Meaningful Measures and Initiatives Released in the National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft

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Last June, Équité Association announced that auto theft was a national crisis. Since then, Équité has been advocating for comprehensive solutions to combat all facets of the crisis which is a complex problem that requires a multi-faceted solution.

Public Safety Canada’s (PSC) strong leadership on combatting Canada’s auto theft crisis has been steady since we announced auto theft as a national crisis in 2023. With Équité being the national authority on insurance crime, we were invited to meet regularly with federal and provincial government leaders, to contribute recommendations and insights. PSC approached the daunting task of creating an action plan thoughtfully and with an openness to fully understand all of the underlying nuances, history and complexities of the crisis.

After discussing the landscape of auto theft at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft, held on February 8, 2024, in Ottawa, I spoke at the House of Commons and provided recommendations on behalf of the P&C insurance industry. I outlined recommendations from our Auto Theft Policy Position Paper, and underscored that auto theft, is a multifaceted issue that requires a comprehensive solution.

As a result of months of thoughtful research, we were so pleased to read PSC’s comprehensive, solution-focused Action Plan. Overall the solutions put forward a meaningful and coordinated response. See Équité’s media release for details on these new measures and initiatives.

On May 20, 2024, along with Bryan Gast, VP, Investigative Services at Équité, I was honoured to stand beside federal ministers and decision makers as they announced the National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft. The Action Plan represents a turning point for auto theft in Canada, focusing on three pillars: 1) Intelligence or information sharing; 2) Intervention; and 3) Legislation, regulations and governance.  

Many of the measures and initiatives outlined in the Action Plan, were contributed by Équité’s Auto Theft Working Group who developed the Auto Theft Policy Position Paper, a set of core recommendations. This laid the groundwork for our advocacy strategy and served as the cornerstone of our conversations with government, industry and decision makers. Within Équité, this position paper guided our actions and initiatives aimed at fostering positive change within our communities. Équité’s data, intelligence and advocacy created a framework for solution-focused recommendations.  

This Action Plan represents a turning point for auto theft in Canada. We look forward to harnessing our collective strength as we build on the momentum to combat Canada’s auto theft crisis.

The insurance industry was designed to protect consumers when they need it most. Équité is proudly industry-founded and our members are deeply invested in protecting their customers and keeping insurance crime out of Canada. Our members are active participants in Équité’s mission to eradicate insurance crime, and we could not have seen the success of Canada’s National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft without their ongoing collaboration.

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