CAA Niagara | May 27th Learning Day Sponsor

CAA Niagara is a long-time supporter of Leadership Niagara and we are proud to announce that they are our Learning Day Sponsor!

Founded in 1911 as the St. Catharines Automobile Club with just 16 members, CAA Niagara has grown to more than 140,000 Members with five Niagara locations; St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold and Grimsby. A not-for-profit membership organization, CAA Niagara, provides emergency road services, travel, insurance and Member rewards.

How has CAA Niagara supported leaders in their own organization & community?

CAA Niagara has a strong focus on fostering a culture of leadership growth and development within our organization. This is achieved through a number of initiatives:

• Conducting internal leadership training for all leaders within our organization, with training focusing on our club’s core values and leadership principles;
• Recognizing high performers and encouraging them to attend external programs across Niagara, including Leadership Niagara’s Accelerate Civic Leadership program’s learning days;
• Offering an internal education and training reimbursement program, which allows our employees to explore professional growth and development opportunities;
• Sending leaders within our organization to training programs offered by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). These programs allow our employees to develop networks and share leadership best practices with other automobile clubs from around the globe.

CAA Niagara supports young professionals within our community through partnering with the local schools. Our club works with students on research programs and projects to provide hands-on experience. We also recruit new graduates and alumni for full-time roles within our organization and work with internship coordinators to provide valuable co-op opportunities for students.

In what ways does CAA Niagara support the Niagara community?

CAA Niagara has a strong history of supporting its local community. Over the past few decades, the club has donated to a variety of causes, from the Jaws of Life to fire departments to mini tow trucks at the Niagara Safety Village.

In 2019, the club decided to pool its sponsorship dollars into a highly focused corporate giving program in the hopes of making a greater impact on the Niagara community. Known as Community Boost, this program sets out to select two local charities every year to each receive a one-time donation of $10,000, as well as various forms of volunteerism, marketing assistance and fundraising support over a duration of 12 months. CAA Niagara also decals two new tow trucks in each of the charities’ branding. These vehicles remain in the CAA Niagara fleet and out on the road for their entire lifespan. Through Community Boost, CAA Niagara has been able to support eight charities as of 2022.

In 2020, CAA Niagara also launched a one-time extension on its Community Boost program, called Big Boost, which set out to provide financial donations to a group of local non-profit organizations that had experienced hardships as a result of the pandemic. A total of $100,000 was donated across 18 charities. As many Niagara citizens and charities continued to face significant hardship through 2021, the club decided to revive Big Boost for a second year, donating $106,000 across 15 organizations and hosting The Big Food Boost food drive.

Planned and executed in just one month, The Big Food Boost called for residents of Niagara to join CAA Niagara in its fight against hunger by dropping off donations at one of the club’s Branches or registering online to have the donations picked up from their doorstep. Volunteers travelled across the Niagara Region to collect non-perishables from more than 70 residences. More than 3,000 pounds of non-perishable donations were raised for a total of nine food banks across Niagara. CAA Niagara takes great pride in its work with the local community and is committed to continually engaging with its Members, employees, community advocates and local partners to support those in need.

What is CAA Niagara’s hope for future leaders in our community?

Strong leadership at all levels within our local governments and organizations, as well as that exhibited by individual community members, is what contributes to overall community progress and growth. Our region is made up of 12 separate municipalities and it’s truly valuable when our decision holders and changemakers are able to look through a diverse lens to foster unity among our populations. CAA Niagara’s hope is that the future leaders of Niagara will reflect the diversity of our region and bring new, innovative ideas to the table to help propel our community forward and positively impact the people and businesses of Niagara.