Canada’s auto exports just fell to a multi-year low

FILE: General view of production along the Honda CRV production line is shown during a tour of a Honda manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ont., Wednesday, Apr. 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Canada’s exports of motor vehicles and parts fell 21.2 per cent to $5.4 billion in January, the lowest level since September 2021.

That’s according to Statistics Canada, which released its January merchandise trade data on Thursday. The report noted passenger cars and light trucks saw the largest decline in exports, logging a decline of 32.5 per cent.

Vehicle model changes were to blame for prolonged seasonal production stoppages in January, Statistics Canada added, which affected light trucks and passenger vehicles “strongly.”

While exporters of aircraft and transport equipment and parts saw a record year in 2025, they marked a sluggish January resulting in a 16 per cent drop.

U.S. trade

Canada did export about four per cent more energy products in January than the month before. That’s due in part to a deep winter chill affecting much of the U.S., driving up demand for Canadian national gas.

Overall trade with the U.S. decreased 3.8 per cent in January. Imports fell, too, by 3.4 per cent.

Following a record high in December, Canada’s exports to countries other than the U.S. were down 6.5 per cent.

“The decline was mostly due to lower shipments of unwrought gold to the United Kingdom,” reads the January report.