Posts by Canadian Auto Dealer

The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) has released the names of the 15 finalists vying to become the next recipients of its prestigious Laureate Awards. The association announced the finalists in its CADA Newsline newsletter on Monday, kicking off the final stage of a selection process that recognizes dealer excellence in Ambassadorship, Business Innovation and…

Lucas Malinowski Global Automakers of Canada (GAC) has named Lucas Malinowski as its new President and CEO, completing a leadership transition following the retirement of longtime industry executive David Adams. Malinowski succeeds Adams, who stepped down June 1 after 35 years in Canada’s automotive sector and more than two decades leading the association. During his…

From left: Jordan Kot V.P, Brandon Kot V.P, Jordan Reymer G.M and John Kot President. (CNW Group/Kot Auto Group) KOT Auto Group has acquired Duncan Hyundai, adding another Hyundai dealership to its growing portfolio and further expanding its presence on Vancouver Island. The acquisition strengthens the Kelowna-based dealer group’s position within Hyundai’s Canadian retail network…

Canadian used wholesale vehicle prices continued to soften during the week ending May 30, with the market posting a steeper decline than the previous week, according to Canadian Black Book’s latest Market Insights report. Overall wholesale values fell 0.49 per cent, compared with a decline of 0.23 per cent the previous week. Car segments decreased…

U.S. dealer sentiment improved modestly in the second quarter of 2026, but expectations for the months ahead deteriorated as economic concerns weighed on confidence, according to the latest Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index. The survey, released May 26, found the current market sentiment index rose to 43 from 41 in the first quarter, marking a…

Electric vehicle consideration among Canadian consumers rose this year for the first time since 2022, according to the J.D. Power 2026 Canada Electric Vehicle Consideration Study released May 28. The study found 34 per cent of new-vehicle shoppers said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider an EV for their next purchase, up…

Employment across Canada’s automotive sector weakened in early 2026, according to new industry data released by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. Total automotive-related employment reached 578,900 workers in February, down 0.8 per cent from the same month last year. The sector had already shown signs of softening at the end of 2025, with December employment slightly below…

Stellantis is openly considering using Canadian facilities to build Chinese-branded electric vehicles as the automaker expands partnerships aimed at lowering costs and accelerating EV development. Speaking after the company’s investor day near Detroit on May 22, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said there is “space” for Chinese EV partnerships in Canada and Mexico, though not in…

Cox Automotive expects the pace of U.S. new-vehicle sales to improve modestly in May as consumers continue purchasing vehicles despite economic uncertainty and rising fuel costs. In a forecast released May 27, the company said the seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales is expected to reach 16.1 million units, up from 15.9 million in April…

Photo: CNW Group/CAA South Central Ontario CAA South Central Ontario is warning drivers about a growing form of vehicle theft that combines distraction tactics with electronic tools capable of intercepting or relaying key fob signals. In a release issued May 27, the organization said police services across Canada have reported an increase in so-called “distraction…

Canada’s automotive industry could either expand production to two million vehicles annually or lose assembly operations entirely by 2040, depending on trade policy, EV adoption and global competition, RBC Thought Leadership said in a new report examining the sector’s future. The report, part of RBC’s Growth Project initiative, said the industry remains under pressure from…

A growing number of consumers are buying vehicles from a single dealership, a trend CDK Global said is helping drive higher customer satisfaction during the buying process. According to the company’s latest Ease of Purchase Scorecard, 41 per cent of buyers in 2025 visited only one dealership before completing a purchase, up from 34 per…

Photo: CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Newmarket The renovation of the Newmarket Mercedes-Benz dealership is more than just converting a 25-year-old rooftop into a modern-day, state-of-the-art complex. It is a dream come true for Managing Partner Brian Fulton, the onetime Mercedes-Benz Canada president. The dealership had once been a corporate retail store for Mercedes-Benz but was sold in…

Photo: CNW Group/Policaro Group Policaro Group is adding Danish hypercar manufacturer Zenvo Automotive to its portfolio, becoming the exclusive retail and distribution partner for Central and Eastern Canada under the banner Zenvo Toronto. The Oakville, Ont.-based dealer group announced the partnership May 20, joining forces with the Weissach Group, which will continue overseeing Zenvo operations…

Photo: CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Mercedes-Benz Canada and Road to Racing have introduced a new scholarship program designed to help young Canadian racing drivers advance their careers in motorsport. The Mercedes-Benz Youth in Motorsport Scholarship will provide one Road to Racing driver annually with $50,000 toward race funding, mentorship opportunities and professional development support. Alexis…

Canada’s truck dealers are calling on the federal government to move quickly on a regulatory fix they say is needed to preserve access to medium- and heavy-duty trucks in Canada, warning that a misalignment with U.S. emissions rules could create serious supply headaches as early as the 2027 model year. At a press event on…

Keith Legg (left) and Chris Rulon (right) Reynolds & Reynolds used its Innovation Summit in Mississauga this week to showcase how artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and robotics are becoming increasingly integrated into dealership operations. The two-day event, held at the Courtyard Toronto Mississauga West hotel, brought together dealers, OEM representatives and Reynolds executives for presentations, live…

Canadian new light vehicle sales declined across nearly every province in April, highlighting what industry analysts describe as broad-based economic weakness and slowing consumer demand. According to provincial sales estimates released by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC), total Canadian new light vehicle sales reached about 178,000 units in April, down 3.9 per cent from the 186,000…

Photo: CNW Group/Policaro Group Policaro Group is adding another ultra-exclusive name to its luxury automotive portfolio after being named Zenvo Automotive’s retail and distribution partner for Central and Eastern Canada. The Oakville, Ont.-based dealer group will operate as Zenvo Toronto, while Weissach Group will continue overseeing sales and distribution in Western Canada under a revised…

Rising inflation and elevated borrowing costs in the United States continued to weigh on U.S. consumers in April, even as retail spending and auto credit availability showed signs of resilience, according to the latest Auto Market Weekly Summary from Cox Automotive. The report said energy prices remained the dominant inflation driver, with gasoline prices rising…

The New Car Dealers Association of B.C. and the Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia are calling on the province to scrap its planned expansion of the provincial sales tax to professional services, warning the move would unfairly raise costs for businesses already facing growing public safety challenges. In a May 19 release, the organizations…

Auto theft claims costs in Ontario declined in 2025 but continue to significantly exceed pre-pandemic levels, according to new figures released by the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The industry group said auto theft claims in Ontario totalled $485 million in 2025, down from $723 million in 2024. However, claims remain sharply elevated compared with 2017…

New-vehicle affordability declined modestly in April as consumers faced higher prices, rising interest rates and reduced incentives, according to the latest Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics Vehicle Affordability Index. The index showed the estimated average auto loan rate increased by nine basis points to 9.45 per cent in April, while the Kelley Blue Book average transaction price…

Canadian wholesale used-vehicle prices continued to decline in the week ending May 16, with truck and SUV segments leading the market downward, according to the latest Canadian Black Book Market Insights report.  Overall wholesale prices fell 0.32 per cent for the week. Car segments declined 0.20 per cent, while truck and SUV segments dropped 0.40…

The U.S. electric vehicle market softened in April as new EV sales declined alongside broader weakness in overall vehicle demand, according to the latest EV Market Monitor from Cox Automotive. New EV sales totalled an estimated 76,889 units in April, down 23.1 per cent year over year and 6.2 per cent from March. EVs accounted…

CADEX returned to Halifax with its largest audience ever, drawing more than 300 dealers, suppliers and industry leaders to Casino Nova Scotia for a sold-out 14th edition of the event organized by the Nova Scotia Automobile Dealers Association (NSADA). With TD Auto Finance as exclusive sponsor and Canadian auto dealer Publisher Niel Hiscox serving as…

Canada’s share of light vehicle imports sourced from the United States declined over the past year as automakers adjusted to ongoing trade tensions and tariff measures between the two countries. According to data released by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC), the proportion of Canadian light vehicle imports coming from the U.S. dropped to 43.7 per cent…

Charles Saillant Groupe Saillant is going big with Volvo Ville de Québec. Ground has been broken for a new multi-level, multi-purpose Volvo dealership in Quebec City that will be the manufacturer’s biggest rooftop in Canada. It is expected to be ready next March. The current facility, which is roughly five kilometres east, is only 17,000…

The U.S. auto market showed signs of slowing in April, according to Cox Automotive’s latest Auto Market Weekly Summary, as consumers pulled back on vehicle spending amid elevated fuel costs and growing affordability concerns. April’s seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) for new-vehicle sales came in at 15.9 million, down 7.1 per cent from the same…

Unifor will launch its 2026 Detroit Three contract negotiations with Ford Motor Co. on June 22, the union announced Monday, as Canada’s automotive sector continues to face what union leaders described as “unprecedented challenges.” The union said it selected Ford as the lead company for this year’s pattern bargaining talks. Unifor represents approximately 5,000 workers…

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…