Greater Action to Fight Auto Theft in Toronto - by Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor James Pasternak

Auto theft does not respect municipal and provincial boundaries and according to analysis conducted by the Insurance Bureau of Canada, there were over 12,000 auto theft claims in Ontario in 2020, an increase of 55 percent between 2016-2020.[1] The value of these claims totalled $250.7 million, an increase of 149 percent over this same period. This costs all vehicle owners, especially in Toronto. A recent Toronto Star article estimates that auto insurance rates in Toronto are 13-15 percent higher than the rest of Ontario to pay for the high rate of vehicle theft in the City. While auto thefts have been on the rise there is no longer a dedicated unit to address this issue in the Toronto Police Service and some other Ontario municipal police services. In an effort to address operational priorities and pressures the unit that previously existed to address issues such as high end auto thefts was disbanded and investigations of this nature are handled at the unit level. Auto theft costs Canadians billions of dollars each year. Our local Toronto Police Service cannot deal with this significant criminal industry without Provincial and Federal support. [1] Insurance Bureau of Canada analysis based on industry data from General Insurance Statistical Agency (GISA) exhibit AUTO7001-ON-2020.

2. City Council requests Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to recognize the urgent need to work with and provide resources to the Toronto Police Service to combat this out control criminal activity that cannot be stopped without Provincial and Federal support. 3. City Council call on the Government of Ontario to join with the Toronto Police Service and other municipal police services in creating a Provincial/Municipal Auto Theft Task Force to combat this epidemic of auto theft.