Government of Canada Reports Progress on Reducing Vehicle Theft

OAKVILLE, ON, March 8, 2025 /CNW/ – Today, Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Domestic Trade, on behalf of the David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, provided an update on the progress made under the National Action Plan to Combat Auto Theft.

Driven by this plan, cooperation between law enforcement, different levels of government, and the industry has intensified, leading to a nearly 20% decrease in vehicle theft nationwide in 2024, according to Équité Association’s 2024 Auto Theft Trends Report.

Building on this success, the Canadian government is ramping up efforts with a $1.3 billion investment in the Border Plan to tackle organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering. Key actions include:

• Creation of a joint Canada-U.S. task force and an Operations and Intelligence Coordination Unit, backed by $200 million to enhance information sharing among law enforcement agencies.

• Designation of seven transnational criminal organizations as terrorist entities, holding them accountable for fentanyl distribution in Canadian communities.

• New intelligence partnership between major banks and law enforcement to combat financial crimes linked to auto theft.

At the same time, the government is developing innovative solutions to make vehicles harder to steal. Since the last progress update in October 2024, key measures implemented include:

• Working with provinces and territories to address fraudulent vehicle registrationsand strengthen the interprovincial record exchange system.

• Exploring regulatory options for radio devices used in vehicle theft.

• Enhancing financial intelligence to track money laundering linked to stolen vehicles.

• Participating in INTERPOL’s “Drive Out” initiative to fight transnational organized vehicle crime by improving intelligence sharing.

• Specialized training programs at the Port of Montreal to improve cooperation between Canadian law enforcement and INTERPOL member countries.

• Strengthening Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) inspections at high-risk rail yards in the Greater Toronto Area to detect stolen vehicles.

• Proposing Criminal Code amendments to toughen bail and sentencing laws for repeat violent offenders involved in auto theft, break-ins, extortion, and arson.

The Canadian government states that these collective actions are yielding positive results but emphasizes the need to remain vigilant. Regular stakeholder meetings ensure ongoing monitoring of theft trends and the continued effectiveness of anti-theft measures.