Équité Association’s 2023 Auto Theft Trend Report Shows a Continuation of Canada’s Auto Theft Crisis

A recent study finds more than 80% of Canadians say the rise in auto theft makes them concerned about the increase in crime in their community

TORONTO, February 6, 2024 /CNW/ - Équité Association has released its 2023 Auto Theft Trend Report, which illustrates the continuation of the national auto theft crisis, following a historically high year in 2022. The full report can be found here.

In Canada, a vehicle is now stolen every 5 minutes.

Between 2021-2023 auto theft trends increased sharply in Ontario (up 48.2%), Quebec (up 57.9%), Atlantic Canada (up 34%), and in Western Canada (up 5.5%).

“These trends show that the national auto theft crisis is continuing,” says Terri O’Brien, President and CEO of Équité Association. “Canadians are feeling vulnerable and the majority of us are especially concerned about personal safety and the safety of our communities. Criminals are becoming more brazen and are increasingly resorting to violence as witnessed by the significant increase in car-jackings and owner-interrupted thefts.”

Auto theft in Canada continues to be viewed as a low-risk/high-reward opportunity for criminals, regardless if the vehicles are for export or domestic resale. Illegal profit margins are very high and the risk of prosecution is considerably low. However, there has been a concerted effort recently to change that landscape.

“Over the past few weeks, there has been some real momentum in the fight against auto theft; a result of an unprecedented level of collaboration between the insurance industry, law enforcement, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), all levels of government, and Équité Association,” said O’Brien. “The federal government’s recent announcement of $121 million to help combat auto theft in Ontario is a significant step forward; and the upcoming National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft is a perfect example of what can be achieved through this kind of coordinated effort.”

Équité Association is honoured to be presenting at the summit to support the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders and to make a meaningful impact on the auto theft crisis in Canada.

About Équité Association

Équité Association is a not-for-profit, national organization, supporting Canadian property and casualty (P&C) insurers. Équité combats the insurance crime problem that exploits vulnerable Canadians through advanced analytics, intelligence best practices, and coordinated investigations. Delivering improved service and fraud analytics for vehicle, property, and cargo recovery to its members, Équité collaborates with law enforcement, partners and industry organizations to protect Canadians against exploitation.

Learn more about Équité Association at https://www.equiteassociation.com.

For further information, contact Jordan Kerbel, Director, Media Relations, Équité Association, media@equiteco.ca‍