48 Vehicles Stolen in Recent Years: Liberal Government Not Exempt From Auto Thefts
The federal Liberals are attempting to address a rise in auto thefts nationwide, despite facing challenges in keeping their own vehicles safe from thieves, recent data reveals.
Information presented in the House of Commons on May 7 indicates that 48 government vehicles from 14 different departments and agencies were stolen between January 2016 and February of this year.
Even ministers have not been spared from vehicle thefts. The official vehicle of the Minister of Justice was stolen three times within a span of three years between 2021 and 2023.
Ontario witnessed the highest number of vehicle thefts, with 10 incidents in Ottawa, where the majority of federal government operations are located, and two in the Toronto area. Vehicles were also reported stolen in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Nunavut.
Not surprisingly, the RCMP experienced the most significant impact, with a total of 19 of their vehicles being stolen, primarily in the Prairie provinces.
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Parks Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, and Indigenous Services Canada reported multiple vehicle thefts. Other departments affected included Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Revenue Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, Finance Department, Transport Canada, and Global Affairs Canada.
Out of the 48 stolen vehicles, two were taken more than once, and 34 have been recovered, states the documents. A report by Équité Association presented at a national auto theft summit highlighted that over 70,000 cars were stolen in 2023, with noticeable increases in vehicle theft rates in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada between 2021 and 2023.
Police indicate that while some stolen vehicles are sold within Canada, the majority are smuggled out of the country by organized crime groups, usually in containers destined for Africa and the Middle East.
