Canada’s Auto Industry Update Report 2019-2023

Between 2019 and 2023, Canada’s automotive manufacturing industry experienced significant disruptions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain issues, and rapid advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology. These factors led to changes in production, employment, and trade, but also catalyzed transformative investments in EV production and battery manufacturing. This report examines key industry statistics, provides an analysis of trends, and highlights key investments.

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Dr. Charlotte Yates Discusses Electric Vehicles on The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge Podcast

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge hosted Dr. Charlotte Yates, the President of the University of Guelph and the Automotive Policy Research Centre, to discuss the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and the direction of the Canadian automotive sector.

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From ICEVs to BEVs

The Automotive Policy Research Centre (APRC) team is dedicated to conducting and distributing information to inform industry stakeholders on trends affecting the automotive sector.

As the automotive sector looks towards an increasingly electrified future, it is important to understand what is changing. For this reason, we are excited to share an infographic on the differences between battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs).

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Automotive Labour Market Information (ALMI)

The Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition (CSTEC), Prism Economics (Prism), and the Automotive Policy Research Centre (APRC) have partnered in a collaborative research effort to help industry, government, labour, educational, and NGO stakeholders better understand the broader automotive sector labour market in Canada. A number of regional profiles, labour market trend reports, and regional consultation presentations have been completed and are attached to the webpage linked below.

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The Future of the Canadian Auto Industry

This report, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and authored by APRC researchers Dr. Charlotte Yates and Dr. John Holmes, examines the future of Canada’s automotive industry. It finds that  collaboration between federal and provincial governments and public policies designed to target investments in advanced automobility are critical to the future of the industry.

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Does the ProMexico Model Work for Canada?

APRC researchers Greig Mordue, Charlotte Yates, and Aleks Piecyk explore the role of ProMexico – a Mexican government organization designed to promote trade and investment – and the lessons for Canadian policy-makers seeking to incent manufacturing investments.

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What Shapes Automotive Investment Decisions?

Governments across North America offer rich incentive packages to entice investment. Charlotte Yates and Wayne Lewchuk explore how incentives impact automakers’ investment decisions.

Analysis of Canada’s Automotive Labour Market

The APRC recently embarked on a new project in partnership with the Canadian Skills, Training and Employment Coalition (CSTEC) and the Government of Canada. The project focuses on undertaking a comprehensive labour market analysis of Canada’s automotive manufacturing industry, including vehicle assembly, traditional parts manufacturing, and the development of advanced vehicle technologies (e.g. ADAS software). Reports and profiles will be made available on our website beginning in Spring 2019. This is a three-year initiative and is funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program (SIP).

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Automotive News

Canada’s Automotive Industry, 2012-2016

This report profiles changes to production, employment, and the organization of Canada’s automotive industry between 2012 and 2016. It illustrates a period of relative growth and prosperity marked by stable production and growing employment, as well as a geographic shift away from eastern Ontario and the eastern GTA and towards Windsor, the western GTA, and Wellington, Waterloo, and Oxford counties.

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Exchange Rate Fluctuations and Canada’s Automotive Industry

This report examines the relationship between currency exchange rates, resource prices, and automotive output. Simon Burru, Ceren Altincekic, and Jessica Ghansiam found that a weaker Canadian dollar has a positive impact on Canadian automotive output.

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Electricity Pricing in Ontario: an Automotive Industry Case Study

This report considers the impact of electricity pricing changes in Ontario on the competitiveness of the automotive industry. Greig Mordue and Kelly White found that increased electricity prices have had no significant influence on automakers’ investment decisions, and that agitation related to this issue is better explained by other factors.

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What does the TPP Portend for Canada’s Automotive Industry?

This article by Jeff Carey and John Holmes assesses the potential impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on automotive production in Canada. It finds that while some firms may benefit, the overall impact is likely to be negative.

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The Restructuring of Canada’s Automotive Industry

Brendan Sweeney and Greig Mordue examine automotive industry restructuring in Canada between 2005 and 2014. They demonstrate that the  industry employs more people than are reported in government statistics. They conclude that better data collection methods are important for policy-makers seeking to develop supports for the industry.

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Challenges Confronting the Canadian Auto Parts Sector

In this paper, Holmes, Rutherford, and Carey report on a recent survey of automotive parts plant managers. The survey examines issues related to innovation and the influence of public policy on plant-level competitiveness, performance, and strategies.

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Challenges of Coordination: Automotive Innovation in the Ontario Supply Chain

In this paper, Goracinova, Warrian, and Wolfe examine how public policies  support collaborative research in southern Ontario’s automotive industry. They compare these supports, which focus on a particular group of suppliers, to those available in Michigan, the UK, and Germany.

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The APMA’s Connected Car Project: Innovation through Collaboration

This report examines the APMA’s Connective Vehicle Technology Showcase, which was the result of collaborative efforts between the APMA, Canadian suppliers, and OEMs. It found that such collaborations are an important tool to promote and commercialize the innovations of Canadian-based firms engaged in the design and manufacture of new vehicle technologies.

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When an Auto Industry Disappears: Australia’s Experience & Lessons for Canada

All three global automakers manufacturing vehicles in Australia closed their operations in that country. Jim Stanford reviews the factors contributing to these closures and considers structural, economic, and policy differences between Canada and Australia. It found that Canada’s automotive industry enjoys structural advantages over Australia leading to a better overall prognosis.