The federal government is considering tougher penalties for auto thefts amid a spike in vehicle thefts across the country.

Added to the concern is the increase in what police are calling the “extreme violence” seen in relation to rising thefts.

An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 vehicles are stolen in Canada every year, and that’s having an impact on insurance rates as well.

The Opposition Conservatives have been putting pressure on Ottawa to address the issue and a summit was held in the nation’s capital this week.

The federal government has pledged to boost Canada Border Services Agency resources, and look at a ban on devices used to steal vehicles by copying the wireless signal emitted by key fobs.

While the incidence of auto theft is relatively low in Atlantic Canada, in the five years between 2018 and 2022 claims costs in the region increased 70 per cent for vehicle theft alone.

Vice President for Ontario and Atlantic with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Amanda Dean, calls the situation a “national crisis” and they’re glad to see action taken.

“Those numbers are quite frankly alarming,” says Dean “drivers are paying for these claims as claims drive premiums.” She says the industry is thrilled that Public Safety Canada convened at Thursday’s summit to address the crisis.