Canada Border Services recovers nearly 2,000 stolen vehicles in 2025, surpassing last year’s total

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has recovered 1,945 stolen vehicles from ports and railyards across the country so far this year - already exceeding the total number recovered in all of 2023, according to Transport Minister Anita Anand.

Anand said the majority of recovered vehicles were found in Quebec, with Ontario also accounting for a large share of thefts. Many stolen vehicles are being routed through the Port of Montreal, from where they are shipped overseas as part of organized international smuggling operations.

The surge in recoveries follows the federal government’s national action plan on vehicle theft, launched earlier this year in collaboration with local and international law enforcement, vehicle manufacturers, and insurance partners. The plan aims to tackle what officials have called a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” that has cost Canadian consumers and insurers hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), while claims for stolen vehicles are down 19 per cent year-over-year, the overall trend still remains well above historic averages. The IBC says the rise in thefts is being driven by luxury SUVs, pickup trucks, and newer vehicles with keyless entry systems.

Law enforcement officials in Metro Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton have also reported a rise in vehicle cloning and resale scams, prompting calls for tighter port inspections and data-sharing agreements between provinces.

Anand said Ottawa remains committed to “cutting off the export routes for stolen vehicles” and giving the CBSA "the resources it needs to strengthen port surveillance and enforcement.”