By Staff
May 14th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government is cracking down on auto theft by introducing legislation that, if passed, would suspend driver’s licences for people convicted of the crime. With auto thefts and carjackings on the rise across the province, the legislation would help deter potential thieves and make it more challenging for criminals to re-offend.
Auto thefts are now part of organized crime groups
“Car theft is a cowardly and often violent crime that can traumatize victims and communities who experience it,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is sending a clear message to those who commit these crimes and using every tool in our toolbox to keep them off our streets.”
Under the proposed legislation, thieves convicted of motor vehicle theft under the Criminal Code would face a 10-year licence suspension for a first offence, a 15-year licence suspension for a second offence and a lifetime licence suspension for a third offence. Licence suspensions would apply to convictions where the court found that aggravating factors were involved in the commission of the offence, such as violence, use of a weapon, use of force, threat, or pursuit of financial gain.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is taking bold action to stop what is a serious and often violent crime,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “Criminals who want to steal a car in Ontario need to know there will be severe consequences for doing so.”
Stunt driving is also getting out of control.
In addition to stiff penalties for auto theft, the province is also proposing to strengthen penalties for stunt driving. The proposed legislation would ensure that anyone convicted of stunt driving receives a minimum mandatory licence suspension – one year for a first conviction, three years for a second conviction and a lifetime suspension, reducible to 10 years under certain criteria, for a third conviction.
Quick Facts
- Every 14 minutes, a vehicle is stolen in Ontario, with Toronto experiencing a 78 per cent increase in violent carjackings since 2021.
- The federal mandatory minimum prison sentence for a third auto theft offence is six months.
- In 2023, over 12,000 immediate roadside licence suspensions were issued for street racing and/or stunt driving – the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Ontario government is investing $18 million over three years to help police services combat and prevent auto theft.
- Together with the federal government, Ontario has invested more than $250 million through the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy (GGVRS) to fight gun and gang crime, including auto theft.
This is a problem simply created by the federal Liberals and support from the NDP through their bail reform and soft on crime ideology. Trust the progressives are enjoying their crime ridden society that’s costing all of us more.
This has become a public safety issue, as such the federal government who have been sitting on their hands on this file need to spring into action. We dont need inspector Clouseau to figure out the main source of the problem. The automakers have facilitated easy robberies by replacing keys with fobs. There is a reason why all vehicles manufactured by a given company cannot be sold in Canada. Reasons like a bumper does not comply with our safety standards. On top of that lets not forget we live in a catch and release country because the federal government are sitting on their hands when it comes to appointing judges. But good luck on that as even the federal court have been able to move them off their cans. The license idea is lame, but at least it is newsworthy.
There are apparently 50 automobiles stolen in Ontario every day. On an annual basis that equates to 18,250. Assume every vehicle costs $50K (a conservative estimate) and that equates to $912.5 million. Add to that the impact upon the owner (e.g. time spent filing police reports; personal inconvenience; dealing with insurance companies; arranging for a rental vehicle; purchasing a new vehicle), plus the amount of police time to investigate each claim, plus insurance costs, plus the extra it is costing all of us to insure our vehicles, and the economic and societal costs are staggering!
So to have this Minister seriously suggest that a license suspension is somehow going to act as a meaningful deterrent is laughable to the point of outright absurdity. To be clear: these auto thieves are not some 16 year olds hot-wiring their neighbour’s 1997 Chrysler minivan and taking it for a joy ride. These are individuals who are part of organized crime syndicates. Stop treating them with “kid gloves”, and start applying meaningful sentences and sanctions. Instead of a five year suspension how about a 10 year jail term. And instead of locking them up send them to northern Alberta to fight forest fires. Consider it a form of restitution.
What a joke! These people will drive without a license.
I can’t believe what I’m reading , license suspension is the severe penalty? Common is this a joke?
The province has no jurisdiction to enact criminal law; that is the jurisdiction of the federal government. The province is charged with enforcement of the criminal law. Given Trudeau’s track record on criminal justice, it will take a change in government to enact criminal justice reform.