Employment in auto repair and parts now above pre-pandemic levels

Canadian employment in automotive repair facilities and auto parts stores has risen above pre-pandemic’s 2019 levels, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. 

In a previous report, DAC discussed the strong recovery in kilometres driven that they had been tracking in this sector. As a result they found it unsurprising that, when eyeing employment numbers for 2023’s auto sector, they observed strong gains in the aftermarket. 

“Specifically, employment in the automotive repair and maintenance sector had reached 121,000 employees in December 2023, exceeding its 2019 level,” said DAC in its update. “Similarly, automotive parts and accessories stores saw employment increase 4.9% above pre-pandemic levels.”

Although there are sectors within the auto industry that did see increases compared to pre-pandemic levels, others remained behind. One of those sectors is motor vehicle manufacturing, which was 11.0% behind 2019 levels. Another is automotive retailers, which DAC said is still a step away from returning to 2019 levels. 

“The overall employment picture in the automotive space was a positive one by the end of last year,” said Andrew King, Managing Partner at DAC, in a statement. “With the manufacturing side of the industry in the midst of a transformation, it fell to the retail aftermarket to lead the way in terms of employment.”

DAC said employment in the overall, broader auto sector increased throughout 2023. By December of that year there were 604,000 recorded employees and levels were nearly at the pre-pandemic baseline.

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