Nearly 88% of people think more should be done to combat car thefts in Ontario: poll [Video]

Most people think more needs to be done to combat car thefts in Ontario.

In an INsauga poll last week, a majority of respondents indicated they have ongoing concerns about auto thefts, despite recent declines.

Asked: “Do you think police and officials are doing enough to combat car thefts in Ontario?” And 3,777 (87.9 per cent) said no. Another 520 (12.1 per cent) said yes.

Auto theft was on the rise across the country until recently.

Between 2018 and 2023, auto theft claims costs increased significantly across Canada, according to a 2024 report from the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The Bureau labelled it a crisis in Ontario where auto theft claims costs increased by 524 per cent between 2018 and 2023, surpassing $1 billion for the first time in 2023.

This year, however, there has been an 18.6 per cent (year-to-date in February) decline in auto theft across the country, according to Équité Association, a national organization …