Ontario new car dealers are driving 10 per cent of the industry’s job growth, according to a study by PwC Canada and commissioned by the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA).
Specifically, TADA said new car dealer members across Ontario generated and supported 85,300 jobs in 2018, which they say is a 10 per cent increase from 2016. And direct employment by members increased to 44,500 in 2018 — up 6.2 per cent from 2016.
“When most people think of the auto sector, the retail side is too often an afterthought. This study suggests what auto dealers like me have known our entire lives — when new car dealers are able to succeed, the communities they operate in and the entire province succeeds,” said Cliff Lafreniere, TADA President and Dealer Principal of Pinewood Park Ford in Kirkland Lake.
The study reveals that average weekly earnings at auto dealerships per week is 80 per cent higher than the average weekly earning in the retail trade overall. TADA also said that one in 20 of all retail jobs in Ontario are directly sustained by its members. And between 2010 and 2018, employment in motor vehicle and parts dealerships jumped more than 26 per cent. That’s compared to a 22 per cent increase in jobs in vehicle and parts manufacturing.
“Even with this remarkable job growth, we’re still not firing on all cylinders,” said Lafreniere, who adds that the industry continues to suffer from a shortage of skilled trade workers. “Every dealer I talk to across Ontario has difficulty in finding the next generation of auto technicians.”
There are several initiatives in the country to help boost employment, such as TADA’s Cars and Jobs platform.
To view the study, click here.
