Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, released an update on the progress made under the National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft.
The Action Plan, which was developed following the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft, focuses on disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting the organized crime groups involved in auto theft. It is built on the following pillars: Intelligence and information sharing; Intervention; and Legislation, regulations and governance.
The Government of Canada's efforts, guided by the Action Plan and done in collaboration with its domestic and international partners, including provinces, territories, municipalities, industry, and law enforcement, are yielding results. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, national auto theft trends for 2024 have shown a 19 per cent decline in auto theft in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. As well, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has intercepted more than 1,900 stolen vehicles in railyards and ports this year, already exceeding last year's total. In the Greater Toronto Area alone, 620 stolen vehicles have been intercepted by the CBSA in 2024.
To date, the following key milestones have been achieved through the Action Plan.
- Changes to the Criminal Code to provide additional tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to address auto theft, including the addition of new offences targeting the use of violence in the commission of a vehicle theft and links to organized crime, as well as offences for the possession or distribution of electronic tools used to commit auto theft and laundering proceeds of crime for the benefit of a criminal organization. These changes strengthen an already robust framework to address organized crime and auto theft.
- Enhancements to intelligence and information sharing between municipal, provincial, federal and international police and customs officials.
- Expansion of scanning technology, data analytics and targeting to increase the examination of shipping containers - including the deployment of additional scanning technology in the Greater Toronto Area.
- Launch of up-to-date specialized anti-auto theft training for law enforcement, delivered by the Canadian Police College.
- Radiocommunication Act amendments to regulate the sale, distribution, and importation of radio devices used for auto theft.
- Establishment of a National Intergovernmental Working Group on Auto Theft to coordinate actions, monitor progress and explore new initiatives to combat auto theft and transnational organized crime.
- New supports for the development of early-stage, pre-commercial, anti-theft technologies.
While this downward trend is promising, maintaining it will require continued focus and collaboration. Canadians can rest assured that the Government of Canada, as well as our law enforcement agencies, will continue to be vigilant.
