CANADA – Équité Association, Canada’s national authority on insurance crime and fraud prevention, today unveiled their annual ‘Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada’ for 2023. After two consecutive years in the top spot, the Toyota Highlander has overtaken the Honda CR-V as the nation’s most stolen vehicle.
The Toyota Highlander is a popular model in Canada, which is globally serviceable and has a high resale value both domestically and internationally; noting criminals continually shift demand to maximize their profits from the illegal sale of vehicles. It also shares similarities with nearly all of the vehicles on the national list, where the vehicles are 2019 or newer models, and have vulnerabilities that come with keyless ignitions, particularly as these vehicles do not come equipped with anti-theft devices aligned to the ULC 338 Anti-theft Standards.
“In order to sustainably address the auto theft crisis in Canada, solutions must evolve from focusing on the recovery of stolen vehicles to preventing vehicles from being stolen in the first place, starting with updating Canada’s outdated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (i.e., ULC 338 Standards),” says Terri O’Brien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Équité Association. “Insurance crime, including auto theft, can have a devastating physical and financial impact for victims. On behalf of the property and casualty insurance industry, Équité works to combat insurance crime and keep Canadians safe.”
Between 2021-2023 auto theft increased 48.2% in Ontario, 57.9% in Quebec, 34% in Atlantic Canada, and 5.5% in Alberta (Équité Association’s 2023 Auto Theft Trend Report). Public Safety Canada announced its National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft in May 2024, signifying a turning point in auto theft. While meaningful actions and investments from provincial and federal governments, and law enforcement agencies indicate a national decrease in auto theft in 2024, continued commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders is required to maintain this momentum.
“The most crucial step in fighting auto theft is stopping it before it starts,” says Bryan Gast, Vice President, Investigative Services of Équité Association. “One of the most common trends we’re seeing on the Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles list includes newer vehicles with keyless ignitions. The provincial and federal governments have already committed hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to respond to the auto theft crisis with positive results through enforcement. However, there is much more to be done to combat auto theft; the crisis is far from over in Canada. A modernized vehicle security standard aligned to the ULC 338 Standards is needed to address current methods of theft across all manufacturers. In addition, fortifying the unauthorized access to vehicle electronic systems is imperative to stop the auto theft crisis from continuing in Canada.”
By utilizing simple and effective technology that has already been developed and patented, and in use in other countries, vehicle manufacturers have the ability to mitigate vehicle theft and prioritize public safety. When it comes to Canadians protecting their vehicles from theft, the best offense is a good defense. Équité recommends using a layered approach, which consists of four categories: simple steps, anti-theft devices, vehicle immobilizers and tracking devices. Each layer provides protection and, in combination, diminishes the likelihood of vehicle theft. Find out more about the Layered Approach here.
For regional lists, visit Équité’s website: https://www.equiteassociation.com/top-10-most-stolen-vehicles
