U.S.-Canada trade war impacting some Calgarians vehicle buying decisions

Some potential car buyers say the trade war between the U.S. and Canada is affecting how and even when they make their next vehicle purchase.

From cars, to trucks, to SUVs, there’s no shortage of vehicles on display at this year’s Calgary International Auto and Truck show, but with the threat of tariffs from the U.S., it’s unclear if prices on these vehicles will remain the same in a few weeks.

Some Calgarians say they’re holding off on a purchase until the U.S. and Canada settle its trade dispute.

“No, I’m not into a hasty car purchase,” says Joseph Tanyi.

For others, instead of holding off buying their next vehicle, they’d only buy from companies who at least still setup shop north of the border.

“The money should go with the plant, that’s where you should direct your money to,” says Lee Currie. “The Volkswagen dealer may say ‘we got 60 employees here.’ That’s 60 versus a car plant in Ontario that has 2,000, 4,000, 5,000 people.”

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One local car aficionado says it might be time for Canadians to look at other continents for their vehicles.

“European cars tend to be a bit more expensive than American cars, so if there is a price parity, then the choice becomes more interesting,” says Christian Jacob.

The U.S. has gone forward with imposing a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum, with President Donald Trump threatening further tariffs in April that could include the auto industry.

Some local dealerships say despite the uncertainty, sales have not been affected that much.

“It really hasn’t affected our sales too much even though there is uncertainty in the market, in fact in some respects, I think it might have a slight uptick in sales, people trying to get ahead of a potential price increase,” says Tim Beach, general manager of Charlesglen Toyota.

The Calgary International Auto and Truck show runs from Thursday to Sunday at the BMO Centre at Stampede Park.