Ontario Gets $121 Million From Ottawa to Fight Crime Including Car Theft

Ahead of the planned auto theft summit in Ottawa on February 8, the Canadian government today announced a federal investment of $121 million to help prevent gun and gang violence in Ontario, including auto theft through the Initiative to take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV).

“Too many families in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and across the country have been impacted by auto theft. By working together, we can make our communities safer through greater enforcement, collaboration, and prevention,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs. “I look forward to continuing the discussion with the Government of Ontario and other partners on further actions we can take to combat auto theft at next week’s National Summit.”

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford was on hand for the announcement and obviously the first to rejoice.

“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,” he said. “Our government is stepping up with new investments to keep our communities safe and I particularly look forward to working with the federal government through next week’s auto theft prevention summit.”

According to the latest annual report by Équité Association, auto thefts in 2022 reached historical highs, with Ontario increasing by 48 percent and neighbouring Quebec up 50 percent, putting Canada in the spotlight internationally as a source country for illegal trade.

Approximately 9,600 vehicles were stolen in the Toronto area alone, representing a 300-percent increase since 2015, according to the Canadian Finance and Leasing Association (CFLA).

The majority of stolen vehicles exported are destined for Africa and the Middle East. Some remain in Canada enabling other crimes to be committed with the vehicles and are destroyed afterwards.

Investigations into auto theft are led by police of jurisdiction, however, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Sûreté du Québec (SQ) are working together in integrated task forces to target organized crime, including those groups involved in stolen vehicles.