How easy is it to duplicate an Ontario licence plate?

A growing number of Ontario drivers are receiving surprise charges because their licence plate was lost, stolen or duplicated. A CBC Toronto investigation has revealed fake licence plates are fooling toll cameras and police, leaving innocent drivers on the hook to clear their names.

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[James-yid]

Being a criminal is so easy in Ontario. Explains why car theft is common.

[DaddyBuxer]

Honestly, I would never steal anything ever, but I wouldn’t feel guilty about tricking the 407 cameras. That highway was built with our tax dollars, sold to a private company and now is too expensive to use. Nobody should be charged that egregious amount of money to travel through our province. They’re just stealing from us legally.

[Eric-xhee]

This seems more like a how-to guide than a news bit 😅

[STRDVD]

Not illegal to print/produce/sell your own novelty license plate as long as you don't use it on a real vehicle? That's like saying it's ok to print your own money as long as you don't use it to purchase merchandise. Bloody ridiculous.

[kmm]

The first question is why do we have a toll road in a country where we pay so much taxes? Toll road are the crime.

[calebsamuels]

It is, however, illegal to replicate the royal crown without permission.

[CaptApril]

I highly doubt the Spanish company that owns the 407 will be offering refunds.

[garyconway]

This is a problem that needs to get fixed asap! Friend of mine got pulled over because someone had stolen his plates and switched them for another set. Imagine being pulled over by a bunch of police cars all at once! Wasn't how he wanted his day to start! It is a government issued item and should not be legal to copy in any way!

[bear]

This seems like the transportation ministry is refusing to call the ministry that regulates retail!!! Perhaps the question of why is it legal to sell novelty plates should go to the retail sector... But, you know they will pass the buck to the legislative people!

[coldlakealta]

there is nothing at all the province of Ontario can do about this. These plates are available from web sites world wide, including the US and Asia. It's a symptom of our times for which there is no cure.

[amouryf]

407 should not be tolled. ALONE be allowed to even use the prefix "400" which is used for ONTARIO PROVINCIAL HIGHWAYS IN THE 400 SERIES, NOT ROADS OWNED BY COMPANIES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANSPORTATION EVEN OR BE SUPPORTED BY THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT. Make the highway lose their access to using the name 407, make a new 407 connecting to the part of the 407 owned by the Ontario Government, or just leave it like that, and close all roads that connect to the 407 ETR to waste their money.

[williambrennan]

This is good to know. Just drive around the local mall find a vehicle of the same Make and color of yours and boom no more paying camera tolls. Plus as long as you're not doing anything else if police officer routinely runs your tag it's going to come back to the same make and model vehicle. Not a bad scam.

[davidjohnmiller]

The 407 is the biggest mistake in Ontario’s history

[g.c.]

Sorry... pardon me... I, myself, have to Prove it was not me! And... I have to pay for a new plate? Thinking the onus is on the wrong party folks. Person can simply add an identifying mark/window decal to avoid subsequent fines easily. If the province's design for toll collection is inadequate, well that's what the corporation bought.

[MysticalPersonK]

I have seen a lot of License plates that appear to be questionable at best. And this is in Ottawa.

[youtuber]

Easy, make it a 100K fine. Then add this to a ticket, parking enforcement/police can verify based on the car type/color/vin. Plus add a bounty for those reported by the public

[ijsk]

Thanks officer, innocent, until proven guilty, used to be a thing, now you have to prove your innocence at a cost. Nice to see he’s open and up front about not helping. Thanks again officer.

[__aec]

Plate @1:12, that’s a stretch to call it an “exact match or clone” as there are very apparent differences in the shape of the text just by comparing them. That said, 407 cameras could easily be fooled by them no doubt.

[thomashansen]

Someone cloned my plates as well last year. When I got a parking ticket from Barrie that was the first instance. Called the city and we figured maybe it was a clerical error. Then in April I got a call from Ajax police saying I stole fuel from a gas station in March while I was at work in Northern Ontario. At that point I knew that my plate had been cloned so I had to spend the money for new plates so they could catch the fraudster. It's frustrating that I should have to pay for new plates in this type of instance.

[JohnnyDouchbag-nryf]

I never thought I would live in a world where people would need training on how to talk to one another.