Government of Nova Scotia, Canada

Home > Economics and Statistics > Archived Daily Stats
The Economics and Statistics Division maintains archives of previous publications for accountability purposes, but makes no updates to keep these documents current with the latest data revisions from Statistics Canada. As a result, information in older documents may not be accurate. Please exercise caution when referring to older documents. For the latest information and historical data, please contact the individual listed to the right.

<--- Return to Archive

For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

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

January 15, 2025
NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SALES, NOVEMBER 2024

Year-to-date (January-November 2024 vs January-November 2023, unadjusted)

Nova Scotia reported the second-largest gain (+17.8%) in unit sales of new vehicles among the provinces, behind Newfoundland and Labrador (+22.3%). In the first eleven months of 2024, Nova Scotia sold 45,965 new motor vehicles. National unit sales were up 9.3% to 1,778,618 units.  Unit sales were up in all provinces.  British Columbia had the slowest year-to-date growth in unit sales.                                         

The sales values of new vehicles increased 20.8% in Nova Scotia from January-November 2023 to January-November 2024 (rising to $2.22 billion).  Nova Scotia reported the second-fastest gain in year-to-date sales values among provinces, behind Newfoundland and Labrador (+25.0%) and just ahead of New Brunswick. National sales values were up 10.1% to $99.64 billion in the first eleven months of the year. Sales values were up in all provinces with British Columbia reporting the slowest year-to-date growth. 

The average sale price of a new motor vehicle in Nova Scotia was up 2.6% in the first eleven months of 2024 when compared to same period in 2023, the second fastest growth in average unit price after New Brunswick (+2.8%). National average prices were up 0.7% with increases in eight provinces.  Prince Edward Island and Ontario reported the only year-to-date declines in new motor vehicle average prices.  

The average unit price of a new motor vehicle in Nova Scotia was $50,526 over January-November 2024. This was the third lowest among provinces (ahead of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador). The national average unit price for a new motor vehicle was $56,020 with the highest values in Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

Year-to-date gains in unit sales and sales values were reported for trucks/SUVs, passenger cars, North American manufacturers and overseas manufacturers. Growth was faster for trucks/SUVs than for passenger cars while overseas manufacturers' gains outpaced those of North American manufacturers. 

Average unit prices were up more for North American manufacturers' compared to overseas in January-November 2024.  

Trucks/SUVs make up the bulk of the market in Nova Scotia. Through the first eleven months of 2024, trucks/SUVs accounted for 88.2% of vehicles sold in Nova Scotia and 91.0% of sales values. North American manufacturers accounted for 71.9% of unit sales and 73.7% of sales values in Nova Scotia on average from January-November 2024.  

Year-over-year (November 2024 vs November 2023, unadjusted)

Compared with November 2023, Nova Scotia unit sales of new vehicles (+6.4%) reported a slower gain than the national average (+11.3%). Sales were up in all provinces, led by Québec.  Saskatchewan had the weakest growth in new motor vehicle unit sales.

The sales values of new vehicles increased 11.3% in Nova Scotia from November 2023 to November 2024. National sales values were up 15.9% with gains in all provinces. Québec reported the fastest year-over-year gains in vehicle sales values while Saskatchewan reported the least growth.

Compared to November 2023, average unit prices were up 4.6% in Nova Scotia in November 2024.  Average unit prices were up 4.1% nationally with increases in all provinces.  Québec and Prince Edward Island reported the fastest year-over-year increases in new motor vehicle unit prices while Ontario had the slowest rise.  

The average price of a new vehicle in November was $51,443 in Nova Scotia - third lowest among provinces ahead of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.  Nationally, the average price of a new vehicle was $58,121 in November with the highest value in Alberta.

Compared with November 2023, unit sales were up for trucks/SUVs and North American manufacturers.  There was little growth in unit sales for overseas manufacturers and unit sales of passenger cars were down.  Sales values were up year-over-year for all categories (passenger cars, trucks/SUVs, North American manufacturers, overseas manufacturers).  Unit price growth for passenger cars and overseas manufactured vehicles were faster than for trucks/SUVs and North American manufactured vehicles.  

In November 2024, trucks/SUVs accounted for 85.9% of unit sales and 89.2% of sales values.  North American manufacturers accounted for 69.6% of Nova Scotia's unit sales and 72.6% of sales values in November 2024.

Trends

Unit sales of new motor vehicles typically contract in November and remain lower during the winter months.  Nova Scotia's unit sales of 3,968 in November 2024 were stronger than those reported in the same month of any year since 2017.

With increases in prices for new vehicles along with recovering volumes, Nova Scotia's November 2024 motor vehicle sales were above comparable months in previous years.  Lower unit sales, however, reduced the dollar value of Nova Scotia new motor vehicle sales in November below levels observed during the summer. 

Nova Scotia average unit prices have started to rise again after stabilizing in the early months of 2024.

Across Canada, national unit sales were up compared the same month in the previous year, but below the pace of sales for November from 2015-2017.

National sales values for November 2024 were higher than the same time in previous years. 

National average unit sales prices stabilized from the beginning of 2023 to early 2024, but have started to rise again through the latter part of the year.

There has been a steady trend of increasing market share for trucks/SUVs while the market share of passenger cars declines.

There has been a slow decline in market share for North American manufacturers while overseas manufacturers' market share rises.

Prices for trucks/SUVs (the bulk of the market) continue to rise while prices for passenger cars have plateaued. 

Prices for vehicles from overseas manufacturers have started to rise sharply in recent months while those for North American manufacturers have been more stable.

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



<--- Return to Archive