TORONTO — Toronto police are launching an initiative to address a rise in violent criminal activity in the tow truck industry, saying they believe it is linked to seven out of the 10 shootings the city has seen so far this year.
Plainclothes and uniformed officers will be deployed in critical areas around Toronto to investigate shootings, arsons and other criminal acts they allege are perpetrated by "bad actors" in the industry, police said Monday.
They added that organized crime investigators have connected such incidents to ongoing territorial disputes between towing companies.
"We remain committed to addressing tow truck-related crimes with a service-wide approach, acknowledging that this violence stems from a small segment of the industry," said Supt. Paul MacIntyre.
"We will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure safety across the city."
Police said there has been a recent increase in gun violence, with 63 firearm discharge and shooting incidents linked to tow truck-related disputes last year, accounting for almost 13 per cent of all shootings in Toronto.
A trio of shootings in Scarborough last week that police have connected to the industry suggest the conflict continues to escalate.
Police said a tow truck driver was brought to hospital after being shot in the area of Markham Road and Sheppard Avenue East last Wednesday at around 10:30 p.m.
They said two more victims attended hospital on their own after reports of gunshots in the area of Markham Road and Passmore Avenue after 5 p.m. the next day.
And police said that at 6 a.m. on Friday, a man in his 20s was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after a third shooting in the area of Lawrence Avenue East and Greencrest Circuit.
Four more shootings since the beginning of 2025 are believed to be related to the tow truck industry, police confirmed in an email.
"They are ongoing investigations," police said. "No arrests have been made at this time."
Police created a similar task force last year that operated from June until August. It resulted in the arrests of six people and 184 charges related to a homicide and 13 tow truck-related shooting incidents.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.
Note to readers: The photo with this story has been changed. An earlier story carried a photo showing a tow truck from a company that was not mentioned by the police as part of this initiative.
Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press
