The auto theft crisis continues to spiral out of control and auto industry groups did their bit to try to educate a committee of MPs and policy makers in Ottawa about the scope and the scale of the problem.
The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and other auto industry groups provided testimony to the federal Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Feb. 29 as part of its study on combating the growing issue of auto theft in the country.
During his testimony, Huw Williams, CADA’s Director of Public Affairs told the government the problem has escalated dramatically and requires swift action. “If thwarted at our stores, these criminals resort to direct theft from factories. Prior to the National Summit on Auto Theft, thieves breached the Oakville Ford assembly plant, making off with vehicles valued at $650,000,” said Williams, later adding that “in the Greater Toronto area auto theft is up 300 per cent since 2015. These are shocking numbers.”
Williams said there are cases where dealership employees are being car jacked at gunpoint and/or being pistol whipped, run over and shot at by auto theft criminals. “Every single dealership in the country has detailed security and anti theft protocols to protect assets and employees,” he said.
Williams called on Ottawa to appoint a senior official within government with “Auto-Czar”-like authorities to get the public safety department working on the auto theft issue now.
David Adams, President and CEO of the Global Automakers of Canada, was among the other auto industry representatives that provided testimony to the committee.
“It’s important to keep in mind that what we’re really talking about here is in fact organized crime in Canada, and one of its most visible symptoms — auto theft,” said Adams in his remarks, which were provided in a transcript to Canadian auto dealer.
Adams said the GAC was supportive of the federal government convening a National Summit on Auto Theft in February to address the complex nature of the issue. He said auto theft has over the past two years become highly lucrative for organized crime groups in the country. Canada, he notes, has since been identified by INTERPOL as a source nation of stolen vehicles.
“To underscore the threat, a December 2023 report issued by Criminal Intelligence Services Canada noted that of the 668 organized crime groups assessed as a significant national threat in Canada, 78 of those groups are involved in auto theft, representing a 62 per cent increase over 2022,” said Adams.
Additionally, he said the same report describes the Port of Montreal as “the most prominent departure point for stolen vehicles” being used by these groups. Adams also described the Canadian auto theft situation as a billion dollar industry, with a vehicle being stolen every five minutes.
While Adams acknowledged the auto theft issue was very complex with no quick fixes, he did note that there are short, medium, and longer-term initiatives that could be undertaken to better address the situation.
