Toronto, Ontario — The Equite Association released its 2022 Vehicle Theft Trend Report on Tuesday, bearing with it news that Québec and Ontario saw auto theft rates rise by about 50 percent in both provinces since last year.
The association’s press release accompanying the report alleges that “organized crime syndicates are looking at stolen vehicles in Canada as a low-risk/high-reward opportunity, regardless if the vehicles are for export or domestic sale.”
This trend has manifested itself in rising theft rates across the country; the highest of which has been recorded in Québec, where rates rose by exactly 50 percent last year, followed by an increase of 48.3 percent in Ontario and 34.5 percent in Atlantic Canada.
“There is no doubt that vehicle theft has reached a national crisis in this country,” said president and CEO of Équité Association, Terri O’Brien.
“We know for certain that vehicles in Canada are being stolen by domestic and international criminal organizations. The proceeds are then being used to finance domestic drug trafficking, arms dealing, human trafficking, and international terrorism. These crimes hurt our communities, and puts Canada in the spotlight internationally as a source country for illegal trade.”
