There were 60 incidents of gunfire in Toronto this year related to ongoing violence by a small percentage of bad actors in the towing industry, according to police.
The crimes account for nearly 15 per cent of all 2024 shooting incidents in the city, a Toronto Police Service (TPS) spokesperson said.
"Gun violence tied to the tow truck industry continues to be a serious issue," said TPS staff superintendent of detective operations Joe Matthews in a joint release from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Together, the OPP and several municipal Greater Toronto Area (GTA) police services said they are continuing efforts to combat violence in the tow-truck trade through education and law enforcement.
"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," Matthews said.
Law enforcement took steps this year to "ensure legitimacy" within the towing industry, including by removing illegitimate tow companies, trucks and operators from the road. In total, officials said 75 tow-trucks were removed for violations or non-compliance.
Project Beacon involved a coordinated effort among police forces from across the GTA. In Toronto, the investigation resulted in six arrests and 184 charges in connection to a homicide and various tow-truck related shootings.
TPS laid a total of 507 tow-related charges under the Highway Traffic Act and the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act. Three tow trucks were removed from the city's roads.
Similar results were seen in Peel, where nine trucks were removed from the road, as well as 22 tow-trucks in Durham Region.
In total, the OPP laid 518 tow-related charges and removed 41 trucks from service. The joint effort also involved Halton and York regions.
"This is not a challenge we can tackle alone, and we will continue working closely with our partners to combat these crimes and make our communities safer," Matthews said.
In Ontario, a tow operator or company must meet certain requirements to be legitimate, including a criminal record check and certification through the Ministry of Transportation.
Most tow companies and operators abide by regulations are not involved in organized crime or criminal activities, police stressed.
Police added that the public has a right to decide who can tow their vehicle and to what location. More information about towing rights can be found online.
