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.
