Boards of Trade in three cities have petitioned the Senate’s Transport and Communications Committee to amend the Criminal Code to enhance the protection of the nation’s telecommunications networks from copper theft, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“Copper theft is a growing problem across the country with thieves targeting critical infrastructure for short-term monetary gain,” wrote the Surrey, B.C. Board of Trade. “This crime is not only disrupting essential telecommunications services, leading to outages that affect homes and businesses, but it is also endangering public safety.”Telecom companies across the country are sounding the alarm about a surge in vandalism. Copper theft is on the rise, with scrap metal dealers paying approximately $5 per pound for the stolen metal. The Surrey Board recommended the Senate adopt “stricter regulation of the sale of scrap metal including mandatory documentation of sellers and buyers as well as real-time reporting to deter the sale of stolen copper.”Vandalism of telecommunication lines for the extraction of recyclable copper is currently prosecuted as petty theft under the Criminal Code. “Penalties should be based on the broader health, safety and economic impacts caused by theft,” wrote the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “We recommend penalties be imposed based on the impact rather than the value of theft.”Witnesses at Senate committee hearings have proposed a federal version of House Bill 275, which was signed into law in Florida in May. This bill holds criminals accountable for actual damages resulting from the theft of as little as $200 worth of copper. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce emphasized that thieves here should be held responsible for the impacts caused by their actions, such as lost internet connections.“Outages can last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours or sometimes days, which results in significant financial losses,” wrote the Calgary Chamber. “For example, a small business with revenues of approximately $500,000 loses approximately $240 per hour during downtime.”Bell Canada executives earlier testified that copper theft had affected military operations at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown and civilian air traffic at New Brunswick’s Miramichi Airport. “In New Brunswick, we have a big problem along the Trans-Canada Highway near Fredericton and Oromocto,” testified Bell Vice President Michele Austin.Thefts were brazen and “alarming,” wrote the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. “Copper theft has become an escalating problem,” it said.“Copper theft leads to unexpected downtime, repair costs and often operational interruptions,” wrote the Vancouver Board. It proposed mandatory registration of scrap dealers and vendors with “tighter identification and reporting of transactions involving copper and other metals.”Parliament introduced two private bills earlier this year to jail copper thieves: Conservative Bill C-639 and New Democrat Bill C-609. Both bills failed to pass in 2015.
