Declines in Ontario, Rising Pressures in Alberta
- brandonhauck2
- Oct 2
- 2 min read
Recently, we’ve noted how Ontario saw a decline in auto theft claims and costs in 2024. At the same time, the RCMP dismantled a vehicle theft ring in Alberta that was exploiting weaknesses in the provincial registry system.
What do these developments have in common? They highlight how organized auto theft groups remain highly adaptive, even as enforcement improves in some regions.
As Global News reported, one Alberta network used forged VINs and falsified documents to disguise stolen vehicles as legitimate. In that report, Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), explained:
“We’re seeing organized crime migrating westward in search of easy targets and here in Alberta, it’s all too easy to come up with a fake vehicle identification number and register that vehicle as though it’s legitimate.” — Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Insurance Bureau of Canada, quoted in Global News (2025).
This case aligns with concerns the IBC flagged earlier in July: theft in Alberta has surged in recent years. According to IBC:
In 2024, Alberta auto theft claims were recorded as $110.3 million, a 65% increase in three years
Since 2014, auto theft costs across the province have risen 161%
In 2024, Alberta auto insurers paid out $1.17 in claims and expenses for every $1 in premiums earned, a financially unsustainable imbalance that has forced some insurers to limit coverage
Ontario’s progress is encouraging, but the broader national picture remains uneven. As IBC’s Aaron Sutherland noted, organized crime groups continue to shift tactics and exploit regional vulnerabilities, putting Alberta drivers, insurers, and communities under growing strain.
Read more:
All statistics and quotations in this article are sourced directly from Global News (2025) and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), linked above.
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