City and province form partnership in auto theft prevention

I was glad to learn that additional efforts are being made by the Province of Ontario to help stop rampant car thefts.

The Government of Ontario recently announced their commitment to spend $51 million over three years to address auto thefts across the province.

I wish to thank south Ottawa MPP’s Goldie Ghamari and Lisa MacLeod for their work on this initiative.

This is money that will help local police services, like the Ottawa Police, to combat organized crime rings and target those who steal vehicles from innocent residents.

Recently, Councillor Catherine Kitts and I wrote a letter to Ontario’s Solicitor General in support of this initiative. Making progress on combatting persistent and highly organized car thefts requires a team approach.

Waking up to a stolen vehicle is a feeling many residents in Riverside South and Findlay Creek are all too familiar with. It is a chronic problem resulting in more vehicles being stolen year over year.

Far beyond just losing a vehicle, the impacts include members of the community feeling insecure and uncertain in their neighbourhood. These are not feelings south Ottawa residents should be faced with. Members of the community should feel safe and secure in their home and with their property.

To help combat the issue, the Ottawa Police

Service has established an Auto Task Force to provide focused and comprehensive attention to the matter. I am glad that as of late there has been some success on this front. This is important work being done to halt the continued growth of these organized criminal networks.

I also raised the issue with Ottawa’s Chief of Police during the 2023 Budget process.

Combatting vehicle theft also requires the collaboration and efforts of many different jurisdictions.

Car manufacturers have a role to play in constructing vehicles that have state of the art technology. This important technology will help to deter thefts.

Car insurance compan- ies need to place pressure on these manufacturers to invest in this important technology now and support innovation in the future.

Car dealers need to ensure they understand how to prevent thefts and be wary of those who may be looking at cars for theft opportunities. This involves training staff, building secure facilities and partnering with local authorities to report suspicious buyers.

Car owners can help as well. While there is no sil- ver bullet to preventing a car theft, there are a variety of different measures that can be employed.

Vehicle Immobilizers and Port Locks can be successful at preventing theft. Residents may also wish to use a steering wheel lock or block their car in the laneway or park in the garage. Using one or more of these options in combination can deter potential thefts.

Residents can also join their Neighbourhood Watch Group and be on the lookout for any potential sus- picious activity. Reports should be filed to the Ottawa Police for awareness and enforcement.

This is an issue that goes beyond the borders of the City of Ottawa. The priority must be to work across jurisdictions to reach a solution for residents that leads to safety and security in their neighbourhood.

It is programs and funding like the one announced by the Province that will help our police bring these criminals to justice and help protect our communities.