Dealer groups, parts suppliers, and nearly every manufacturer – virtually every part of this industry, which employs hundreds of thousands of people in Canada – sought and received assistance to keep their workers in place. The hardest-hit period was during the initial lock-downs in March and April of 2020. The bulked-up subsidy allowed employers to keep staff on as new protocols were put into action, even as sales initially slumped to record lows.
While companies contacted by
Automotive News Canada demurred when asked how much they’d received from the compensation fund, the billions paid out by the feds kept a vital industry on its feet with barely a hiccup. It’s righted itself faster than expected, and that seamless connection to monetary aid kept doors open and people working. Terrifying times with amazing results.