Canucks Pay More for Canadian-Made Cars

Acura MDX price gap | BCBusiness
Acura’s MDX is one example of a vehicle for which Canadians pay a high premium, despite the fact the vehicle is manufactured in Allison, Ont.

The Competition Bureau should investigate why Canadians are paying 20 to 25 per cent more for American cars manufactured in Canada.

Most residents of the Great White North realize we pay more (sometimes significantly more) than Americans for the same goods. 
While that’s infuriating enough, it gets worse — Canadians apparently pay a hefty premium for American cars produced right here in Canada.
 
That premium adds up to thousands of dollars and is as high as 20 to 25 per cent. South of the border, Acura’s MDX sells for a suggested price of $43,030, whereas in Allison, Ont., where the vehicles are manufactured, residents pay an astonishing $52,690.
 
A price gap of almost $10,000 isn’t justifiable for the exact same vehicle, especially considering the loonie has been more or less at parity with the U.S. greenback for the last few years.
 
Senator Pierette Ringuette agrees. She questioned three major car manufacturers as to why there’s such a wide disparity in price. The automakers claimed their prices are competitive in the Canadian market and meeting slightly differing Canadian vehicle standards creates more overhead.
 
The Senator retorted that the difference in Canadian-specific features should only add around $200 to the price of the cars. So, where’s the rest of our money going?