Public Awareness

See below for the abbreviated version. Click here to read the complete document.

ABOUT CAPC

The Canadian Automotive Partnership Council (CAPC) was formed in September 2002. Consisting of key automotive industry stakeholders, CAPC provides a forum for industry, government, labour and the research community to discuss common issues and identify a course of action to strengthen Canada's automotive industry.

CANADA'S AUTO INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE

• 6 light-duty vehicle assemblers operating 11 assembly plants
• 11 medium/heavy-duty truck and bus assemblers
• 21 light duty vehicle manufacturers and distributors
• 550 plus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
• 3960 plus auto dealers in every community across Canada
• Thousands of service providers and parts retailers in every province and territory

CANADIAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Quick Facts

1. Canada's auto industry is more than 100 years old.

2. In producing over 2.5 million light-duty vehicles annually, Ontario is the leading jurisdiction for auto production in North America and is the 10th largest globally.

3.570,000 Canadians from coast to coast are directly employed in the auto industry.

4. Each of the 50,000 assembly jobs provides 7-10 spin off jobs (the highest ratio of any manufacturing industry sector).

5. Tax revenues from the auto industry to all levels of government in Canada total over $10 billion annually.

6. Since 2002, Canadian vehicle assemblers and parts manufacturers have invested over $10 billion in production and research and development.

7. Canada's auto industry exports 85% of all production - roughly $100 billion annually; every $1 million in exports creates and sustains 5 jobs.

8. With an average annual salary of $72,000, auto workers pay an average of $22,480in federal and provincial taxes.

9. Canadian companies are global leaders in R&D on light-weight materials, alternative fuel technologies and occupant safety.

10. One 1987 model year car produces as the same emissions as 37 new cars. There are over 1 million 1987 model year or older cars on Canadian roads.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

• In 2005 Canada's auto industry voluntarily agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Canada's vehicle fleet by 5.3 million tonnes by the end of 2010 (exceeding the GHG reduction goal of 2002 Climate Change Plan).
• Vehicles sold in Canada are among the cleanest in the world. It would take twelve 2007 model-year cars to produce the same emissions produced by one 1993 model-year and 37 new cars to produce as much as just one 1987 car.
• Since 2005, Canada's automakers have introduced over 70 different advanced-technology and alternative-fuel vehicles, several of which are produced in Canada.
• Improvements in Canadian automotive manufacturing processes have reduced Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from assembly plants by over 50% on a kg/vehicle basis from 1990 to 2002. Today's Canadian assembly plants do not register in a ranking of emissions intensity across key industrial sectors.
  
  Energy conservation achievements at Canadian manufacturing facilities also rank among the highest across many industry sectors.
• Environmental considerations begin at the vehicle design process including the selection of materials that go into building a vehicle. New vehicles are almost 90% recycled and among the most recycled of any consumer products. Increasing attention is now focused on the introduction of bio-materials from plants into parts and components.

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION TO CANADA

• Procures $40 billion plus annually from Canadian suppliers (more than twice the total annual amount of the Canadian federal government's annual procurement).
• Accounts for 12% of Canada's manufacturing GDP and over 20% of Canada's total yearly merchandise trade, in excess of $150 billion annually.
• Over $30 billion in parts and components shipments annually.

RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INNOVATION

• Every year the auto industry conducts over $500 million in R&D related to assembly, innovation, new vehicle development, alternative fuels and vehicle safety.
• Partnerships: 260 top researchers at 42 academic institutions, government research facilities and private sector research labs across the AUTO21 network including Georgian College (Barrie), St. Clair College (Windsor), the University of Windsor, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa), the University of Waterloo, McMaster University and the University of Toronto.

COMPETITIVE CHALLENGES

• Significant appreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar.
• Intensified international competition from low-cost geographies.
• Mandated environmental controls and regulatory disharmony between Canada and the U.S.
• Trade and border infrastructure.
• Global production over-capacity.