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House Bill

Bill C-379

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 02, 2024
Combating Motor Vehicle Theft Act
  • This bill, called the Combating Motor Vehicle Theft Act, aims to address the issue of motor vehicle theft in Canada. It proposes several amendments to the Criminal Code. Firstly, it suggests increasing the minimum term of imprisonment for a third or subsequent motor vehicle theft offense. This means that individuals who repeatedly commit motor vehicle theft will face longer prison sentences. Secondly, the bill states that when sentencing someone for a motor vehicle theft offense, the court must consider the fact that the offense was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organization. This recognizes the involvement of criminal organizations in motor vehicle theft and aims to deter their activities. Lastly, the bill restricts the possibility of a person convicted of a motor vehicle theft offense from being subject to a conditional sentence order. This means that individuals convicted of motor vehicle theft will not be eligible for alternative forms of punishment like community service or house arrest. The bill acknowledges the increasing rate of motor vehicle theft in Canada and aims to deter and prevent such crimes.
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First Session, Forty-fourth Parliament,

70-71 Elizabeth II – 1-2 Charles III, 2021-2022-2023-2024

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-379
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (motor vehicle theft)
FIRST READING, February 12, 2024

Mr. Hoback
441356


SUMMARY

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to address motor vehicle theft by increasing the minimum term of imprisonment in the case of a third or subsequent motor vehicle theft offence, providing that primary consideration must be given to the fact that the offence was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization and restricting the possibility for a person convicted of a motor vehicle theft offence of being subject to a conditional sentence order.

Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca


1st Session, 44th Parliament,

70-71 Elizabeth II – 1-2 Charles III, 2021-2022-2023-2024

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-379

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (motor vehicle theft)

Preamble

Whereas, since 2015, the rate of motor vehicle theft in Canada has increased by 34%;

Whereas, in 2023, a motor vehicle was stolen every six minutes in Canada according to the Canadian Finance & Leasing Association;

Whereas, in the city of Toronto, the number of reported incidents of motor vehicle theft tripled between 2015 and 2023 to more than 12,000 a year;

Whereas motor vehicle theft is increasingly becoming the domain of criminal organizations, which export the stolen motor vehicles;

And whereas Parliament recognizes that motor vehicle theft is a matter of national concern and considers it a priority to deter and prevent motor vehicle theft in Canada;

Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Short Title

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Combating Motor Vehicle Theft Act.

R.‍S.‍, c. C-46

Criminal Code

2 (1) Paragraph 333.‍1(1)‍(a) of the Criminal Code is replaced by the following:

  • (a) on proceedings by way of indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years, and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of Insertion start three years Insertion end in the case of a third or subsequent offence under this subsection; or

(2) Section 333.‍1 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):

Aggravating circumstance

Start of inserted block
(3) Without limiting the generality of section 718.‍2, when a court imposes a sentence for an offence referred to in this section, it shall give primary consideration to the fact that the offence was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization.
End of inserted block

3 Section 742.‍1 of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of subparagraph(c)‍(iii), by adding “and” at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following after paragraph (d):

  • Start of inserted block

    (e) the offence is not an offence under section 333.‍1 prosecuted by way of indictment.

    End of inserted block
Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons