Vehicle sales increase in March, expected to fall in April: StatsCan
May 17, 2011
By The Canadian Press
There were 135,261 new vehicles sold in March, two percent more than in February.
Statistics Canada reports car and truck sales both increased, led by stronger sales of North American-built cars.
The agency says preliminary industry data indicate April sales were down one percent.
Car sales rose 2.7 percent in March, their second straight month of gains.
Sales of North American-built cars accounted for the increase, rising 8.9 percent, while sales of overseas-built cars declined seven percent to their lowest point in six years.
Sales of trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) increased 1.4 percent to 75,583 in March, more than offsetting February’s losses.
The number of new motor vehicles sold increased in eight provinces in March, led by Alberta and Ontario, where they rose 4.2 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.
New Brunswick (up 13.5 percent) reported the largest percentage sales increase in March.
Sales edged down in British Columbia and the Territories (dropping 0.2 percent), as well as in Newfoundland and Labrador (down 0.3 percent).
