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lO-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December il, 2001 .-Toronto Auto Auction moving into a whole new wave of vehicle sales - business on the Internet By RICHARD VIVIAN The Champion With more than 2,500 vehicles up for sale on auction days, the Toronto Auto Auction has draw- ing power that reaches far beyond Milton and the Greater Toronto Area. "The buyers corne from ail over. ls like a density map -the further you go away. the fewer buyers there are," said Brad Hart. Toronto Auto Auction general manager. Though most of the buyers corne from Ontario, many travel froma the eastero provinces as well as the United States, he said. "If the dealers hear that there's a big sale up in Canada that has several thousand cars under one roof and then they see the (10w value of the Canadian) dollar, they're going to corne up. Tbey will flot travel all the way frorn the U.S. to go to a small auc- tion.", With 14 lanes going at the same lime every Tuesday, the auction house typically attracîs between 1,500 and 2,000 aulomo- tive dealers. Thursday auctions are also held, but tbey caler 10 more specialized items such as shipping vehicles or farmi equipmnenl. Sales aren'l open 10 the general public. "fI looks like organized confusion." Mr. Hart said of' auclion days. But the profes- sional nature of tbe buyers keeps lbings frorn gelling out if band, bc adcted, corn- paring the sale 10 a farm auction. "It's pretty bard 10 put a value on. say an antique desk. ls wbat tbe two people are willing te, setule for. And if lhey wanî il, emolion cornes mbi play. Here, the buyers are buying wiîb the inlent of re-selling and rnaking a profit. They bave lirnits on wbal lhey will pay because lhey bave a limit in mind as 10 wbat tbcy can gel for il." After tbe Lawson Road facility doubled in 1999. il saw a sharp increase in atlen- dance. Now, iî's trying 10 do il again, but from a lechnological perspective, Mr. Hart said. Internet sales currenly account for belween 300 and 500 vehicle sales each month. And when new auclion equiprnent is instalîrd nexl year, the auction's reach could stretcb fair beyond North America. "The Internet is a big îhing for us," Mr. Hart explained. "There are simultaneous Internet auclions that we're looking ai now where the car is being sold in the auélion lane bere in Milton, and there are also bid- ders on the Internet wbo can see the car through a camera and can bid against the people on the floor real lime. "Ils quile an exciling project." -IPadgett offers scholarship Need financial belp 10 kick-start your posî-secondary career? Higb school seniors who are the dcpend- enîs of independent small business owners in north Halton are eligible 10 apply for a scbolarship offered by Padgell Business Services. "Srall business owners are faced witb many challenges," said Doug Francis of thc Padgetl Business Services tn Mitîon. "Among îhern is adequale lunding for their dependent's post-secondaiy education." Scholarship applicants must be graduaI- ing high sehool seniors planning t0 attend a post-secondary accrediîed institution. In addition, foc parent or legal guardian of foc student must be an actve owner ot a11 leasl 10 per cent îf the stock or capital in a local business that employs t'ewer bhan 20) peo- pIe. The local tward is part of an internation- aI program in whicb Padgelt Business Services is offerîng scholarsbips toîaling more ihan $ 1 (000) iii dependents of small1 business owners. Ali awards will be based on applicani bîgh sebool grade point averages and cdu- cational career plans. Winners will be announced in May. The deadline for applying is Match I. For an application form or furtber informa- tion cal (9015) 693-8777. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Brad Hart, general manager of the Toronto Auto Auction on Lawsan Road ays the business juat keeps growing. The Canadian Champion's Christmas Bureau Fund for The Salvation Army To date we have raised.. $10 070 Our goal is to reach $25,OO00 The Canadian Champion office is stili accepting donations at 191 MAIN ST., MILTON 0Make th is Christmas special for someone