Poll: Nearly One in Two Canadians Want a Car Market Modelled After Europe, Not the U.S.

When it comes to their next vehicle, Canadians are increasingly looking across the Atlantic. According to a poll conducted in September, nearly half of them would like our market to take more cues from what’s available in the Old World, with more compact and electric models. The catch? Regulations.

• 47 percent of respondents favour a European-style market, versus 21 percent for the American model

• Dealers say some brands already have European models ready to sell here

• Canada’s safety standards, virtually identical to those in the U.S., are keeping them out

Automotive News reported the survey results. Here’s the gist.

More Than Anti-American Sentiment

Conducted by Abacus Data among about 2,800 adults on behalf of the think tank Clean Energy Canada, the poll also found that 32 percent of Canadians want no change at all. For Trevor Melanson, the organization’s director of insights and communications, high vehicle prices are weighing heavily on buyers’ minds. “It’s not just anti-American sentiment. Canadians have slightly different vehicle preferences.”

Tim Reuss, who heads the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, agrees. The Canadian market is built on pickups and SUVs, and the compact segment has been hollowed out over the years. “Canadians are clamouring for more vehicles and vehicle options.” Some automakers reportedly have European models ready to add to their Canadian lineups, and dealers would be more than happy to sell them.

The Regulatory Wall

The problem is that the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) are nearly identical to U.S. rules, and there’s no mechanism to certify a vehicle approved for sale in Europe quickly. With a market too small to justify a lengthy and costly process, Canada usually ends up with the same lineup as our neighbours to the south.

Since U.S. tariffs took effect last year, several groups have been pushing Ottawa to recognize European standards alongside its own. Lawmakers support the idea, but federal bureaucrats remain hesitant.

According to Reuss, only a political decision would get things moving quickly. Canada’s push for closer ties with the European Union, including exploring associate membership, could be the catalyst that finally moves the file forward.

The poll doesn’t break out results for Quebec, but we’d be willing to bet the appetite for a more European-than-American car market is even stronger here, where small vehicles have always had a bigger following.

It’s easy to imagine just how big a hit some of Europe’s small EVs would be in this part of the world.