It may seem like there’s nothing but grim news because of COVID-19, but there are bright spots.
Home sales in the province, including in Brandon, are strong – home renovations have increased – and now Autotrader reports more and more Canadians are into buying their first cars; vehicle demand is up across the country.
Autotrader says 34% said local recreational travel and road trips were a couple of top reasons for wanting a vehicle. 40% said they’re never riding the bus again after the pandemic, and 70% plan to delete their ride-sharing apps.
Autotrader says “the daily life and habits of Canadians have changed drastically with the realities of COVID-19, and a new survey shows that interest in car ownership has increased as social distancing has become more important.
As government and health officials at all levels have urged physical distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19, 655 of Canadians surveyed who use ride-sharing services are using it less, while 815 of the respondents who use public transit have limited their use, making car ownership much more appealing.
As a result, of the respondents who don’t own a car, 14% are planning on purchasing a car because of the pandemic. There are four times more consumers who think owning a car is more desirable than those who plan to use ride share, and 62% of the people surveyed said it’s more desirable than using public transit.
The leading reasons as to why consumers indicated car ownership is more desirable include increased flexibility to travel and commute, the increased personal space, and control over cleanliness and hygiene.”
The study, conducted by autoTRADER via Google Surveys, surveyed 1,000 Canadians from all across the country from ages 25 to 74 from March 26 to March 31, 2020.
The survey only took responses from Canadians who were aware of COVID-19. There’s a link to more information below.
