New motor vehicle sales

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The number of new motor vehicles sold declined 6.1% in May to 126,479 units, erasing gains made over the previous four months. North American-built passenger cars accounted for most of the decrease.

Chart description: New motor vehicle sales down in May

Preliminary industry data indicate that the number of new motor vehicles sold increased by 10% in June.

Passenger car sales decline

In May, passenger car sales decreased 12.9% to 53,302 units. The number of North American-built passenger cars sold fell 17.6%, erasing gains made over the previous four months. Sales of overseas-built passenger cars fell 4.5%.

Chart description: North American-built passenger car sales decline

Sales of trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) edged down 0.4% to 73,177 units in May, adding to losses reported a month earlier.

Sales down in most provinces

In May, sales of new motor vehicles decreased in nine provinces. Ontario (-7.8%), Quebec (-6.1%) and the region formed by British Columbia and the territories (-10.9%) accounted for most of the decline. The drop in sales in Ontario follows four months of increases.

The 3.5% decline in sales in Newfoundland and Labrador marked the sixth decrease in seven months.

Saskatchewan was the sole province reporting higher sales (+1.7%) in May.

Available on CANSIM: table 079-0003.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2402.

The May 2011 issue of New Motor Vehicle Sales (63-007-X, free) will be available soon.

Data on new motor vehicle sales for June will be released on August 15.

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 John De Luca (613-951-8719), Distributive Trades Division.