Canadian Auto Imports at Their Lowest Level in Over Two Years

The impact of the trade war waged by the U.S. and Canada's response with reciprocal tariffs is becoming increasingly apparent.

Following a 13.3% decrease in April, imports of motor vehicles and parts fell an additional 5.3% in May, according to the latest data published by Statistics Canada. Imports of passenger cars and light trucks (-9.7%) declined the most for the month.

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Imports had risen in each of the first three months of 2025, leading to a record high in March. Now, with a further decline in May, they have fallen to their lowest level in over two years.

Tesla, which initially raised its Canadian prices by 13-22%, has virtually stopped importing new vehicles into Canada and is concentrating on clearing existing inventory.

Over at Mazda, imports of the CX-50 were suspended indefinitely on May 12. This is the only vehicle from the Japanese brand that is manufactured in the U.S., more specifically at a joint assembly plant with Toyota (Corolla Cross).

New data on exports of motor vehicles and parts will be published shortly. In April, they fell 17.4%, including 22.9% for passenger cars and light trucks alone.

For now, July 21 is the deadline that Donald Trump and Mark Carney have agreed on for reaching a trade agreement between the U.S. and Canada. Without one, the new tariffs will continue to apply.