John Petrie, owner of Niagara Trailers in St. Davids, Ontario, has been named the 2026 RV Dealer of the Year by the Ontario RV Dealers Association (ORVDA), recognizing his leadership, industry involvement, community service and work with customers and employees.
The award is the association’s highest honor for an Ontario-based RV dealer. Petrie was selected from four nominees submitted by ORVDA members. The other nominees were Kymberlely Clark of Globetrotter RV, Edward Raymond of Leisure Trailer Sales and Ben Hettrick of Smith’s RV Centre.
Natalie Conway, executive vice president of the Ontario RV Dealers Association, presented the award and pointed to Petrie’s long-standing involvement in the RV industry and Niagara community.
“This year’s recipient reminds us that great leadership isn’t always the loudest voice in the room. Sometimes it’s the person who quietly shows up year after year,” she said. “The person who leads with integrity, earns trust through action, and never loses sight of the people who made their success possible.”
Petrie has held several roles within the association over the years, including serving as treasurer on its board. He has also participated on the association’s show committee and remains involved with the membership committee.
His community involvement extends beyond the RV sector. Petrie has supported organizations including the St. Davids Lions Club, Red Roof Retreat and Project SHARE, along with charitable organizations and youth initiatives throughout the Niagara region.
At Niagara Trailers, Petrie has overseen a dealership that has received recognition from KZ Recreational Vehicles. The business has been named Canada’s No. 1 KZ dealer for 10 consecutive years and has ranked as North America’s No. 1 KZ dealer three times during the past decade.
Niagara Trailers was founded more than 50 years ago by Doug and Anna Petrie. John Petrie later assumed leadership of the family business, maintaining its focus on hard work, honesty and family values while also expanding the dealership’s operations. The company is scheduled to mark its 55th anniversary in 2027.
For RV dealers and other businesses serving the outdoor hospitality and recreation markets, the recognition highlights several areas that can influence long-term dealership performance, including employee retention, customer relationships, industry participation and community engagement.
Petrie’s continued involvement with the provincial dealers association also illustrates how participation in trade organizations can extend beyond advocacy to include industry events, membership development and peer engagement.
According to NiagaraNow, Petrie credited his employees rather than taking sole credit for the recognition.
“It is quite an honour to receive this award on behalf of our team at Niagara Trailers — they are the ones who really deserve this award. They are the ones who stand behind our customers and our products and look after the people on a day-to-day basis.”
He also thanked the association and other dealers for the recognition.
“I really do appreciate the award very much and I thank our team at Niagara Trailers for their dedication to the dealership, our customers, and RV lifestyle.”
Conway said Petrie’s approach to his work has remained focused on service rather than recognition.
“He has simply gone about his work with humility, integrity and a genuine commitment to serving both his customers and our industry,” she said.
The 2026 RV Dealer of the Year award adds to Niagara Trailers’ history of industry recognition as the dealership approaches its 55th anniversary in 2027.
