Canadian Carrier ProgramsCanada·Both shops and insurers

SGI Parts Autonomy Is Live: How Saskatchewan Shops Should Actually Run Parts Decisions in 2026

What parts autonomy changes at the write-up bench, where shops lose margin without discipline, and how to document decisions SGI can defend.

Authors

Myles Chaput & Ali Jakvani

Published

July 2, 2026

Length

12 min read

Abstract

SGI Parts Autonomy is live for accredited Saskatchewan collision repairers, shifting parts-type decisions and sourcing responsibility onto the shop rather than requiring line-by-line SGI approval for every non-OEM substitution. That shift changes the estimator's job: parts calls are now compliance decisions, not clerical ones, and every decision must be defensible against SGI's accreditation standards, OEM position statements, and the customer's repair expectations. This paper explains what parts autonomy means operationally, how it interacts with LKQ and aftermarket sourcing, where shops typically lose ground under the new model, and how RocketPros surfaces the signals that keep parts decisions clean at write-up. Limited recent source material was available for this topic; where SGI has not published a specific rule, we clearly flag the gap and default to accreditation-framework language published on sgi.sk.ca.

Key findings

1Parts autonomy shifts sourcing accountability to the accredited shop, but SGI's accreditation framework and program standards remain the source of truth for what qualifies as an acceptable repair.
2The biggest operational risk under autonomy is silent OEM-position-statement violations - substitutions the estimator has authority to make but that the OEM procedure does not permit for that VIN.
3Parts autonomy magnifies documentation load: shops must now justify parts type, source, condition, and fitment on the estimate itself rather than through an SGI approval trail.
4Supplement volume tends to rise in the first 90 days after autonomy adoption as shops absorb parts-mismatch risk they previously offloaded to the carrier.
5Limited recent source material was available: SGI's public communications on parts autonomy are procedural rather than technical, so shops should treat their local SGI accreditation contact as the definitive source.

1. What SGI Parts Autonomy actually is

SGI Parts Autonomy is a program shift that gives accredited Saskatchewan collision repairers the authority to make parts-type and sourcing decisions on SGI claims without requiring line-by-line pre-approval from SGI for each non-OEM substitution. Instead of the carrier acting as the gatekeeper on every LKQ or aftermarket line, the shop makes the call within SGI's accreditation standards and accepts responsibility for the result.

In practical terms, autonomy is a trade. The shop gets speed and control at write-up. SGI gets a shorter approval loop and a clearer audit trail on the shop side. What does not change is the underlying standard: the repair must meet SGI's accreditation requirements, must respect the OEM repair procedure and any position statements for that VIN, and must return the vehicle to pre-accident condition. Autonomy is authority over the decision. It is not authority to lower the standard.

Key principle: Parts autonomy moves the decision from SGI's desk to the estimator's desk. It does not move the standard. Every parts call is still measured against SGI accreditation, the OEM position statement, and the customer's right to a proper repair.

2. How the parts-type hierarchy works under autonomy

Under autonomy, the estimator selects from the standard Canadian parts hierarchy and documents why the chosen tier is appropriate for that specific repair. The hierarchy itself has not changed - only who calls it and when.

Parts type	Typical use case	Primary decision drivers	Documentation the shop should keep
OEM (new)	Structural, safety-related, ADAS-affected, or OEM-position-statement-required components	OEM position statement, ADAS sensor mounting, welded structural parts, restraint system components	OEM procedure reference, VIN, position statement citation on the estimate
LKQ / recycled	Non-structural body panels, assemblies where donor condition matches	Availability, age of donor, kilometres, condition photos, fitment	Yard invoice, donor VIN, photo of part received, fitment notes
Aftermarket (certified where available)	Bolt-on cosmetic parts (bumper covers, grilles, lamps) where no OEM restriction applies	OEM position statement check, CAPA or equivalent certification, fitment history on that platform	Certification reference, supplier, part condition on arrival
Reconditioned (wheels, lamps)	Where the OEM procedure and safety systems allow reconditioning	OEM guidance, structural integrity check	Vendor reconditioning documentation, before/after photos

Parts type hierarchy and typical decision drivers under SGI autonomy.

3. What autonomy does not override

Autonomy does not override the OEM repair procedure, the SGI accreditation standard, or the customer's consent. If Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Ford, or any other manufacturer has published a position statement requiring OEM parts for a specific application - typically involving restraints, ADAS sensors, high-strength steel structural components, or certain calibration-dependent assemblies - autonomy does not give the shop the authority to substitute. The estimator's freedom stops at the OEM procedure line.

The same applies to customer consent. Where a shop chooses non-OEM parts on a repair, the customer's expectation and any written consent obligations under provincial consumer protection practice must still be honoured. Autonomy is administrative freedom, not a bypass of disclosure obligations.

4. What changes at the estimating bench

The estimator's role under autonomy is more decision-heavy and more documentation-heavy than before. Where the pre-autonomy workflow ended at 'submit for SGI approval', the autonomy workflow ends at 'submit with the decision fully documented on the estimate itself'. That means the estimate has to carry the reasoning, not just the line item.

Workflow step	Pre-autonomy	Under autonomy
Parts type decision	Default to OEM or submit LKQ/aftermarket for SGI review	Shop selects tier per accreditation rules and OEM procedure
OEM position statement check	Often deferred to SGI	Must be performed and documented at write-up per VIN
Sourcing	Approved supplier list, SGI-driven	Shop-driven within SGI accreditation standards
Approval loop	Line-item approvals for substitutions	Post-decision audit against accreditation and OEM procedure
Supplement risk	Carried partly by carrier decisions	Carried by the shop when the wrong tier is chosen
Documentation burden	SGI holds the trail	Shop holds the trail on the estimate and file

Estimator workflow: before parts autonomy vs. under parts autonomy.

5. Where shops typically lose ground under autonomy

Most autonomy losses are not fraud or aggressive substitution. They are quiet gaps in discipline that show up as supplements, comebacks, or audit exceptions. Five patterns show up repeatedly in shops that adopt parts autonomy without tightening their write-up process:

1Skipping the per-VIN OEM position statement check on cosmetic-looking parts that actually carry ADAS sensors or restraint-related brackets.
2Choosing LKQ on age or price without inspecting condition on arrival, then eating the cost of the mismatch when the tech opens the box.
3Failing to document why a specific tier was chosen, leaving the file thin if SGI audits the claim later.
4Treating autonomy as speed rather than accuracy - pushing the estimate out the door before the parts decision is fully justified.
5Not updating supplement discipline to reflect that mis-sourced parts are now a shop-owned cost, not an approval-delay cost.

6. How RocketPros aligns to SGI Parts Autonomy

RocketPros does not replace SGI's accreditation rules or make parts decisions for the shop. SGI's program standards and the OEM procedure remain the source of truth. RocketPros runs alongside Mitchell Connect or CCC ONE and surfaces the signals a disciplined estimator should already be checking before parts autonomy authority is exercised.

Flags estimate lines where an OEM position statement exists for that VIN and parts tier - so the OEM check is not silently skipped under time pressure.
Surfaces parts-type consistency across the estimate (structural OEM alongside cosmetic aftermarket makes sense; ADAS-adjacent aftermarket does not).
Reports claim-level metrics back to the shop on parts mix, supplement frequency tied to parts sourcing, and post-write-up parts substitutions.
Gives ownership a per-shop and per-estimator view of parts decisions under autonomy - the same metrics SGI would look at during an audit.

The framing matters: autonomy shifts the parts decision to the shop, and RocketPros makes it mechanical to prove the decision was defensible on the day it was made.

7. The SGI perspective and what the program is actually solving

From SGI's side, parts autonomy solves two problems at once: it removes the carrier from the middle of routine parts decisions, and it pushes accountability toward the accredited shops that are already closest to the vehicle and the OEM procedure. The trade is transparency. SGI needs to see that autonomy is producing the same or better repair quality and cost outcomes than the old approval-driven model.

That means SGI will lean on accreditation reviews, claim audits, and outcome data (supplement rates, cycle time, comeback rates, customer satisfaction) to test whether autonomy is working shop by shop. Shops that adopt autonomy as a documentation discipline - not just an approval shortcut - will score well. Shops that treat it as freedom from oversight will surface quickly in the data.

Metric	What it signals	How SGI likely reads it
Supplement rate tied to parts	Wrong tier or wrong source at write-up	Autonomy discipline weakening
OEM position statement adherence on audit	Per-VIN OEM check performed	Accreditation standards being met
Cycle time (keys-to-keys days)	Parts decisions not delaying production	Autonomy delivering its intended benefit
Comeback rate on parts-related issues	Fitment and condition problems	Sourcing discipline
Customer satisfaction on parts decisions	Disclosure and consent handled well	Trust in the accredited shop network

How SGI is likely to measure a shop's use of parts autonomy.

8. A note on source material

Limited recent source material was available for this topic. SGI's public communications channels publish accreditation updates, safety campaigns, and program bulletins, but detailed technical rulebooks for parts autonomy are distributed to accredited shops directly rather than posted publicly. Where this article makes operational claims, they are grounded in SGI's public accreditation framing and in the standard Canadian collision parts hierarchy. Shops should treat their SGI accreditation contact and the current SGI shop bulletins as the definitive source for any specific rule.

For shop owners and estimators

Rebuild the write-up checklist so an OEM position statement check happens per VIN before any non-OEM parts line is added.
Require parts-tier justification to be typed onto the estimate itself, not held only in the estimator's head or in email.
Track supplement frequency tied to parts sourcing separately from other supplement causes - it is the fastest indicator that autonomy discipline is slipping.
Inspect LKQ parts on arrival and photograph condition before installation; under autonomy, the mismatch cost sits with the shop.
Train every estimator on the difference between authority (autonomy) and standard (accreditation and OEM procedure) - they are not the same thing.

For insurance carriers

Publish clear audit criteria for parts autonomy so accredited shops know exactly which metrics matter.
Watch the first 90 days of autonomy adoption per shop - that is where discipline gaps show up in the supplement and comeback data.
Reinforce that autonomy does not override OEM position statements, and communicate that in shop bulletins in plain language.
Use claim-level data to identify shops using autonomy well and share those patterns across the network.

Frequently asked

Does SGI Parts Autonomy mean shops can use aftermarket parts anywhere they want?+

No. Autonomy gives accredited shops the authority to select the parts tier without a line-by-line SGI approval, but the selection must still comply with SGI's accreditation standards and any OEM position statement that applies to that VIN. Structural, restraint, ADAS-adjacent, and safety-critical components are still governed by the OEM repair procedure. Autonomy is administrative freedom; it is not a waiver of the repair standard, and it is not a bypass of the customer's right to informed consent on non-OEM parts.

How does parts autonomy change the estimator's day-to-day work?+

The estimator now owns the parts-type decision at write-up rather than routing substitutions to SGI for approval. Practically, that means an OEM position statement check per VIN, a documented reason for each non-OEM line, condition verification on LKQ parts when they arrive, and a written justification that would hold up if SGI audits the file later. The tempo of the write-up may be faster because approval loops shrink, but the documentation load is higher and the decision cannot be outsourced.

What is the biggest risk to shops under parts autonomy?+

The largest risk is silent OEM position statement violations - substituting an aftermarket or LKQ part on a line where the OEM procedure requires OEM, on a VIN where the estimator did not check. Under the old model, that risk was partially absorbed by SGI's approval step. Under autonomy, it lives with the shop. The second-largest risk is supplement inflation in the first 90 days as sourcing mistakes turn into re-orders, delays, and disputes the shop now owns.

Does RocketPros make parts decisions for the shop?+

No. RocketPros does not replace SGI's rules or the OEM procedure, and it does not tell the estimator which parts tier to pick. It runs alongside Mitchell Connect or CCC ONE, flags where an OEM position statement exists for that VIN, surfaces parts-mix inconsistencies on the estimate, and reports claim-level metrics back to the shop on how autonomy is being used. The decision stays with the accredited shop; RocketPros just makes it mechanical to prove the decision was defensible.

How will SGI audit shops that use parts autonomy?+

SGI has not published a full public audit playbook, but based on how accreditation-driven programs typically work, expect audits to look at supplement rates tied to parts, OEM position statement adherence on sampled files, comeback rates on parts-related issues, cycle time, and customer satisfaction. Shops that document parts-tier reasoning on the estimate itself will score well; shops that treat autonomy as a shortcut and leave thin files will surface quickly. Limited recent public source material is available on the specific audit format.

Does parts autonomy change customer disclosure obligations?+

No. Autonomy is about the shop-to-carrier workflow. It does not change the shop's obligation to disclose when non-OEM parts will be used and to obtain the customer's consent where that has been the shop's practice. Provincial consumer protection expectations and standard collision industry practice continue to apply. If anything, autonomy raises the importance of clean disclosure because the shop is now the visible decision-maker on parts, not the carrier.

What should a shop do in the first 30 days after adopting parts autonomy?+

Tighten the write-up process before running volume through it. Rebuild the checklist so an OEM position statement check happens per VIN, require a documented reason for every non-OEM line on the estimate, brief every estimator on the difference between authority and standard, and start tracking supplement frequency tied to parts sourcing as its own metric. The goal in the first month is discipline, not speed. Speed follows once the documentation habit is established.

Citations

[1]Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) - main portal including accredited repair program information, shop bulletins, and public program updates.https://sgi.sk.ca/
[2]SGI News - current and archival news releases, safety campaigns, and program communications.https://sgi.sk.ca/news
[3]SGI Online Services - customer and business self-serve portal referenced in program communications.https://sgi.sk.ca/online
[4]SGI Updated Systems - carrier communications on updated claim and program systems.https://sgi.sk.ca/updated-systems
[5]SGI Auto Auctions - salvage and total-loss channel referenced in SGI's broader claims ecosystem.https://sgi.sk.ca/auto-auctions
[6]Manitoba Public Insurance - Body Shop & Glass Information portal (used as a Canadian program comparison reference, including the Light Vehicle Accreditation Agreement framework).https://www.mpi.mb.ca/
[7]Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) - industry data and consumer guidance on collision claims in Canada.https://www.ibc.ca/
[8]Statistics Canada, Consumer Price Index - vehicle parts, maintenance and repairs (Table 18-10-0004-01).https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/
[9]I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) - OEM position statement library and technical bulletins referenced when validating parts substitution decisions.https://rts.i-car.com/
[10]Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) - industry-level guidance on parts sourcing, accreditation, and repair standards in Canada.https://ccif.ca/
[11]OEM1Stop - central directory of OEM repair procedures and position statements referenced in per-VIN parts decisions.https://www.oem1stop.com/

The audit logic, scoring, and documentation patterns in this paper map directly to four RocketPros modules. If you want this applied to your shop's real estimates, start with the module that fits the workflow you're trying to fix.

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Figures cited from CCC Crash Course, Mitchell Industry Trends, IIHS-HLDI, AAA Foundation, BLS, Statistics Canada, IBC, and provincial insurer reports are sourced from those organizations' published materials. Where RocketPros corpus analysis is referenced, it reflects aggregated estimate data across the platform's customer base and is presented for directional accuracy. Nothing in this paper constitutes legal, regulatory, or coverage advice. RocketPros is independent software and is not endorsed by or affiliated with MPI, SGI, ICBC, SAAQ, or any private auto insurer.