Federal Transportation Minister Calls for National Collaboration to Combat Car Theft
OTTAWA — The federal transportation minister, Anita Anand, emphasizes the necessity of national cooperation to address the loopholes that criminals exploit to resell stolen vehicles.
In a proactive move, Anand's office has reached out to provincial and territorial counterparts, urging them to convene discussions focused on the alarming issue of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) being altered on stolen cars, a practice commonly referred to as "re-vinning".
The correspondence from the minister's office highlights the potential of the long-standing Interprovincial Record Exchange in identifying instances of re-vinning. It stresses that full participation from all provinces and territories is crucial for the effectiveness of this system.
Anand's office further underscores the importance of ensuring that the record exchange technology employed by provinces and territories is current and capable of seamless communication with other jurisdictions. Failure to do so may allow potential thieves to exploit gaps in the system.
In May, the federal government unveiled a comprehensive national strategy aimed at combating auto theft, which includes enhanced intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies and the establishment of a collaborative working group involving all levels of government.
The strategy also emphasizes the need for increased interventions at ports, with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) assigned to intensify inspections of shipping containers to prevent stolen vehicles from being exported overseas.
Despite a reported decline in overall auto thefts, police have noted a concerning increase in the alteration of VINs on stolen vehicles. Anand's letter urges all provinces and territories to prioritize the issue of re-vinning to further deter and prevent auto theft across Canada.
"The long-standing Interprovincial Record Exchange can significantly aid in detecting the re-vinning of vehicles. However, it is imperative that all provinces and territories fully engage with this system to eliminate the loopholes that criminals are currently exploiting to resell stolen vehicles within Canada," Anand stated in her letter.
The CBSA has intercepted over 1,900 stolen vehicles, predominantly in Quebec. Recent statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada reveal that more than 4,000 fewer vehicles were stolen in the first half of 2024 compared to the same timeframe in the previous year. However, the bureau cautioned that theft numbers remain more than double what they were a decade ago.
The auto theft crisis is particularly pronounced in Ontario and Quebec, where stolen vehicles are often routed through the Port of Montreal before being shipped internationally.
According to the Équité Association, a watchdog for insurance crime, 28,550 vehicles were reported stolen in Canada during the first half of 2024, reflecting a 17 percent decrease from the previous year. In total, over 70,000 private vehicles were stolen across Canada last year, with more than 30,000 of those thefts occurring in Ontario, according to the Équité Association, which is supported by insurance companies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on October 27, 2024.