Are there Canadian car brands? Yes, there are over 15 of them, but most of them are actually sub-divisions and brands/marques of foreign car manufacturers with headquarters in the country. This article lists all active car brands in Canada – showing their headquarters and other vital information you may want to know.
Top car manufacturers like Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Honda, and FIAT all have Canadian divisions. While companies like GreenPower, Campagna, and Grande West are native Canadian automobile manufacturers.
It appears the native brands are more focused on making electric vehicles (buses and coaches).
Let’s learn more!
Popular Car Brands in Canada
1. Campagna
- Founding Date: 1988
- Founder: Daniel Campagna
- Chairperson: André Morissette
- Headquarters: Boucherville Quebec
Founded by Daniel Campagna, Campagna Motors, or simply Campagna, is a Canadian automobile manufacturer founded in 1988. The company’s headquarters is located in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Its first automobile attempt was the 1994 T-Rex prototype, which also announced the brand abroad.
It took Campagna over eight years to finally build the T-Rex prototype, and it has continued to build on the heritage. In Italy, Campagna means “countryside.”
The Campagna brand shut down in 2019 and filed for bankruptcy. However, it was revived in the same year, and production restarted. Campagna is one of the prominent car manufacturers in Canada.
2. Canadian Electric Vehicles
- Founding Date: 1996
- Founder: Randy Holmquist
- Chairperson: Randy Holmquist
- Headquarters: Errington, British Columbia
Canadian Electric Vehicles Ltd., or Canadian EV, is a privately-owned company first established in 1996 in Errington, British Columbia. It focused on designing, producing, and providing automobile parts for converting conventional ICE vehicles to battery-powered EVs.
Canadian Electric Vehicles converts a wide range of automobiles, including houseboats, utility vehicles, trucks, and full-size cars. The converted vehicles are then sold to the federal and provincial governments and also individuals.
3. Stellantis Canada
- Founding Date: June 1925
- Founder: Chrysler
- Chairperson: David Buckingham
- Headquarters: One Riverside Drive, Windsor, Ontario
Founded by America’s Chrysler brand, the now Stellantis Canada (formerly called FCA Canada, Inc. and Chrysler Canada) was incorporated in 1925, when the Chrysler Corporation of Canada bought the Maxwell-Chalmers plant in Windsor, Ontario.
Stellantis Canada automobiles, light trucks, vans, and light commercial vehicles under Stellantis brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth, DeSoto, Valiant, and Imperial marques for the Canadian automobile market.
4. Ford Motor Company of Canada
- Founding Date: 1904
- Founder: Gordon Morton McGregor and Henry Ford
- Chairperson: Gordon Morton McGregor
- Headquarters: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Ford Motor Company of Canada was founded in 1904 to produce and sell Ford models in Canada and the British Empire.
The company was first known as Walkerville Wagon Works, owned by Gordon Morton McGregor. Currently, the firm produces and sells Ford-branded automobiles in Canada and the US.
5. GreenPower
- Founding Date: 2007
- Founder:
- Chairperson: Brendan Riley
- Headquarters: Vancouver, British Columbia
The GreenPower Motor Company Inc., or simply GreenPower, is a Canadian automobile manufacturer focused on producing electric buses.
GreenPower designs and build different models of high-floor and low-floor vehicles, mostly transit buses, shuttles, school buses, and double deckers. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The firm, GreenPower, is among the most prominent Canadian-based electric vehicle manufacturers. In 2014, the company launched the EV350 model – a 40-foot, all-electric transit bus with a lightweight chassis and low-floor body. GreenPower’s EV350 has continued to prove its efficiency across all applications.
6. Girardin
- Founding Date: 1935
- Founder: Lionel Girardin
- Chairperson: Lionel Girardin
- Headquarters: Drummondville, Quebec
Girardin Minibus Inc., simply Girardin, is a Canadian bus manufacturer based in Drummondville, Quebec. The company serves as the nationwide distributor of the Blue Bird school bus and commercial bus models.
It is part of the Micro Bird joint venture with Blue Bird Corporation focused on producing bus bodies for minibuses.
7. Vicinity
- Founding Date: 2008
- Founder: William Trainer
- Chairperson: William Trainer
- Headquarters: Aldergrove, British Columbia
Founded in 2008 by William Trainer, the VMC car brand Vicinity Motor Corp. is a Canadian automobile manufacturer focused on producing buses.
The company is headquartered in Aldergrove, British Columbia. VMC was established when BC Transit needed new buses for business. Vicinity-branded buses are sold in Canada and in the United States.
8. General Motors Canada
- Founding Date: 1918
- Founder: General Motors
- Chairperson: Marissa West
- Headquarters: 1908 Colonel Sam Drive, Oshawa, Ontario
General Motors Canada was established in 1918 as a subsidiary of General Motors. The firm was set up to produce some specific models for General Motors brands, mostly Chevrolet models.
Historically, GM Canada is one of the biggest corporations in Canada, and it still produces different car models for GM’s Chevy brand.
9. Prevost Car
- Founding Date: 1924
- Founder: Eugène Prévost
- Chairperson:
- Headquarters: Sainte-Claire, Quebec, Canada
Established by Eugène Prévost in 1924, Prevost Car, simply Prevost, is a Canadian manufacturer of bus shells and touring coaches for premium motorhomes. The company was acquired by Volvo Buses to operate as a subsidiary firm.
10. NOVABUS
- Founding Date: 1993
- Founder:
- Chairperson: Ralph Acs
- Headquarters: Sainte-Claire, Quebec, Canada
NOVABUS (Nova Bus) is a bus manufacturing firm based in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada. It was initially a manufacturing plant but was converted into a being a company in 1993. The entity now called NovaBus is owned by Volvo Buses, a division of the Volvo Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Car Brand Is Popular In Canada?
Brands like Mazda, Toyota, Ford, and Chrysler are popular in Canada. However, according to sales data, America’s Ford brand is the highest-selling car brand in Canada. The company, Ford, has a dedicated manufacturing facility in Canada.
Which Car Brands Are Cheap In Canada?
The Japanese brands operating in Canada offer the cheapest models you can buy; these include Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, and Hyundai. The Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Kia Rio, Hyundai Elantra, and Kia Forte are among the cheapest car models in Canada.
What Is The Most Common Car In Canada?
The most common car driven in Canada is the Ford F-series truck. Notwithstanding, different sedan models from Japanese and South Korean car brands are among the highest-selling options in the local market.
Summary
Listed in this article are the car brands operating in Canada. These brands have their headquarters in Canada and produce quite a massive number of vehicles annually. Native Canadian car brands are just a few, and they mostly focus on producing buses.
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