Canada Auto Sales Show Resilience as October Gains Push to Near Record Levels, DesRosiers Says

10:54 AM EST, 11/04/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Canada's auto sales rose for a fifth consecutive month in October despite economic headwinds and ongoing trade tensions with the US, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants in a Wednesday note. Estimated sales rose 1.8% annually to 162,000 units in October, approaching the record set in 2017 despite one additional selling day, wrote DesRosiers. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate climbed to 1.98 million units, its highest level since February. DesRosiers Managing Partner Andrew King said in the note that the market's year-to-date decline had narrowed to just 0.5% after reaching 3.7% at the end of May, following eight consecutive months of annual declines, underscoring the strong recovery in sales momentum. The zero-emission vehicle market also remained robust, with little indication of significant demand being pulled forward ahead of the year-end reduction in consumer incentives, DesRosiers added.