$9 million from Ottawa expected to reduce car thefts across Ontario
Published February 23, 2024 at 4:47 pm
![Ontario, Niagara Region, auto thefts, vehicles, police, faraday bags,](https://www.insauga.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/b-vehicle-theft-GettyImages-526745055.jpg)
The Canadian government is putting more than $9 million into an initiative to help provincial and municipal authorities curb auto thefts and increase the likelihood of stolen vehicles being recovered.
The money will go directly into the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime to help fight vehicle thefts both in Ontario and across the country.
At the end of 2023, it was reported that vehicle thefts in southern Ontario had reached new heights. This new program, according to Ottawa, will not only give provincial and municipal authorities access to resources to prevent vehicle theft, but will also help prevent stolen vehicles from making it out of Canada to overseas buyers.
Additional funding of more than $2 million will also be supplied by federal authorities to help facilitate better communication strategies with international authorities to help monitor any stolen vehicles that are being smuggled across borders.
Further funds from the federal government will also be going to the Canada Border Services Agency in the amount of $28 million to help detect and deter vehicle smuggling via shipping containers.
The latest federal money comes on top of a $121-million cash injection in January to support the Ontario government’s efforts to prevent various criminal activity, including gun violence and vehicle theft.