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For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

Thomas StorringDirector – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410Email: thomas.storring@novascotia.ca

November 15, 2021
NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SALES, SEPTEMBER 2021

With September reference month results, year-over-year (Sep 2021 vs Sep 2020) and year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2021 v s Jan-Sep 2020) show rebounds in economic activity from the unprecedented declines observed in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2021 vs Jan-Sep 2020, unadjusted)

In the first nine months of 2021, Nova Scotia new motor vehicle unit sales increased 20.2%. The 35,955 new motor vehicles sold had a sales value of $1.49 billion, up 24.8% over Jan-Sep 2020.

National new motor vehicles unit sales increased 11.7%. The 1,322,844 new motor vehicles sold in Jan-Sep 2021 represent a sales value of $61.9 billion, up 16.4% over Jan-Sep 2020.

Unit sales were up in all provinces with the largest increases in Prince Edward Island and British Columbia, and with smallest increases in Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Sales values were up in all provinces with the largest increases in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and with the smallest increases in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Year-to-date growth in unit sales and sales values were both faster for trucks/SUVs than for passenger cars.  Unit sales and sales values grew more quickly for overseas manufacturers than for North American manufacturers.

After growing for several years, trucks/SUVs accounted for 78.3% of Nova Scotia's unit sales of new motor vehicles (Jan-Sep21) and 84.0% of sales values.  Passenger cars accounted for 21.7% of unit sales and 16.0% of sales value.

The share of Nova Scotia's new vehicle sales accounted for by North American manufacturers has been falling slowly.  North American manufacturers accounted for 71.6% of Nova Scotia's new motor vehicles unit sales (Jan-Sep21) and 74.9% of sales values.  Overseas manufacturers accounted for 28.4% of unit sales and 25.1% of sales value. 

Comparison with pre-COVID period (Jan-Sep 2021 vs Jan-Sep 2019, unadjusted)

Comparing the latest year-to-date results with the same period in 2019 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic), Nova Scotia's new motor vehicle unit sales were down 12.1% while sales values were down 5.2%.  Nationally, unit sales were down 14.8% while sales values were down 7.9%.  Prince Edward Island was the only province to report higher motor vehicle sales for 2021 (both in units and value) than in the same months of 2019.  Unit sales and sales values were furthest away from pre-COVID levels in Ontario.  

Compared with the first nine months of 2019, Nova Scotia new motor vehicle unit sales were down more for passenger cars than for trucks and SUVs; unit sales were down more for North Amercian manufacturers than for overseas manufacturers.  Sales values were down for passenger cars and North American manufacturers.  Sales values were up for trucks/SUVs and overseas manufacturers.  

 Year-over-year (September 2021 vs September 2020, unadjusted)

 

Nova Scotia's unit sales of new motor vehicles declined 15.5% year-over-year.  Sales values were down 12.0%.  

National unit sales were down 19.0% with declines in all provinces.  The largest declines were observed in Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan while the smallest declines were reported in Prince Edward Island.  

National new motor vehicle sales values were down 14.9% with declines in all provinces.  The largest declines were observed in Saskatchewan and the smallest declines in Prince Edward Island.  

Average Prices (Jan-Sep 2021 vs Jan-Sep 2020)

The average sale price of a new motor vehicle in Nova Scotia was up 3.9% year-to-date.  National average prices were up 4.2% with increases in all provinces.  

Average new motor vehicle sale prices were $41,376 (Jan-Sep21) in Nova Scotia.  National average prices for a new motor vehicle were $46,758; the highest average prices were reported in Alberta and lowest in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Year-to-date average prices were notably higher for trucks/SUVs than for passenger cars.  Average prices were also higher for North American manufacturers than for overseas manufacturers.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 20-10-0001-01 New motor vehicle sales



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