Posts by Canadian Auto Dealer

Canada’s light vehicle market recorded a second straight month of year-over-year growth in July, with DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) estimating sales reached 173,000 units, up from 172,000 units in July 2025. The 0.5 per cent increase follows June’s 1.9 per cent gain, ending an eight-month stretch of year-over-year declines. While modest, the result marked the…

Economic conditions are creating a more challenging backdrop for the Canadian and U.S. auto markets, despite stronger vehicle spending during the second quarter, according to Cox Automotive’s latest Auto Market Weekly Summary. The report highlights slower-than-expected economic growth, stubborn inflation and weakening household finances as factors that could limit vehicle sales in the months ahead.…

A joint law enforcement initiative has recovered 392 vehicles valued at an estimated $28 million after preventing their export through Canadian marine ports, according to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Project NoCargo, launched in June 2025 by the RCMP’s Federal Policing Criminal Operations – Financial Crime program with assistance from INTERPOL Ottawa, was created…

Emobi has partnered with OmniTrust to strengthen cybersecurity for Plug & Charge technology as the companies look to expand secure electric vehicle charging across North America. The partnership, announced by Emobi, combines the company’s cloud-based JustPlug platform with OmniTrust’s cryptographic trust technology to address security, interoperability and scalability challenges as connected EV charging infrastructure continues…

U.S. new-vehicle sales lost some momentum in July but continued to show resilience despite economic headwinds, according to Cox Automotive. Initial estimates released by the company show July sales reached 1.36 million units, representing a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.3 million. The result fell short of Cox Automotive’s earlier forecast of 16.7 million…

CarDoor has launched a new vehicle-selling platform that allows verified dealers to compete in real time for consumer vehicles, a model the company says will improve inventory sourcing while offering sellers prices based on current market demand. The Ontario-based company unveiled its MarketCheck platform on Aug. 5, positioning it as a new channel for dealers…

U.S. consumers continued to favour hybrid vehicles and SUVs over battery-electric vehicles and sedans during the first half of 2026, according to the latest Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch reports from Cox Automotive. While the research is based on U.S. shoppers, the findings point to consumer priorities that Canadian dealers are also seeing as affordability,…

Canada’s wholesale used-vehicle market continued to soften during the week ending Aug. 1, although price declines moderated compared with the previous week, according to the latest Market Insights report from Canadian Black Book (CBB). Overall wholesale values declined 0.16 per cent, an improvement from the 0.32 per cent drop recorded a week earlier. Car segments…

The federal government is investing $10.9 million in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and education projects across Canada, a move that could help support EV adoption as dealers continue to expand their electrified vehicle offerings. Announced July 30 by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the funding includes nearly $9 million through the Zero Emission Vehicle…

Holand Automotive Group has expanded its leasing business through the acquisition of part of the John Scotti Leasing Inc. portfolio, a move that underscores the growing importance of leasing operations as dealership groups diversify their revenue streams and strengthen long-term customer relationships. Announced Aug. 3, the transaction sees Holand Leasing acquire the portion of the…

Glen Richardson Calgary’s dealer community is mourning the unexpected death of Glen Richardson, a partner in three dealerships and a respected industry and community leader. Richardson, known affectionately as “GR,” died July 19 at the age of 87, shortly after attending a local car show. He served as President of the Calgary Motor Dealers Association…

Infographic: 2026 Canadian Auto Theft Impact Survey Nearly three-quarters of Canadians believe advanced anti-theft technology should be mandatory in new vehicles, as confidence in existing vehicle security continues to erode, according to a new survey commissioned by Équité Association. The 2026 Canadian Auto Theft Impact Survey, conducted by Angus Reid Forum on behalf of Équité,…

Insurance premiums have become the fastest-rising vehicle ownership expense in Canada over the past four years, outpacing increases in gasoline, maintenance and vehicle purchase prices, according to new Consumer Price Index (CPI) analysis from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC). The report found insurance premiums rose 29.4 per cent between June 2022 and June 2026, including a…

Affordability pressures are fundamentally changing how Canadians approach vehicle ownership, with consumers holding onto vehicles longer, prioritizing lower operating costs and placing greater emphasis on long-term value, according to a new market analysis from Canadian Black Book (CBB). The report says higher financing costs, elevated living expenses and rising ownership costs have combined to make…

UVeye has officially expanded into Canada, with its AI-powered vehicle inspection systems now operating at dealerships in British Columbia and Ontario as the company begins a broader national rollout. The company announced July 30 that its computer vision technology is already in use at Trotman Auto Group dealerships, including Comox Valley Toyota and Cranbrook Toyota…

[embedded content] Canadian auto dealer senior editor Todd Phillips interviews Paige Nethercott, Event Manager for ACE with the Motor Vehicle Retailers of Ontario (MVRO) about the association’s Automotive Conference & Expo (ACE) event happening October 15-16 in Niagara Falls. This year’s event theme reflects the challenge of navigating change and the confidence that there is…

Artificial intelligence is taking on a larger role in the vehicle shopping journey with CarGurus launching a new AI-powered shopping assistant for Canadian consumers. According to CarGurus, its new conversational tool, called Guru, allows shoppers to describe the type of vehicle they are looking for using natural language rather than traditional search filters. The platform…

Online used-vehicle retailer Clutch is expanding its physical presence in Atlantic Canada with the opening of a new customer hub in Halifax, continuing a strategy that combines digital retail with in-person customer support. According to a company announcement, the 11,000-square-foot facility will serve as a pickup and drop-off location for customers buying or selling vehicles…

Canadian wholesale used-vehicle prices continued their gradual decline during the week ending July 25, although depreciation moderated compared with the previous week, according to the latest Canadian Black Book (CBB) Market Insights report. Overall wholesale values fell 0.32 per cent, following a 0.42 per cent decline the previous week. Car segments declined 0.31 per cent,…

The increasing complexity of today’s vehicles is driving collision repair costs higher in Quebec, even as auto theft continues to decline, according to new statistics released by the Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA). The average cost of a collision claim reached $8,638 in 2025, up from $4,083 a decade earlier. According to GAA, the increase…

Ontario was the only province to record a year-over-year decline in new light-vehicle sales in June, falling 2.6 per cent and offsetting some of the gains posted elsewhere in Canada, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. The decline represented nearly 2,000 fewer vehicles sold in the country’s largest provincial market, but stronger results elsewhere were enough…

Vancouver Community College is launching four automotive training programs aimed at helping British Columbia dealerships and service operations build a stronger pipeline of technicians with electric and hybrid vehicle skills. The new programs were developed with input from the automotive industry and will provide training in areas including high-voltage battery systems, EV traction motors, automotive…

Blair Qualey When most people think about the future of transportation, they picture electric vehicles, connected cars, autonomous driving technology and increasingly sophisticated software. Few stop to consider the people who will keep those vehicles safely on the road. Yet one of British Columbia’s greatest automotive challenges is not building the next generation of vehicles.…

Canadian wholesale vehicle values declined for a seventh consecutive week during the period ending July 18, with truck and SUV segments continuing to face the greatest pressure, according to Canadian Black Book. Overall values fell 0.42 per cent, while truck and SUV segments declined 0.62 per cent. Car segments were comparatively stable, slipping 0.17 per…

Michelle Christie DSMA has appointed Michelle Christie as an M&A Associate focused on trucking, heavy equipment and agriculture dealerships across Western Canada. Christie will work with dealership owners in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia on succession planning, valuations, acquisitions and ownership transitions. Her appointment adds dedicated M&A support for commercial truck dealers at a…

Canada’s new and used vehicle markets held up better than expected during the first half of 2026, as improving inventory and easing prices helped support demand despite continued economic uncertainty, according to AutoTrader’s latest Price Index. The report found that affordability remains the primary influence on vehicle purchases, while ongoing CUSMA negotiations are affecting consumer…

Reynolds and Reynolds has shared details for an industry keynote panel and five dealership innovation finalists to the program for Amplify 2026, taking place Aug. 10-11 in Carlsbad, Calif. The afternoon keynote will bring together automotive investors and dealership leaders to discuss the challenges reshaping retail and the strategies stores are using to respond. Speakers…

Affordable, economical vehicles were among the fastest-moving used models in Canada in June, while several of the country’s most popular nameplates posted strong sales gains, according to new CarGurus data. The Honda Fit recorded the shortest average time on dealer lots at 30.3 days, followed by the Toyota Yaris at 32.4 days and Toyota RAV4…

Dealers looking to compare their warranty coverage with competing brands can consult CAA-Quebec’s updated 2026 analysis of new-vehicle warranty programs offered across Canada. The annual study provides a side-by-side look at comprehensive and powertrain warranties, hybrid and electric-drive components, emissions systems, corrosion protection, safety systems and roadside assistance. That can give dealership teams a useful…

AutoCanada has completed the sale of three British Columbia dealerships. The sale includes Island Chevrolet Buick GMC in Duncan, Abbotsford Volkswagen and Chilliwack Volkswagen. AutoCanada said the locations were outside its core regional dealership clusters, limiting opportunities to create greater operating scale and efficiency. The three dealerships generated approximately $111 million in revenue during the…

For months, organizers of the CADA Summit 2024 were urging dealers to register for the event before it sold out. True to form, the jam-packed conference opened this morning at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Ontario as one of the first events to kick off a full week of events connected to the Canadian…

Safe-Guard Canada, a provider of protection products for the automotive, RV, powersports and marine sectors, has launched a redesigned website that speaks not only to the company’s shift towards digital transformation — but also the broader shift occurring in the automotive sector.  The company’s digital transformation mirrors the changes taking place across the automotive industry.…

Vehicles may be equipped with advanced sensor technology and machine learning algorithms that can predict weather disasters in real-time by the time 2030 rolls around.  That is according to the International Drivers Association, which said in a news release that new vehicles are expected to be equipped with this technology within the next six years,…

Three auto enthusiasts are marketing the first-ever Toronto industrial car condominium to store high-end exotic and vintage automobiles. Ming Zee, Christopher Grant, and Todd Yule have retrofitted a former Gilbey’s distillery building in Etobicoke, Ont., into a 183,000 square-foot storage warehouse in Etobicoke. They bought the building, which is zoned in an industrial area, in…

A new survey report from global cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky reveals that 72 per cent of drivers in the United States are uncomfortable with automotive manufacturers sharing their data with third parties — an issue that auto retailers may find is on the mind of more than some of their potential customers, as…

A virtual cockpit platform described as the first-of-its-kind by BlackBerry Limited was recently introduced as part of the Stellantis Virtual Engineering Workbench (VEW) by the OEM. It is of interest because the new platform allows for the delivery of infotainment tech to customers 100 times faster than previous processes. How BlackBerry is involved is also…

Hyundai received the highest ranking among mass market manufacturer websites from J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study thanks in part to its intuitive experience. The study measures customer satisfaction of OEM websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by reviewing four key measures: information/content, visual appeal, navigation, and speed. In its news release, Hyundai…