Ottawa Calls Police, Automakers, Politicians to Summit on Record Auto Theft Numbers

(L-R) Minister of Science and Innovation Francois-Philippe Champagne, Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Treasury Board President Anita Anand speak to reporters as they arrive for a cabinet retreat in Montreal, on Jan. 21, 2024. The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes

Ottawa is asking political leaders, law enforcement, and industry stakeholders to convene at a summit next month to address the rising number of auto thefts in Canada’s largest cities.

An acceleration in thefts since 2021 has prompted the Feb. 8 meeting in the nation’s capital in a bid to stem the number of cars being stolen and shipped abroad, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a Jan. 21 press conference in Montreal, where ministers have gathered for Liberal cabinet retreat.

“Collaboration is key to identifying solutions,” Mr. LeBlanc said. “By convening partners from across local, provincial and national jurisdictions, this summit will enable us to further coordinate our collective efforts to combat auto theft.”

Much of the auto theft stems from organized crime, said a government press release, which described the operations as “highly lucrative” and “highly sophisticated” with rings operating coast-to-coast.

The announcement comes at a time when reports of cars disappearing from driveways and street corners are occurring in record numbers.

Vehicle thefts rose 50 percent in Quebec, 48.3 percent in Ontario, 34.5 percent in Atlantic Canada, and 18.35 percent in Alberta in 2022, according to the release. There were 9,600 vehicles stolen in the Toronto area alone that year, representing a 300 percent increase since 2015, according to the Canadian Finance and Leasing Association (CFLA).

Stolen vehicles are being used in one of two ways, the government said. Gangs are either working with organized crime groups to send the vehicles to the Middle East and Africa, or the cars are being used to commit crimes within Canada before they are destroyed.

Theft of parked vehicles is not the only problem, however. Mr. LeBlanc said carjacking is also on the rise.

“One of the things that concerns all of us is it’s increasingly becoming a violent crime where people are assaulted in the process of stealing vehicles,” he said. “So we think it’s an important opportunity for us to work with partners across the country and take action to deal with something that’s increasingly becoming a concern in every part of the country.”

In the Greater Toronto Area police have witnessed a combined 104 percent increase in carjackings between 2021 and 2022.

Oakville, Ont., has also been “disproportionately impacted” by the surge in auto theft rates, said Treasury Board President Anita Anand, who was also at the press conference along with Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez.

She said taking action on auto theft is not only about stopping crime but about addressing affordability issues for Canadians at a time of high inflation and interest rates.

The Feb. 8 auto theft summit in Ottawa will include municipal and provincial police forces, the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, and auto companies as well as federal and provincial politicians.

Theft and Insurance Rates

According to the Équité Association’s list of the top 10 vehicles stolen in 2022, SUVs and trucks are targetted more often than sedans with the Honda CR-V topping the list. The Dodge RAM 1500 Series, the Ford F150 series, the Lexus RX Series, and the Toyota Highlander rounded out the top five most stolen vehicles.

The Honda Civic, the lone car on the list, took the sixth spot followed by the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Land Rover Range Rover, the Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500 series, and the Jeep Wrangler.

The report said a vehicle is stolen every five minutes in Canada.

Insurance companies charge higher premiums for vehicles considered to be a theft risk. Canadian drivers could see insurance premiums go up by 25 percent on commonly stolen vehicles, said rates.ca, a company that tracks insurance rates.

Rates.ca predicted continued insurance rate increase last year, citing a report from Équité Association that said all provinces saw double-digit increases in auto thefts between 2021 and 2022. For the first time in Canada, it’s estimated that in 2022 the insurance industry lost over $1 billion in auto theft claims, the report said.