B.C. announces new regulations to curb catalytic converter thefts

VICTORIA — The British Columbia government has moved to prevent thefts of catalytic converters, a crime that costs millions every year.

The province has changed the regulations for metal dealers and recyclers to require them to report each transaction, including seller information, to police.

Catalytic converters control exhaust emissions to reduce pollutants, but they have been a target for thieves because of an increase in the price of metals they contain.

The Insurance Corporation of B.C. says converter theft claims have climbed from 89 in 2017 to 1,953 last year, totalling more than $4 million in claim costs for 2021.