Vehicle registrations, 2018
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Released: 2019-06-14
35.1 million
2018
2.3% 
(annual change)
691,966
2018
-1.0% 
(annual change)
122,727
2018
33.4%
(annual change)
797,414
2018
3.1%
(annual change)
759,018
2018
0.9%
(annual change)
8,698,584
2018
2.5%
(annual change)
12,545,439
2018
2.2%
(annual change)
1,175,496
2018
1.6%
(annual change)
1,157,486
2018
0.3%
(annual change)
5,209,656
2018
1.6%
(annual change)
3,848,796
2018
3.9%
(annual change)
60,194
2018
3.7%
(annual change)
34,733
2018
0.5%
(annual change)
7,093
2018
0.0%
(annual change)
The number of vehicles registered in Canada rose 2.3% from 2017 to 35.1 million in 2018.
Accounting for almost two-thirds (65.9%) of the total, the registrations of light road motor vehicles (weighing less than 4,500 kilograms) rose by 2.0% to 23.1 million. This was the largest increase since 2014, despite a decline in the sale of new motor vehicles during 2018.
After reaching a record of more than two million units in 2017, sales of new passenger cars and light trucks (minivans, sport-utility vehicles and light trucks and vans) decreased by 2.5% during 2018.
The registration of other vehicles in 2018 included motorcycles and mopeds (729,000 registrations), medium vehicles (620,000 registrations), heavy vehicles (481,000 registrations) and buses (92,000 registrations). There were also 7.7 million trailers and 2.3 million off-road, construction and farm vehicles registered in 2018.
At the provincial level, Ontario had the largest number of vehicles registered (12.5 million), followed by Quebec (8.7 million). Together these two provinces accounted for 60.5% of registered vehicles in Canada in 2018.
Chart 1
Vehicle registrations
Note to readers
This annual release presents a count of registered vehicles based on administrative files provided by each province and territory. Registered vehicles include road motor vehicles, such as light road motor vehicles, medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, buses, motorcycles and mopeds; trailers; and off-road, construction and farm vehicles.
Data from this release are used by Finance Canada in the calculation of fiscal equalization payments pursuant to the 1987 Federal–Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. This information is also used by various levels of government for the planning and development of transportation infrastructure.
Data aggregations are available for Canada and by province and territory.
Contact information
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