Just five months after Canada rolled out its action plan to combat auto theft, Transport Minister Anita Anand says that crime has dropped about 19 per cent in the first six months of this year.
Anand provided the new numbers, gathered from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), as part of an update Wednesday on the plan.
She also noted that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted more than 1,900 stolen vehicles in railways and ports during the first six months of this year.
That’s more than the total number seen in all of 2023, with 610 intercepted by the CBSA in the Greater Toronto Area alone.
“By working together, we are making an impact thanks to the tireless teamwork of all those involved this year across Canada,” Anand said.
This decrease in national auto theft is similar to a separate report by the non-profit Équité Association published in July which found a 17-per cent decline during the same six-month period.
In the past year, the federal government, alongside law enforcement agencies, border officials and industry stakeholders, stepped up efforts to curb vehicle theft which was on the rise.
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A national summit was held in February and the government revealed its action plan in May, including measures and funding announced in the weeks following the summit.
Wednesday’s update pointed to changes to the Criminal Code among the milestones achieved, which included stiffer penalties and new offences targeting thieves and the devices they use, as well as the violence used in the commission of a vehicle theft.
The minister said enhancements to intelligence and information sharing has helped various law enforcement agencies target organized crime, noting Project Vector which saw the CBSA work with Ontario Provincial Police to recover nearly 600 stolen vehicles from the Port of Montreal in April.
She added that in terms of intervention, the CBSA has expanded its scanning technology and data analytics to increase its ability to examine shipping containers destined for export.
Anand told reporters they planned to put something “on the table” in 2025 around anti-theft standards for manufacturers and vehicles.
“Manufacturers have come to the table with the federal government on other issues, for example, electric batteries in EV vehicles. We need them to do the same with regards to vehicle manufacturing in terms of preventative measures against auto theft,” Anand said.
IBC data earlier this month also showed fewer insurance claims by Canadians from January to June, down 19 per cent when compared to 2023.
The numbers from across the country found car theft claims amounted to more than $544 million, a high number but down roughly 29 per cent relative to the same period last year.
Even with the dip seen, however, the IBC still reported this month that claims and counts remain above “historical levels.”
In the past 10 years, auto theft claims have gone up 138 per cent and value of those claims has surged by 442 per cent.
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