The Calgary Motor Dealers Association (CMDA) is a non-profit organization which represents 72 members. It was formed in 1951 for the enhancement of the industry and the betterment of the community. The CMDA is closely affiliated with the Motor Dealers Association of Alberta (MDA) which has over 335 member dealerships across the province. Together, we are dedicated to strengthening our relationships with the consumer, through:

ADVERTISING STANDARDS

CMDA members are required to abide by advertising standards that covers such areas as product claims, disclosure of financing terms and conditions, and word usage in advertisements.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

The MDA actively lobbies the Provincial Government to enact protective legislation for both its members and consumers. Two issues we are currently concentrating on are:

• Auto Theft: - Revinned/Stolen vehicles entering Alberta are being sold to dealers and individuals thereby creating property losses and high insurance premiums, as well as a burden on the enforcement agencies.
• Mandatory safety inspections to ensure only safe vehicles are on the road which will reduce costly and tragic collisions.

As a large group of members committed to community spirit, the CMDA enjoys the opportunity to get involved and make an impact on special causes:

Our CMDA Vehicles & Violins Gala has provided funding for charities in Calgary in excess of $1,160,000.00 over the past 7 years, including the “HeartStrings” Program of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra; the CMDA Entrance Endowment Fund at SAIT Polytechnic; the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta; the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Alberta/NWT Chapter; the Calgary Prostate Cancer Foundation; the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation; the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT, & Nunavut; and the Canadian Diabetes Association. The charities selected to benefit from the 2007 Vehicles and Violins Gala are the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) and the Missing Children Society of Canada.

In 1988 the CMDA donated a Handi-Bus to the Calgary Handi-Bus Association. Until it was retired on August 31, 1998 our bus logged 611,119 kilometers in 10 years of continuous service, providing over 66,000 passenger trips. Our second bus went into service in March of 1995 and has logged over 562,000 kilometers as of September 2006, representing over 46,000 passenger trips.

In April of 2004, the CMDA provided a "Full Bus Sponsorship" for one of the newly designed larger bus units. As of September 2006 it has logged over 85,000 kilometers and over 7,100 passenger trips.

For the past 22 years, the CMDA has been a sponsor of the MDA Charity Golf Classic which has raised over $3,251,000.00 in support of Special Olympics Alberta.

Each December, since 1991, 100% of CMDA Members have joined in the Calgary Inter-Faith Society's Annual Mayor's Christmas Food Bank Drive by collecting donations at their dealerships.

In 1994 the CMDA established the Calgary Motor Dealers Association Memorial Scholarship to be awarded annually to worthy students attending post-secondary institutions who are seeking a career in the automobile industry. These scholarships will be awarded in recognition of past members of the CMDA for their contribution to the community and to the industry.

In 1998 the CMDA established an Endowment to fund the Annual Calgary Motor Dealers Association Entrance awards for students entering the Automotive Management Training Program or Full-Time Technology or Apprenticeship Training Programs offered by the Transportation Department at SAIT.

CMDA awards 16 scholarships annually to students attending SAIT in the Transportation Department.

The CMDA has also provided financial support to Discovery House (Udderly Art Auction), Calgary Drop In Centre, Hull Child and Family Services, Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, Foothills Hospital Development Council, Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society, STARS Foundation, Calgary Rotary Challenger Park, EMMA Maternity House Society, Hospice Calgary, Inn From the Cold, Mustard Seed, Alzheimer’s Society of Calgary, Brain Injury Group, Easter Seals – Camp Horizon, Providence Child Development Society, Renfrew Educational Services, Woods Homes Foundation, Feed the Hungry, PARTY (Prevent Alcohol & Risk-related Trauma in Youth) Calgary Program, and many other worthy organizations.