'Demand is through the roof': Alberta faces rental car shortage
The Alberta Motor Association says car rental companies are dealing with a shortage of vehicles after demand skyrocketed with the easing of restrictions.
Albertans resuming travel are having a difficult time finding a car to rent – some calling numerous rental companies before securing a vehicle. One Edmonton resident says he called nearly all major rental car companies and was told they were sold out.
“Enterprise, Hertz, they were all sold out. We kind of figured out as we called them that it is a shortage,” said Brian Javier.
With the high demand for rental cars, smaller-car companies are raising their prices by four times the regular amount, according to Randy Allan, Practicar owner.
“I have never seen it like this before. In fact, this time last year you could rent a car in Edmonton for $79 a week. Right now, you can’t find a car in Edmonton for $79 a day,” Allan said.
“You know rental companies downsize their fleets – we had to do the same thing. For a while we were selling cars to pay bills,” he added.
A combination of a microchip shortage, car shortage, and the resumption of travel created a troubling situation for major car rental companies, said Flavio Volpe, president of automotive parts manufacturers association.
“Right now is the hardest time to be a dealer in history, the hardest time to be a car buyer in history. It is probably the best time ever if you have a second car that you aren’t really using,” he said.
“This is not an insignificant event and it is not a local event – it is the whole country.”
AMA recommends travellers book in advance to avoid paying a premium or potentially not getting a car at all, as well as providing flexible travel dates and pick-up locations in order to increase availability
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'