Manitoba to require immobilizers on high-theft vehicles

Manitoba has launched its toughest initiative yet against auto theft in Winnipeg, requiring owners of the vehicles most at risk to install an ignition immobilizer device.

Manitoba Public Insurance, the provincial government and Winnipeg police unveiled the regulation under the Highway Traffic Act, which affects some 47,000 vehicle owners, Wednesday morning.

The $15-million initiative, which goes into effect Sept. 1, essentially forces all owners of vehicles who have one of the 200 vehicle modelson MPI's at-risk list to install an electronic ignition immobilizer if they live in Winnipeg or commute to the city.

"The auto theft problem in Manitoba is more than 80 per cent a Winnipeg problem, so this is a targeted solution to a very specific problem," said MPI president Marilyn Lerner.

Without an approved immobilizer, vehicle owners will not be able to renew their registration and insurance. Immobilizers are also required as part of an insurance claimwhen cars on the most-at-risk list are stolen.

The Crown insurance corporation previously offered discounts to owners of at-risk cars who install immobilizers. MPIofficials saidManitoba is the only province to make them mandatory.

Deputy police chief Menno Zacharias said the new rules are designed to protect people from being injured by drivers ofstolen vehicles.

"You try to educate people and you try to appeal to their pocketbook, and when all else fails, you occasionally have to take some other steps to convince people that this is the right thing to do," he said.

MPI pays for the cost of an immobilizer and standard installation on at-risk vehicles, although people with some vehicles such as those with remote starters may have to pay some extra costs.

Any vehicle on the most-at-risk list is eligible to have MPI cover the cost of the installation of an approved immobilizer, though only those who live in or commute to Winnipeg are affected by the new law.

Car owners who need to book an installation appointment can do so by calling (204) 985-7000.