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2008 Canadian Vehicle Survey Update Report

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Executive summary

The Canadian Vehicle Survey (CVS) is a quarterly survey of vehicle transportation activities in Canada, providing both quarterly and annual data. The 2008 Canadian Vehicle Survey Update Report offers an abridged review and analysis of selected annual data from 2000 to 2008, describing Canada’s vehicle fleet, patterns in vehicle use and fuel consumption. More detailed information and anaylsis can be found in last year’s 2007 Canadian Vehilce Survey Summary Report.

The following are some of the principal findings from the 2008 Canadian Vehicle Survey Update Report:

  • The number of vehicles on Canadian roads continued to increase between 2007 and 2008 (from 19.7 to 20.2 million), although the total distance driven decreased by 6.7 billion kilometres (km). The decrease in distance driven between 2007 and 2008 represents the largest recorded drop (2 percent) since annual CVS records began in 2000. However, total distance travelled in 2008 was still almost 6 percent higher than in 2000.

  • Ontario and Quebec accounted for almost 60 percent of the Canadian vehicle fleet in 2008, although the Albertan vehicle fleet has grown the fastest since 2000. During this period, the Albertan vehicle fleet increased by an average annual rate of 3.6 percent per year. Growth in most of the remaining provinces was between 1 and 2 percent per year.

  • The average fuel consumption rate of gasoline-powered light vehicles in Canada was 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in 2008, and has not changed since 2005. Fuel consumption was below the Canadian average in all of eastern Canada, while it was above average for all provinces west of Ontario.

  • From 2000 to 2008, the share of vans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks increased substantially relative to that of cars. The number of SUVs more than doubled while the share of cars in the light vehicle fleet decreased by close to 10 percent. These changes have implications for fuel consumption because vans, SUVs and pickup trucks tend to consume more fuel than do cars and station wagons.

  • The average Canadian light vehicle ownership rate was slightly less than 1.5 vehicles per household in 2008. Vehicle ownership was highest in Alberta (1.9 vehicles per household) and lowest in Quebec (1.3 vehicles per household).

  • Canadians drove their light vehicles an average of 15 200 km in 2008, down from almost 17 000 km in 2000. Light vehicles were driven the furthest in Newfoundland and Labrador (18 100 km) and the least in British Columbia (13 100 km), in 2008.

  • The decrease in average annual distance travelled between 2000 and 2008 coincides with rising vehicle ownership and lower occupancy rates. Between 2000 and 2008, light vehicle ownership rates increased from 1.43 to 1.48 vehicles per household. Canadians also relied on each vehicle to carry fewer passengers, on average, with occupancy rates decreasing from 1.68 to 1.62 passengers per vehicle over the period.

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