Ontario commits $6M to fighting auto theft as regional numbers drop

Ontario is dedicating an additional $6 million to combating auto theft through the Preventing Auto Thefts grant program, which now totals $24 million in government spending. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner announced the funding Monday at Peel Regional Police headquarters, with $300,000 earmarked to strengthen Peel police's commercial auto crime bureau.

The timing aligns with a decline in vehicle thefts across the province. An Équité Association report released in August found Ontario auto thefts fell 8.4% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period the year before. In Peel Region specifically, 2,790 vehicles were stolen from January through June 2026, down from 3,089 in the same window in 2025—a 10% year-over-year decrease.

Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah stressed the broader criminal context. "This is not just a vehicle being stolen, it is directly related to organized crime activity," Duraiappah said. Stolen vehicles have been identified at multiple international ports of entry and are linked to drug trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism.

The grant program, which launched in 2023 following a reported 72% increase in Ontario auto thefts between 2014 and 2021, now supports 22 police projects across the province. Duraiappah noted that continued investment enables specialized investigations. "With proper resourcing, we can continue to mobilize specialized teams to pursue complex investigations and dismantle the criminal networks operating across the region and beyond," he said in a statement.

Kerzner framed the commitment as part of a broader public-safety effort. "The auto theft grant is a re-affirmation that we are working alongside police services, that we are working to make sure that people in communities know there's someone on their side," Kerzner said at the Monday news conference.