The federal government is launching what it calls its "National Action Plan" to combat car theft, which includes tougher penalties for thieves and increased information sharing between police agencies, state officials and border enforcement.
Several cabinet members announced the plan during a Monday morning news conference in Brampton, Ont.
The news came after a national auto theft summit in February in Ottawa. According to industry estimates for 2022, car theft rates have increased in several provinces compared to the previous year. In Quebec, thefts increased by 50% and in Ontario, we saw a 34.5% increase in thefts.
Police services in the GTA reported a 104 percent increase.
"We are adding new offenses that target car theft and its connection to violence and organized crime," Canadian Attorney General Arif Virani told reporters on Monday.
He says the government is proposing new offenses targeting the ringleaders of car theft gangs and those who have laundered money through organized crime. While the National Action Plan was the focus of Monday's news conference, a handful of proposals included in the plan were first introduced as part of the federal Liberals' Budget 2024 Implementation Act, officially C-69, and have yet to be passed. In the autumn economic statement


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