The federal government has announced that it is investing $121 million over five years to address gun and gang violence in Ontario, including initiatives targeting auto theft.
The announcement was made Wednesday by federal and provincial officials, who spoke about their joint efforts to tackle the rise in auto theft cases.
“Too many families in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and across the country have been impacted by auto theft,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety. “By working together, we can make our communities safer through greater enforcement, collaboration, and prevention.”
“Today’s announcement will support Ontario’s ongoing efforts to support our police officers and tackle auto theft, gun crime, and gang violence across the province,” added Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Several studies examining Canada’s auto theft crisis have identified organized crime groups as a key contributor to the issue. These groups reportedly use proceeds from stolen vehicles to fund other illegal activities, and Ontario is where a significant portion of such thefts occur.
According to the Canadian Finance and Leasing Association (CFLA), the Toronto area alone saw approximately 9,600 vehicle thefts in 2022. This is a 300% increase since 2015.
Similar findings were reported by the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), as it revealed that the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) experienced a 104% rise in carjackings from 2021 to 2022.
Équité Association, a non-profit organization formed to assist insurers to combat fraud and other insurance crimes, additionally reported a 48.3% increase in Ontario’s vehicle theft rates, compared to the previous year.
Équité president and CEO Terri O’Brien previously stated that auto theft has already reached a “national crisis” level.
“We know for certain that vehicles in Canada are being stolen by domestic and international criminal organizations,” she said in a statement from 2023. “The proceeds are then being used to finance domestic drug trafficking, arms dealing, human trafficking, and international terrorism. These crimes hurt our communities and puts Canada in the spotlight internationally as a source country for illegal trade.”
O’Brien reiterated these points in a new statement responding to the federal government’s $121 million investment into addressing Ontario’s auto theft problem.
“Équité Association would like to commend the federal government for this meaningful investment in the fight against organized crime and auto theft in Ontario,” she said. “Auto theft is a national crisis that is costing Canadians over $1.2 billion every year and seriously endangers public safety.”
During their announcement, federal and provincial officials highlighted the upcoming national summit on auto theft, where they said further actions to combat the crime will be discussed.
The summit is set to take place on February 8 and will include leaders from key jurisdictions and sectors.
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