PEI sees largest percentage growth in February vehicle sales
Prince Edward Island was the little province that could last month in new vehicle sales as volume jumped 72 per cent.
The total means the Atlantic province is now up by 25.3 per cent on the year according to figures released by auto analysts Dennis DesRosiers.
February’s biggest drop was experienced in nearby Nova Scotia, which dipped by more than 20 per cent last month. “Weather may be to blame,” DesRosiers hypothesized. “But then weather is always to blame yet seldom is the fundamental problem.”
“Our second largest market in Canada is Quebec and it also has started the year down quite a bit. Down 9.5 percent in February and -4.3 percent YTD. They buy very small vehicles and is the key reason why small entry level vehicle sales in Canada so under perform the total market.”
According to DesRosiers, trends can change quickly and key themes in provincial totals will not emerge until late spring.
Provincial Sales
Feb. 2011 Feb. 2010 % Change
B.C. 10,704 10,091 6.1
Alberta 13,356 13,448 -0.7
Saskatchewan 2,779 3,115 -10.8
Manitoba 2,759 2,807 -1.7
Ontario 36,079 37,086 -2.7
Quebec 23,546 26,029 -9.5
N.B. 2,067 2,485 -16.8
PEI 511 297 72.1
Nova Scotia 2,531 3,188 -20.6
ewfoundland 1,674 1,697 -1.4
Total Canada 96,006 100,243 -4.2
