Automotive statistics

Retail trade

• Canada surpassed 2 million new motor vehicles sold for the second year in a row in 2018, though this number declined by 41,000 units from 2017's record high. Of these vehicles, light trucks comprised over 69% of vehicles sold, now outselling passenger cars at a ratio of 2.4:1.

Wholesale trade

• In 2018, wholesale sales of motor vehicles and parts fell by 5.0% to $132.0 billion, after hitting a record high in 2017. Motor vehicle and parts wholesalers accounted for 17% of total wholesale sales in the year.

Manufacturing industries

• Motor vehicle assembly plants produced 2.04 million vehicles in 2018 totalling $60.7 billion in sales.
• In 2018, March was the highest level of motor vehicle production with 189,000 vehicles assembled. In 2017, March was also the highest month with 219,000 produced.
• Sales of motor vehicle parts in the third quarter of 2018 surpassed the $8 billion mark, the first time since the second quarter of 2017.

International trade

• Imports of passenger cars and light trucks decreased 1.7% in 2018 to $51.1 billion, following 2017's record setting sales volumes for light vehicles in Canada.
• Exports of passenger cars and light trucks stood at $60.3 billion in 2018, continuing the decline from record exports of $70.0 billion in 2016.
• The value of Canada's auto parts imports was roughly twice that of auto parts exports, in 2018; auto parts account for approximately one third of total automotive trade.