In Canada, vehicle theft is a serious problem that affects not only individuals but also government agencies, with federal departments failing to prevent their vehicles from being stolen.
According to the Canadian Press, documents recently submitted to the Canadian Parliament reveal that from January 2016 to February of this year, a total of 48 government-owned vehicles belonging to 14 federal departments and agencies were stolen. Even government ministers have not been exempt from this issue, with the Justice Minister’s official vehicle being stolen three times between 2021 and 2023.
The stolen vehicles are spread across various regions in Canada, with Ontario topping the list, followed by 10 thefts in Ottawa, where the majority of federal government agencies are headquartered, and two in the Toronto area. Additionally, vehicles belonging to government agencies were stolen in provinces like British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and the Nunavut territory.
In terms of departments, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had the highest number of stolen vehicles at 19, mainly in the Prairie provinces. Considering the large fleet size of the RCMP, this statistic may not come as a surprise. Other agencies that reported stolen vehicles include Parks Canada with 7, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with 4, and the Canada Border Services Agency and Indigenous Services Canada each with 3 stolen vehicles. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (including the Canadian Coast Guard) each had two vehicles stolen.
Several other departments and agencies reported one vehicle stolen each, including the Canada Revenue Agency, the Department of Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada, the Department of Finance, the Department of Transport, and Global Affairs Canada.
Among the 40+ stolen vehicles, two had been stolen more than once, and 34 have been recovered, as stated in the documents.
Equite Association, an organization focused on preventing insurance fraud crimes, reported that in 2023, 70,000 vehicles were stolen nationwide. During the period from 2021 to 2023, the number of vehicle thefts surged by 48% in Ontario, 58% in Quebec, and 34% in the Atlantic region of Canada.