Even the man responsible for Ontario’s police forces isn’t safe from the province’s auto theft crisis.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner was one of four cabinet ministers whose government vehicles have been stolen since August 2022, according to internal documents obtained by Global News.
New information accessed using freedom of information laws shows that four ministers’ SUVs were stolen, and only one was recovered — “with damage” — over the past four years.
Sport Minister Neil Lumsden had his vehicle stolen in August 2022, according to the documents, as part of a “non-preventable” situation.
Two years later, Kerzner’s vehicle was snatched in an Etobicoke parking lot in July 2024. The documents suggest a staffer or driver was responsible for the car when it was taken in another “non-preventable” situation. It was later recovered, with damage.
The documents do not include details of how the vehicle was stolen, what time or any of the costs associated with replacing it. They also don’t say how it was recovered and what level of damage it suffered.
Global News asked the premier’s office how much the vehicles had cost to replace and if the government’s insurance premiums had increased as a result, but a spokesperson did not address the questions.
Instead, they sent a statement about the province’s vehicle theft crisis.
“Every day, innocent people and families have their cars stolen by dangerous criminals — no one is immune to this,” a spokesperson wrote.
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“Enough is enough, and that’s why our government is taking action to protect our communities by cracking down on car theft.”
As the solicitor general, Kerzner is responsible for Ontario’s policing laws and is assisted by a recently created minister of auto theft and bail reform.
He has blamed Ontario’s car theft crisis on federal bail laws, which he has said make it easier for repeat offenders to steal vehicles.
A study released earlier this year by Équité Association found that auto theft in Canada was dropping after a rapid rise. It said rates were down 25 per cent year-over-year in Ontario.
Despite the drop in provincewide vehicle thefts, two more ministers had their vehicles taken this year.
According to the documents obtained by Global News, Toyota Grand Highlanders assigned to the associate minister of small business, Nina Tangri, and Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney were stolen in March and April 2025 and have not been recovered.
The premier’s office said federal action on bail reform is needed to deter thieves.
“Many car thefts are being carried out by dangerous repeat offenders, and we continue to call on the federal government to get serious about bail reform — to keep criminals off our streets and behind bars,” the spokesperson said.
Ontario Liberal MPP Rob Cerjanec, however, said the Ford government should look closer to home.
“It’s been almost eight years now. Anything that happens now, they’ve had the opportunity to change it,” he said of the Progressive Conservatives, who first came to power in June 2018.
“They’ve had the opportunity to make investments. They’re not doing it to the level in which we need to protect people in our communities.”
The new details of ministerial vehicle thefts come not long after Ontario Premier Doug Ford described a dramatic attempt to allegedly steal a vehicle from his Etobicoke home he said was foiled by police.
Ford told that story unprompted at an unrelated news event in June, describing a high-octane chase as the suspects came “racing” down the street.
“You want to hear about stupid criminals?” Ford said. “So four thugs come racing down my street, masks on, ready to take the car out of the driveway. Surprise, surprise, at 12:30, the two police cars are there, the chase is on.”
In that case, no vehicle was stolen, and Toronto police arrested four people.
Cerjenec said he was concerned government vehicles weren’t being properly protected, potentially costing taxpayers to replace.
“I feel sorry for taxpayers who are fronting this cost at the end of the day, if it’s the ministry-provided vehicle,” he said.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
