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In November, sales of new motor vehicles fell 7.0% from October to 129,044 units, the largest monthly decline since August 2005. Most of this decrease was attributable to lower sales of passenger cars.
Preliminary industry data indicate that the number of new motor vehicles sold fell by about 15% in December.
Sales of passenger cars declined 9.6% to 64,887 units in November. The largest contribution to this drop was a 13.2% decline in the sales of North American-built passenger cars, which reached their lowest level since September 1993. This includes passenger cars manufactured or assembled in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Overseas-built passenger car sales dropped 3.2%, continuing the downward trend started in March 2008.
Sales of new trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) decreased 4.3% to 64,157 units in November, offsetting the increases observed in the previous two months.
New motor vehicle sales were down in nine provinces in November. Quebec and Ontario were the largest contributors to the decline in sales at the national level.
The strongest decreases were observed in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and New Brunswick. These three provinces had posted strong increases at the beginning of 2008, but have since given back those gains.
A small increase in the number of new motor vehicles sold was observed in Prince Edward Island.
Available on CANSIM: table 079-0003.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2402.
The November 2008 issue of New Motor Vehicle Sales (63-007-XWE, free) will be available soon.
Data on new motor vehicle sales for December will be released on February 13.
For more information, or to order data, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-877-421-3067; 613-951-3549; retailinfo@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Mark Switzer (613-951-7137), Distributive Trades Division.
November 2007 | October 2008r | November 2008p | November 2007 to November 2008 | October to November 2008 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seasonally adjusted | |||||
number of vehicles | % change | ||||
New motor vehicles | 134,927 | 138,816 | 129,044 | -4.4 | -7.0 |
Passenger cars | 67,396 | 71,767 | 64,887 | -3.7 | -9.6 |
North American1 | 44,066 | 45,725 | 39,683 | -9.9 | -13.2 |
Overseas | 23,330 | 26,042 | 25,204 | 8.0 | -3.2 |
Trucks, vans and buses | 67,531 | 67,049 | 64,157 | -5.0 | -4.3 |
New motor vehicles | |||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 2,351 | 2,677 | 2,146 | -8.7 | -19.8 |
Prince Edward Island | 324 | 433 | 441 | 36.1 | 1.8 |
Nova Scotia | 4,437 | 4,412 | 4,055 | -8.6 | -8.1 |
New Brunswick | 2,958 | 3,304 | 2,935 | -0.8 | -11.2 |
Quebec | 31,956 | 35,320 | 31,195 | -2.4 | -11.7 |
Ontario | 47,533 | 49,534 | 46,584 | -2.0 | -6.0 |
Manitoba | 3,945 | 4,015 | 3,887 | -1.5 | -3.2 |
Saskatchewan | 3,895 | 4,404 | 4,390 | 12.7 | -0.3 |
Alberta | 21,048 | 19,957 | 19,284 | -8.4 | -3.4 |
British Columbia2 | 16,480 | 14,760 | 14,127 | -14.3 | -4.3 |
November 2007 | October 2008r | November 2008p | November 2007 to November 2008 | ||
Unadjusted | |||||
number of vehicles | % change | ||||
New motor vehicles | 120,012 | 126,495 | 107,709 | -10.3 | |
Passenger cars | 58,188 | 64,263 | 51,476 | -11.5 | |
North American1 | 37,583 | 40,155 | 31,930 | -15.0 | |
Overseas | 20,605 | 24,108 | 19,546 | -5.1 | |
Trucks, vans and buses | 61,824 | 62,232 | 56,233 | -9.0 | |
New motor vehicles | |||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 1,808 | 2,244 | 1,662 | -8.1 | |
Prince Edward Island | 279 | 384 | 339 | 21.5 | |
Nova Scotia | 3,572 | 3,646 | 3,027 | -15.3 | |
New Brunswick | 2,357 | 2,897 | 2,130 | -9.6 | |
Quebec | 27,093 | 32,228 | 24,546 | -9.4 | |
Ontario | 44,248 | 45,689 | 39,881 | -9.9 | |
Manitoba | 3,407 | 3,782 | 3,222 | -5.4 | |
Saskatchewan | 3,505 | 4,054 | 3,783 | 7.9 | |
Alberta | 19,561 | 18,627 | 17,319 | -11.5 | |
British Columbia2 | 14,182 | 12,944 | 11,800 | -16.8 |