Canada Light-Vehicle Sales Up 1.7% in 2011, Despite December Dip

Canadian dealers closed the books on 2011 with sales of 1,581,733 cars and light trucks, a 1.7% gain over the 1,554,700 in 2010, despite weakened demand in December.

The gain was led by a 4.6% rise in light-truck deliveries, to 899,777 units from year-ago’s 860,351, that more than compensated for a 1.8% decline in new-car sales, to 681,956 from 694,349, largely due to Japanese-make inventory shortages.