Tow-truck related shootings accounted for 14 per cent of all shooting incidents Toronto in 2024

A Toronto Police Service logo patch is shown in Toronto, on September 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Toronto police say there were 60 tow-truck related shootings in the city in 2024, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of all shooting incidents over the past year.

In a news release distributed Monday, Ontario Provincial Police outlined the enforcement action that has been taken by GTA police forces related to “combat violence within the towing industry.”

“With an intelligence-led approach, policing partners are diligently working together to address criminality in the towing industry to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups violating regulations and exploiting other tow operators,” the OPP wrote.

In Toronto alone, 507 tow-related charges were laid by Toronto police under the Highway Traffic Act and Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act (TSSEA), in 2024 and three tow trucks were removed from the road.

“Gun violence tied to the tow truck industry continues to be a serious issue,” Toronto Police Staff Superintendent Joe Matthews, of detective operations, said in a written statement.

“We are addressing tow truck-related crimes through a service-wide approach, while keeping in mind that this violence stems from a small segment of the industry involved in territorial disputes.”

He added that Project Beacon, an investigation led by the Tow Truck Task Force, resulted in six arrests and 184 charges laid in connection with a homicide and tow-truck related shootings this past summer.

“In 2024, law enforcement took proactive measures to ensure legitimacy within the Ontario towing industry, such as enforcement activities, removing illegitimate tow companies, trucks and operators from the road and laying TSSEA charges,” the OPP’s release read.

“The OPP Provincial Tow Program has aimed to improve public safety and help mitigate criminality in Ontario’s towing industry. In order to be an approved Towing and Storage Service Operator (TSSO), a tow operator or tow company must meet certain requirements, including a criminal record check, and certification through the Ministry of Transportation Ontario.”