Car theft has skyrocketed in Quebec. The feds are planning to do something about it

The Canadian government will hold a summit next month in response to an uptick in car thefts across the country, including in Quebec.

Officials say it's a product of organized crime, with the stolen cars often sold overseas or used to commit other crimes within Canada.

It's especially common in Quebec and Ontario given their proximity to the Port of Montreal.

According to data from Équité Association, an organization targeting insurance fraud and crime, vehicle thefts in Quebec rose by 50 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, they increased by 48.3 per cent in Ontario, 34.5 per cent in Atlantic Canada, and 18.3 per cent in Alberta.

"We see it everywhere. All police forces, their statistics are going up," said André Durocher, director of community relations and road safety at CAA-Quebec, in an interview with CTV News.

The summit, scheduled for Feb. 8, will involve political leaders, police, border agents and auto industry executives.

"If you take the island of Montreal, stolen cars, initially the reports and measures are taken by the Montreal police. But as we know, a lot of the vehicles that are stolen end up being exported elsewhere, [so] you have the port authorities, the border authorities, you have the RCMP. So all these people have to work together and coordinate their efforts," Durocher explained.

Équité Association reports that the majority of vehicles stolen in Quebec and Ontario are SUVs made after 2017.