crucial work of Special Olympics BC.

Blair Qualey, President, and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC, hosted the event, remarking, “It is only fitting that the return of the Auto Show after a four-year absence should begin with a celebration of excellence. This was not just a reunion but an acknowledgment of the tireless dedication and unwavering commitment of our automotive community.”

The evening’s centerpiece was the prestigious Green Star Dealer Awards, recognizing dealerships for their exemplary efforts in promoting clean energy vehicles. These awards celebrate those dealerships selling the highest number of clean energy eligible vehicles annually across all brands, by provincial region, including the most Improved Dealership (Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Interior, and Northern BC).

  • Top BEV Sales – Vancouver Island: Harbourview Autohaus, Nanaimo
  • Top PHEV Sales – Vancouver Island: Nanaimo Mitsubishi
  • Top BEV Sales – Lower Mainland: Vancouver Volkswagen
  • Top PHEV Sales – Lower Mainland: OpenRoad Toyota-Richmond
  • Top BEV Sales – Interior: Kelowna Chevrolet
  • Top PHEV Sales – Interior: Valley Mitsubishi, Kelowna
  • Top BEV Sales – North: Northland Hyundai, Prince George
  • Top PHEV Sales – North: Prince George Toyota
  • Most Improved Dealership BEV Sales: Cranbrook Kia
  • Most Improved Dealership PHEV Sales: Gustafson’s Kia, Prince George

Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Resources, praised the pivotal role of British Columbia in fostering sustainable transportation solutions, “Congratulations to the award recipients and all New Car Dealers for helping connect British Columbians with clean transportation options and a sustainable future,” she said. “British Columbians are embracing zero-emission vehicles at record levels, and the Province is supporting this transition by providing rebates for people, making ZEVs more affordable, and by connecting communities through expanding our fast-charging network.”

The evening also saw the presentation of the Salesperson of the Year Award by EBlock, recognizing sales professionals who epitomize excellence in customer service and industry knowledge. From Aston Martin Vancouver to Volkswagen Vancouver, these individuals exemplify the spirit of automotive excellence.

Aston Martin

Andy Tsai of Aston Martin Vancouver

Audi

Francis Tan of Audi Downtown Vancouver

Bentley

Tom Peng of Bentley Vancouver

BMW

Valentino Almeida of Brian Jessel BMW

Ford

Ken Charnetski of Brown Bros. Ford Lincoln

GM

Robert McLaren of Bannister Chevrolet Buick GMC Vernon

Honda

Leo Chang of OpenRoad Honda Burnaby

Hyundai

Asher Steven of Hyundai Langley

Infiniti

Sina Fowzi of Morrey Infiniti Burnaby

Jaguar Land Rover

Nathanael Knight of Jaguar Land Rover

Kia

Zohreh Layegh of Applewood Kia

Lamborghini

Patrick Kam of Lamborghini Vancouver

Lexus

Stacy Yang of OpenRoad Lexus Richmond

Mazda

Gurtej Dhillon of Wolfe Mazda

Mercedes-Benz

Patrick Ng of Mercedes-Benz Richmond

Mitsubishi

Ben Balderson of Victora Mitsubishi

Nissan

Joel Motiuk of Morrey Nissan Burnaby

Porsche

Brian Yeung of Porsche Centre Vancouver

Rolls Royce

Steven Wu of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver

Stellantis

Prince Bhatia of Go Dodge Surrey

Subaru

Tom Yeung of Docksteader Subaru

Toyota

Elsa Bai of Toyota Northshore

Volkswagen

Gil Santo of Vancouver Volkswagen

Volvo

Pahul Kocher of Morrey Volvo Cars Burnaby

The evening was a fabulous celebration of all the outstanding sales professionals throughout the province, highlighting the very best in the industry and rewarding the hard work of the dedicated and passionate people that make the auto-sector in BC such a thriving industry. With record-breaking sales of zero-emission vehicles and a renewed commitment to sustainability, the future of driving in British Columbia is brighter than ever.