HONDA CANADA REACHES MILESTONE OF FOUR-MILLIONTH PASSENGER VEHICLE SOLD IN CANADA
TORONTO (October 14, 2014) – Honda Canada Inc. has celebrated the retail sale of its four-millionth passenger vehicle in Canada, a milestone not contemplated when Honda opened for business selling motorcycles in Canada in July 1969. The company had only one vision in mind at the time - to “become a company that Canadians want to exist” - and that vision has guided Honda from the beginning as it strives to design, engineer and manufacture a wide range of innovative, fuel efficient, fun-to-drive and reliable products to bring mobility to all Canadians. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Honda in Canada.
Honda Canada added to its two-wheeled line-up by introducing cars in 1973, with a handful of dealers, selling only 747 Honda Civics that first year. Today, Honda sells in excess of 160,000 cars and trucks per year through its 231 Honda and 50 Acura dealerships across Canada.
“This is a significant milestone for Honda in Canada,” said Jerry Chenkin, President and CEO of Honda Canada Inc., who has been with Honda Canada for almost 40 years himself. “Close to 70 per cent of Honda products sold in Canada are manufactured here, by Canadians, for Canadians, which is something we are very proud of. We want to thank our Associates and dealer network across the country for their loyalty and those four million Canadian consumers who bought our cars and trucks, for their support and confidence in our products.”
Additional recent milestones for Honda Canada include the six-millionth vehicle produced at its two manufacturing facilities in Alliston, Ontario in 2012 and at the end of the 2013 calendar year, the Honda Civic earned the title of Canada’s best-selling passenger car for a 16th consecutive year.
Building on Honda’s commitment to be a company that Canadians want to exist, Honda contributes to communities across Canada:
• manufacturing 390,000 vehicles a year at two Honda manufacturing facilities in Alliston, Ontario, with a third manufacturing operation producing 200,000 vehicle engines per year, and sourcing over $2.1-billion of goods annually from Canadian-based suppliers.
• Honda directly employs approximately 4,700 manufacturing and sales associates coast-to-coast, and indirectly employs more than 15,000 Canadians through our national dealership networks.
• generating more than $12-billion in annual sales thanks to Honda’s 300,000 Canadian customers who buy passenger cars and trucks, motorcycles, ATVs, power equipment and marine engines; and
• donating annually to registered charities through the Honda Canada Foundation and to non-profit organizations across Canada.
About Honda
Honda Canada Inc. was founded in 1969. It has produced more than 6.5-million cars and trucks since 1986 at its two manufacturing facilities and builds engines at a third manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ontario. Both manufacturing facilities are extremely flexible and currently build Honda Civic and CR-V models. Honda Canada has invested more than $3-billion in Canada. Honda Canada has sold more than 4-million Honda and Acura passenger cars and light-duty trucks in Canada.