TORONTO — The Ontario government is cracking down on auto theft by introducing legislation that, if passed, would create a new provincial offence for fraudulent vehicle registrations. This is one of a series of measures being taken by the provincial government to fight auto theft, including providing additional funding and equipment to police services to tackle auto theft and introducing legislation that would suspend the driver’s licences of those who are convicted of motor vehicle theft, including lifetime bans for repeat offenders.
“VIN fraud and careless driving are on the rise in Ontario,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “That’s why our government is taking steps to protect unsuspecting buyers and giving police the powers they need to keep our roads and communities safe. Our tough new legislation will target car thieves and other reckless behaviour, particularly in instances causing bodily harm or death.”
The proposed legislation would create a new provincial offence under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) for knowingly providing a false vehicle identification number (VIN) when applying for a vehicle permit. Penalties would be up to $100,000 for convictions, the possibility of up to six months in jail and up to one-year driver’s licence or vehicle permit suspension.
“The federal government has created the conditions that have put our province and our people at risk,” said Graham McGregor, Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are doing everything in our power to protect the people of this province from auto theft and criminals, including creating new offences through this legislation.”
The proposed legislation will also make streets safer by expanding careless driving laws to parking lots, such as malls, and extending the time that charges can be laid from six months to two years. These changes will help local police respond to and prevent unsanctioned events such as car rallies and street racing while allowing more time to investigate, collect evidence and hold drivers accountable.
May 2024, Ontario introduced the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, which would, if passed, improve community safety and protect people and families from road users who engage in dangerous and illegal activities such as impaired driving, stunt driving and auto theft.
Quick Facts
- VIN fraud often involves a person stealing a VIN from a legitimate car and using it to register a stolen one.
- In response to a significant increase in commercial vehicle traffic, Ontario is also making highways safer by increasing oversight of the trucking industry. These changes will allow MTO to intervene earlier with additional compliance tools and approaches for commercial operators who engage in risky behaviour while driving.
- As part of the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, 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.
- With combined efforts from government action and law enforcement, vehicle theft has decreased in Ontario by 16 per cent so far this year.
Quotes
“Stealing legitimate vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to register stolen vehicles is a growing criminal activity that threatens Ontario’s vehicle owners and auto retailers. Ontario is meeting the moment by creating a new and specific provincial offence to target VIN thieves with hefty fines and jail time. This decisive action adds another new and important tool in a long list of measures the government has implemented to keep up the fight against auto theft.”