Canadian auto sales fell 15% in March to their worst level in more than a decade, industry figures showed.

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One automaker urged the Canadian government to come up with an incentive that would encourage customers to trade older and higher polluting vehicles in for new ones, according to Reuters. Similar policies in some European countries have helped boost sales in recent months.


Automakers sold 127,489 vehicles in Canada during March compared to 150,024 a year previously. It was the fifth straight month of lower sales and the lowest figure since 1997.


“It is hard to be positive about a month that is this negative but March was a significant improvement over earlier months,” Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, said in a statement.


General Motors of Canada said its March sales dropped 17.3% to 24,989. Car sales fell 39.3% to 8,461, while truck sales rose 1.6% to 16,528.

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Ford total vehicles sales dropped 15% to 17,055. Car sales fell 7.5% to 3,980 units while truck sales fell 17% to 13,075.


Ford urged the Canadian government to offer an incentive to lure Canadians into dealer showrooms and suggested a C$3,500 (US$2,777) payout if they trade in a vehicle at least 10 years old for a new one.


“Industry-wide, auto sales in Canada have now dropped for five consecutive months,” David Mondragon, chief executive of Ford of Canada, said in a statement. “That’s why we’re urging the federal government to offer a consumer stimulus programme that will help to stem this rapid decline.”


Chrysler Canada said it sold 15,937 automobiles in in March, down 26.7% from the year-ago period.


Sales at Toyota Canada skidded 23% to 15,901. The automaker’s Toyota division saw sales fall 25.5% to 14,358 units last month while sales at its luxury Lexus division rose 21% to 1,363.


Honda Canada sold 12,570 automobiles in March, down 23% from last year. The company said its Honda division sales fell 20% to 11.359 units, while its Acura division sales dropped 42% to 1,211, Reuters reported.