The early months of 2025 were marked by economic uncertainty for Canada’s recreational vehicle sector, driven largely by reciprocal tariffs between Canada and the United States, according to an email by RV Dealers Association of Canada.
During this period, the RVDA of Canada focused its efforts on protecting and advancing the interests of Canadian RV dealers nationwide.
As the national voice for RV dealers, the association emphasized advocacy and collaboration to address trade pressures, regulatory compliance and market stability while delivering tangible benefits tied directly to member participation.
One of the most significant developments was the Government of Canada’s decision to grant a remission of surtaxes on motorhomes imported from the United States. The move removed a 25% surtax on a wide range of new and used motorhomes.
The removal of the surtax provided immediate financial relief for Canadian dealers and helped stabilize inventory costs for consumers at a time when pricing volatility had become a growing concern across the market.
At the same time, RVDA of Canada continued to address challenges faced by Canadian manufacturers exporting motorized units into the U.S. market. Despite compliance with the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, those manufacturers remain subject to tariffs.
The association is supporting the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association and working alongside the RV Industry Association (RVIA) to present unified messaging to elected officials in Indiana, urging exemptions for Canadian-manufactured RVs from those tariffs.
Regulatory compliance was another area of focus in 2025, particularly related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances reporting requirements. RVDA of Canada secured approval to submit a consolidated PFAS report on behalf of its member dealerships.
The association submitted the report by the extended July 29, 2025 deadline, reducing administrative burden for participating dealers. Non-member dealerships are still required to submit PFAS data independently to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
RVDA of Canada also contributed to the federal consultation process on the future review of CUSMA, advocating for policies that prevent new tariffs, resolve ongoing disputes and account for the cumulative economic impact on integrated North American supply chains.
Beyond advocacy, the association advanced industry marketing efforts through Go RVing Canada, which recorded a benchmark year for public relations activity in 2025.
To support dealership-level marketing, RVDA of Canada introduced a member-exclusive Dealer Marketing Playbook offering guidance on content marketing, AI search visibility and paid media strategies.