Canadian new vehicle sales flat in January

"Sales of North American-built passenger cars decreased 8.2 percent to 34,234 units, the lowest monthly level of sales since June 2009," StatsCan said, adding the number of overseas-built passenger cars sold increased by 5.8 percent.

Sales of new minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses increased 2.4 percent to 65,726 units in January, the highest since October 2008, the report said.

By province, new vehicle sales were up by 11.1 percent in Saskatchewan and Quebec posted a 2 percent decline at the opposite end of the scale.

The agency said preliminary figures indicate a 7 percent sales gain in February.

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