What Are The Real Numbers For Alberta, Ontario and Canada New Vehicle Sales?

Much is being made about the 12% decline in new vehicle sales in Alberta this past December.  It is being attributed to the price of “Western Canadian Select” oil collapsing in the fall of 2018 and the Notely NDP Governments response to it.  Also, Oshawa Ontario’s GM plant closure has caused much news relating to how many vehicles are sold in Ontario and how the plant closure will affect GM sales going forward.

We wanted to know what the numbers really were and so we dug into the Statistics Canada public database via the Alberta Governments new Economic Dashboard and here is what we found.

 

As you can see yes, Alberta did have a major drop in new vehicle sales in December but much less than other Canadian Provinces like Manitoba.

We also found that Ontario has been increasing it’s share of new passenger vehicle sales since the economic collapse in 2008 which makes it particularly sensitive for major manufacturers like General Motors.

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Here are the raw numbers if you want to play with them yourself:

Ontario Percentage of New Passenger Vehicle Sales

Year	Ontario	All of Canada	Percent of Sales
1997	549423	1424380	38.6%
1998	570528	1428932	39.9%
1999	645470	1542041	41.9%
2000	660820	1587561	41.6%
2001	647300	1597964	40.5%
2002	689668	1733318	39.8%
2003	629774	1626468	38.7%
2004	600928	1575195	38.1%
2005	586022	1548291	37.8%
2006	620649	1666327	37.2%
2007	605799	1690538	35.8%
2008	592088	1674145	35.4%
2009	542609	1484856	36.5%
2010	586633	1584499	37.0%
2011	600668	1620577	37.1%
2012	632066	1716803	36.8%
2013	656684	1776461	37.0%
2014	732718	1890387	38.8%
2015	778716	1939517	40.1%
2016	821762	1983745	41.4%
2017	857155	2076945	41.3%
2018	862307	2035732	42.4%

New Vehicle Sales in Alberta and In the Canadian Population

Year	Alberta New Vehicle Sales	Alberta Population		Canadian Population	Canadian New Vehicle Sales
1997	167671	2847526	5.9%	27147264	1424380	5.2%
1998	163395	2915781	5.6%	27315858	1428932	5.2%
1999	160838	2966682	5.4%	27525424	1542041	5.6%
2000	175546	3016947	5.8%	27767022	1587561	5.7%
2001	187863	3078336	6.1%	28050783	1597964	5.7%
2002	204806	3144926	6.5%	28306838	1733318	6.1%
2003	194451	3197858	6.1%	28540011	1626468	5.7%
2004	196153	3260590	6.0%	28779369	1575195	5.5%
2005	210710	3346754	6.3%	29007214	1548291	5.3%
2006	248731	3453944	7.2%	29226768	1666327	5.7%
2007	257050	3533413	7.3%	29468725	1690538	5.7%
2008	238413	3619292	6.6%	29753126	1674145	5.6%
2009	186768	3694303	5.1%	30062774	1484856	4.9%
2010	204537	3747226	5.5%	30384457	1584499	5.2%
2011	224147	3807726	5.9%	30650272	1620577	5.3%
2012	247785	3900333	6.4%	30935675	1716803	5.5%
2013	263224	4010903	6.6%	31200963	1776461	5.7%
2014	277191	4106056	6.8%	31452991	1890387	6.0%
2015	241976	4159519	5.8%	31663375	1939517	6.1%
2016	223651	4210052	5.3%	32046055	1983745	6.2%
2017	248813	4262642	5.8%	32450016	2076945	6.4%
2018	236798	4330206	5.5%	32912365	2035732	6.2%

New Passenger Vehicle Sales In Canada by Province 1997 – 2018

	Alberta	Sask	Manitoba	BC	Quebec	Ontario	Nova Scotia	New Brunswick	PEI	NFL	Canada
1997	167671	42521	47562	164426	352249	549423	38423	36403	4717	20985	1424380
1998	163395	36056	43058	147497	364007	570528	40382	37981	4556	21472	1428932
1999	160838	34775	43359	157213	385940	645470	43374	41849	4802	24421	1542041
2000	175546	36682	42666	167770	390374	660820	44152	40790	4902	23859	1587561
2001	187863	38354	43304	172606	397757	647300	43311	38185	4635	24649	1597964
2002	204806	41585	49309	195132	433619	689668	47476	40937	4996	25790	1733318
2003	194451	41145	46062	180924	420185	629774	46360	37408	4731	25428	1626468
2004	196153	38822	45331	181605	405081	600928	45164	34517	4696	22898	1575195
2005	210710	37459	44273	176382	388171	586022	44039	32648	4645	23942	1548291
2006	248731	39915	45924	194648	404198	620649	47738	35403	4933	24188	1666327
2007	257050	45546	47099	201596	413405	605799	49187	37293	5303	28260	1690538
2008	238413	49480	48029	182080	435155	592088	52426	39522	5504	31448	1674145
2009	186768	44893	43995	152830	396574	542609	47872	35274	5286	28755	1484856
2010	204537	47599	45355	156656	419847	586633	47643	38777	5783	31669	1584499
2011	224147	51078	48546	160582	413545	600668	45897	39503	5795	30816	1620577
2012	247785	56517	52236	176319	423076	632066	48703	39895	6600	33606	1716803
2013	263224	59137	56275	184838	419472	656684	52544	41512	7336	35439	1776461
2014	277191	58434	57783	197903	426821	732718	53886	42656	7555	35440	1890387
2015	241976	55131	57986	211259	451662	778716	55057	44735	7976	35019	1939517
2016	223651	52099	57428	221772	465143	821762	54451	44984	8768	33687	1983745
2017	248813	56292	63197	237092	468810	857155	58947	44801	8587	33251	2076945
2018	236798	50192	67900	225346	461087	862307	52789	41311	7736	30266	2035732