The Ontario government has announced stringent new penalties for vehicle theft, stunt driving, and street racing, which could include a lifetime driver’s license suspension for repeat offenders. Here’s what you need to know about how these new rules will work.
At a press conference held at an Ontario Provincial Police detachment on Tuesday, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria outlined the details. For a first offence, the thief’s driver’s license will be suspended for 10 years, in addition to any fines and jail time. A second offence will result in an additional 15-year ban, while a third offence will lead to a lifetime suspension.
Sarkaria highlighted that in Ontario, a car is stolen every 14 minutes, and violent carjackings have surged by 78 percent over the past three years. He added that vehicle theft is costing the province $1.2 billion annually. The severity of the issue has even caught the attention of the New York Times, which recently published an article titled: “For Car Thieves, Toronto Is a ‘Candy Store’ and Drivers Are Fed Up.”
The new measures will be introduced in the Ontario legislature on Thursday and are expected to pass, given the Conservative majority government.
