[Barometer] Car thefts have boomed by 83,3% in 5 years in Quebec
The indicators are red in terms of car theft in Quebec. In this new barometer we decipher the statistics related to this type of crime which weighs more and more heavily in the reimbursements of car insurers and impacts the increase in premiums.
Montréal & Laval
- 8,139 vehicles were stolen in Quebec in 2021, an increase of 83.8% compared to 2016 (4,440 thefts recorded)
- This represents more than 22 car thefts every day in Quebec
- In total, stolen cars cost insurers $241.3 million in Quebec in 2021, or 3 times more than 5 years ago
- Montreal (0.52% of vehicles stolen), Laval (0.35%) and Lanaudière (0.2%) are the most affected administrative regions
- The average cost of theft-related claims has multiplied by 2.2 in 10 years, rising from $13,600 in 2011 to $29,644 in 2021.
With 8,139 stolen vehicles, car thefts are at the highest point since 2011 in Quebec
While between 2011 and 2016, the number of car thefts in Quebec had fallen by almost half, the trend has unfortunately reversed over the past five years. This is indeed what the figures published by the Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA) du Québec indicate:
- In 2021, 8,139 car thefts were recorded by the GAA in Quebec, it’s 2,709 cases more than the previous year, which corresponds to a 49.9% increase in this crime rate in the province in one year.
- Over the period 2016-2021, the increase in car thefts in Quebec goes up to 83.3%, which is a worrying exponential trend.
Car thefts cost insurers $241.2 million in Quebec in 2021, or +62.5% in one year
As a logical consequence of the increase in the number of car thefts in Quebec, the cost represented by this type of crime for insurers has exploded in recent years. We thus observe on the graph below that:
- In 2021, the total cost of stolen cars for insurers in Quebec amounted to $241.2 million, or an increase of 62.5% compared to 2020
- In 5 years, the cost of car theft for insurers in Quebec has been multiplied by 3, from $80.4 million in 2016 to $241.2 million in 2021
- At an almost equal number of car thefts between 2011 and 2021, the cost represented by these crimes in 2021 has been multiplied by 2.2 compared to ten years earlier ($111.4 million).
Good to know
The dramatic increase in car theft costs for insurers in Quebec is also the result of the explosion in the average cost of car theft claims, which rose from $13,600 in 2011 to $29,644 in 2021 (or an increase of 118% in 10 years) - which is due to the higher vehicle prices.
Montreal, Montérégie and Laval, the most affected by car theft in Quebec
As a press release published by Equité Association recently pointed out, Montreal is the main port of exit for stolen vehicles in Quebec. Therefore, it is not surprising to see the metropolis and its urban region weigh heavily in car-related crime. We thus notice that:
- With 3,763 thefts recorded in 2021, the administrative region of Montreal represents 46.4% from all car thefts in Quebec.
- By adding the urban part of Montérégie which adjoints Montreal (818 stealings or 10.1% of the Quebec total) and Laval (813 stealings or 10% of the total), it is actually two thirds (66.5%) of the thefts of cars that take place in the Montreal urban agglomeration in Quebec
- Then come Lanaudière (667 stealings), the Laurentians (599 stealings) and the Capitale Nationale region (251 stealings, including 202 for the Québec Urban Community alone).
Expert advice
Bryan Gast, Vice President of Investigative Services of Équité Association
"Auto theft is a complex national problem that costs Canadians millions of dollars each year ", says Bryan Gast, VP , Investigative Services of Équité Association, a not-for-profit organization supporting Canadian property and casualty insurers in the fight against insurance fraud.
"Canada has become a source nation for the theft and exportation of high-value vehicles."
Vehicles across the country are being stolen in greater volume for export internationally by organized crime networks. The proceeds of this illegal activity are being used to fund organized crime and terrorism, both domestically and internationally," says Gast. In Quebec, SUVs occupy six of the 10 spots on Équité's Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles list.
| Region | Percentage of stolen vehicles | Total number of stolen vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal Urban Community | 0,52% | 3 764 |
| Montérégie | 0,13% | 1 281 |
| Laval | 0,35% | 813 |
| Lanaudière | 0,2% | 667 |
| Laurentides | 0,15% | 599 |
| National Capital | 0,05% | 251 |
| Mauricie | 0,08% | 139 |
| Chaudière-Appalaches | 0,04% | 120 |
| Outaouais | 0,05% | 117 |
| Estrie | 0,05% | 99 |
| Central Quebec | 0,06% | 96 |
| Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean | 0,03% | 52 |
| Bas-Saint-Laurent | 0,03% | 39 |
| Abititi-Témiscaningue | 0,04% | 36 |
| Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine | 0,04% | 24 |
| Côte-Nord | 0,03% | 15 |
| Northern Quebec | 0,1% | 9 |
Source: GAA
Methodology
In addition to its expert editorial line around insurance and financial products, HelloSafe explores broader topics relating to global consumption in Canada and around the world. The aim is to decipher certain complex subjects for consumers and to provide everyone with the latest information. It is within this framework that HelloSafe regularly carries out studies on trends relating to current personal finance in Canada.
There are various statistics available on car thefts in Quebec, mainly from insurance companies or public authorities (police in particular). The differences between these two sources can be significant. This study is based on figures published by Goupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA) of Quebec which represents almost all of the players in the sector in our province. Thus, the used figures are based on thefts that have been declared to insurance companies.
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