The automobile dealer industry in Ontario generates 53,000 direct jobs and more than $37 billion in retail sales annually, according to a study by PwC Canada, commissioned by the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA).
TADA has shown through its report that its members generate and facilitate 77,554 jobs through direct and indirect means, resulting in billions in GDP for the province every year and in labour income through the employment chain, according to the association’s news release.
“When people think of the auto industry, they mainly think of manufacturing jobs,” said Larry Lantz, President of TADA and a new car dealer. “But the auto retail sector should not be overlooked. We provide well-paying jobs across Ontario in diverse fields such as skilled trades, sales, finance and marketing to name a few.”
A strong auto retail sector means billions in taxes help support vital public services.
Employment at new car dealerships increased by approximately 30 percent between 2011 and 2016, with average weekly earnings hovering around $1,012 — 84 per cent higher than the overall retail trade. It’s also nine per cent higher than the overall service producing industries, according to the report.
“A strong auto retail sector means billions in taxes help support vital public services. For example, the $2.81 billion generated in corporate and personal income tax and taxes on production could pay for building a brand new, fully digital state-of-the-art hospital every year — like the Humber River Hospital in Toronto which the province allocated up to $2.13 billion to build,” said Lantz.
