Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks during a press conference on May 20 to announce new measures the government is taking to combat auto theft in Brampton, Ont.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
The federal government plans to amend the Criminal Code to stiffen penalties for thefts with ties to violence, organized crime and money laundering as part of a national strategy to address soaring auto thefts.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Justice Minister Arif Virani made the announcement in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area, which has become a hotbed for auto thefts.
“Auto theft hurts Canadians,” Ms. Freeland said. “It creates unnecessary costs by burdening people with higher insurance rates on top of the stress, the trauma, of having your vehicle stolen, of having to replace it. And it makes Canadians feel unsafe in their communities.”
The government’s plan includes new offences to target the possession and distribution of devices that facilitate auto theft and a new aggravating factor applicable at sentencing where there is evidence that an offender involved a person under the age of 18 in the commission of an offence.
The plan, which includes measures that were previously announced in this year’s federal budget, is being released after months of political pressure on the government to do more to address the problem. In February, the government convened a summit on the issue.
Sebastian Skamski, a spokesman for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, called the announcement a “photo op” and blamed the problem on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling auto theft a crisis that will need to be addressed by “cracking down on criminals.”
The Insurance Bureau of Canada also says that the significant increase in auto thefts amounts to a national crisis.
Data collected by its sister organization Équité Association said that 34,861 vehicles were stolen in the first half of 2023, with Ontario having the highest number of thefts (15,044), followed by Quebec (7,831).
Équité issued a statement on Monday applauding the release of the action plan on auto theft, adding that it aligns with recommendations that the association has been promoting.
“Public Safety Canada’s National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft represents a turning point for auto theft in Canada,” said its president Terri O’Brien, adding that insurance crime, including auto theft, is a “deeply complex” issue with “real and devastating consequences.”
Mr. LeBlanc said Monday that across Ontario, and particularly in the GTA, residents have become “all too acquainted” with the issue because either they or someone they know have had their vehicle stolen in recent years and in some cases, it has happened to them more than once.
“Not only does auto theft undercut public safety, increasingly it’s becoming a source of revenue for organized crime itself,” he said.
Vehicles stolen in Canada have ended up overseas, in places as far away as Ghana, to be sold on the international black market. There is also concern about the use of electronic devices that make it easier to copy key fobs for vehicles.
The federal government said Monday that consultations have been launched to gather information on the use of wireless devices in auto theft.
Mr. Virani said there will be new Criminal Code offences for the possession and distribution of a device used for committing auto theft, such as key programming machines. He said that auto theft is attractive to criminals because they can use the proceeds for nefarious purposes.
The government is proposing new offences, including targeting auto theft and its links to violence and organized crime punishable to a maximum of 14 years. It also wants to see a new offence for laundering proceeds of crime for the benefit of a criminal organization punishable to a maximum of 14 years.
Additionally, the federal government said that Transport Canada is to review and update motor vehicle safety regulations related to theft prevention to ensure they consider advancements in technology that deter and prevent vehicle theft.
The action plan also includes a national intergovernmental working group on auto theft that has been established to help co-ordination efforts and that more shipping containers will be examined with additional resources at the Canada Border Services Agency.
On the eve of the summit in February, Ottawa pledged an additional $28-million to boost the ability of the CBSA to search the shipping containers.
Mr. LeBlanc said Monday that the government is taking steps such as buying new scanners and it is redeploying existing ones to ensure there is collaboration between the border services agency and regional, provincial and national police partners.
“The successful implementation of our plan will require continued collaboration between provincial officials, municipal officials, police partners across the country,” Mr. LeBlanc said.
The government said Monday that CBSA has intercepted 1,205 stolen vehicles in rail yards and ports in 2024.