‘Light’ Penalties a Key Factor in Rise of Auto Thefts, Ministers Hear at Summit

Cabinet members surround Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc as he speaks during a news conference at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft, in Ottawa on Feb. 8, 2024. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Various stakeholders at a summit convened by the federal government to combat the rise in car thefts told ministers that light penalties contribute to the phenomenon.

“Sophisticated transnational organized crime groups have targeted Canada because the risk of prosecution is low and the financial reward is high,” said Brian Kingston at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft in Ottawa on Feb. 8.

Mr. Kingston, who heads the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA), remarked that vehicle theft rates have been growing “much faster” in Canada than in the United States since 2021. “Correctly diagnosing the source” of the problem is key, said the president and CEO of the CVMA, which represents automakers Ford, GM, and Stellantis in Canada.

The Insurance Information Institute in the United States notes that car thefts increased 11 percent in 2020, 6 percent in 2021, and 7 percent in 2022.

Meanwhile, rates in eastern Canada are much higher, with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Thomas Carrique telling the summit that car thefts increased by 78 percent in the province from 2020 to 2023.

Officials from three levels of government attended the summit, including five federal ministers, along with police chiefs and industry executives. The event was opened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called the increase in vehicle thefts “alarming.”

Mr. Trudeau said his government is looking at increasing penalties for those who participate in car theft, but he didn’t elaborate.

Justice Minister Arif Virani also did not provide details on what legal changes his government might bring forward, while saying measures were put in place in 2019 that raised the maximum penalty for vehicle theft.

“If we can make the penalties harsher, that’s certainly something we need to look into,” said the minister.

He mentioned that connections to organized crime are already an aggravating factor. He also noted that there is increasing violence involved in auto thefts, with break and enters into homes and carjackings.

“We do need to target this and give it a bigger place in the Criminal Code,” Mr. Virani said.

Canada’s Criminal Code currently does not have a minimum sentence for car thieves who are on their first or second offence.

‘Penalties Are Light’

Celyeste Power, president and CEO of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, shared the same concerns as the CVMA’s Mr. Kingston. “The profits are high, and the penalties are light,” she said.

Drawing another comparison with the United States, Ms. Power said law enforcement experts estimate that only 10 percent of stolen cars in that country are shipped out, whereas this figure is over 50 percent in Canada.

Ms. Power said the rise in auto thefts led to an average insurance premium increase of $130 in Ontario and $105 in Quebec last year, the two most affected provinces.

Pierre Brochet, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, who is also chief of the Laval Police Service in Laval, Quebec, north of Montreal, highlighted several issues that are important from a law enforcement perspective.

Mr. Brochet said police chiefs across Canada believe the focus should be on tackling the organized crime involved in auto thefts, increasing investigative and intelligence work, and updating the Criminal Code with regard to sentencing and bail.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also provided input on the bail situation. He said that when he speaks to local Crown attorneys, they say the thieves who get caught often only spend one night in jail.

The car theft industry in Ontario’s Peel Region, located in the Greater Toronto Area consisting of the cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the town of Caledon, amounted to $420 million last year, he said, and this money goes to fund the narcotics and firearms trade.

“The difference is, with guns and drugs, you’re going to spend a significant time behind bars. We’re not seeing that with auto thefts,” Mr. Brown said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke on his policy proposals to curb car thefts before the summit. His proposed measures include increasing the mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders from six months to three years and removing the option for house arrest.

Mr. Poilievre said vehicle theft has become a “get-rich-quick scheme” caused by the government’s “catch-and-release system” allowing perpetrators to quickly be back on the streets.

The day prior to the summit, on Feb. 7, Ottawa announced a $28 million federal investment over three years to improve the Canada Border Services Agency’s ability to carry out investigations and enforcement, including greater capacity to search outgoing containers for stolen vehicles.

A large volume of stolen cars in Ontario and Quebec are shipped through the Port of Montreal, and the majority of stolen vehicles exported are destined for Africa and the Middle East, according to the federal government.

OPP Commissioner Carrique said the profits are then reinvested by criminal organizations in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and international terrorism.