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New motor vehicle sales

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November 2008 (Previous release)

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.

Chart 1

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Preliminary industry data indicate that the number of new motor vehicles sold fell by about 15% in December.

Passenger car and truck sales both drop in November

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.

Sales down in nine provinces

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.

Table 1

New motor vehicle sales
  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  
revised
preliminary
Manufactured or assembled in Canada, the United States or Mexico.
Includes Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Note(s):
Figures may not add up to totals due to rounding.