Posthaste: Copper theft is getting so bad Bell Canada is sounding the alarm

There’s a crime wave sweeping through eastern Canada, and it’s not jewellery or bank notes the thieves are after, but the

copper wire found in telecom lines. Such thefts are rising at such an “alarming rate” that Bell Canada made a public statement about the “growing crisis that is endangering public safety and disrupting essential communications infrastructure.”

Copper theft is up 23 per cent from a year ago, with Bell reporting more than 2,270 incidents nationwide since 2022.

This is not a victimless crime, says the telecom. Thieves who target the lines for copper are disrupting phone and internet access. Copper thefts now account for 88 per cent of all physical security incidents on its network, with over 500 cases reported in the first half of 2025.

Major Canadian telecoms like Bell and Telus Corp. have been replacing copper in recent years with fibre, but the transition is not complete. Damage to copper lines can also harm fibre cables because they are often bundled together.

“Copper theft is a serious crime that directly threatens the safety and well-being of Canadians. These thefts are not just about stolen copper; the perpetrators often damage other infrastructure such as fibre cable and the crime can potentially put lives at risk when people can’t call 911 as a result of the damage,” said Bell’s chief technology officer Mark McDonald

in the release.  Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec are the hardest hit, with 63 per cent of all copper thefts occurring in Ontario. Hamilton, Cambridge and Windsor are particular problem areas, said Bell.

Just last week two people were charged after telecom wires were cut down near Guelph. In May, thieves felled 33 hydro poles by the Hound Chute Generating Station near Cobalt, Ont., stripping them of copper wire police say was worth $100,000.

In New Brunswick there have been 80 incidents so far this year, said Bell, with most of them occurring in the Fredericton–Oromocto corridor.

The issue has come before the Senate Transportation and Communications Committee and Bell wants government to amend the Criminal Code to increase penalties. The telecom said it is also accelerating its transition to all-fibre, which now covers 60 per cent of its network.

The world’s third most consumed metal, copper is used in a wide range of industries from building construction to electronic products. One of its biggest drivers in recent years has been electric vehicles.

With surging demand and dwindling supply, the scrap metal market is sometimes referred to as

“the world’s largest copper mine.”  Prices have been rising since the pandemic, with a surge this year sparked by the threat of

United States tariffs. The benchmark London price rose to more than three-month high of almost US$10,000 a tonne last week.

 Sign up here to get Posthaste delivered straight to your inbox.

Investors who put their money in real estate, especially condos, two years ago, might wish they chose stocks instead, according to today’s chart from BMO Capital Markets.

BMO argued this case in 2023 , saying TSX stocks had better yields, liquidity, payout growth and tax advantages, while real estate would struggle with cash flow dynamics, building supply and sinking rents.

It’s a trend that has further to run, said BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic this past week.

“While cash flow dynamics in real estate are ‘less bad’ now with mortgage rates and prices both down, they’re still not compelling enough to draw investment in from other asset classes like equities and GoCs — real estate requires a risk premium (though many forgot that).”

Equities on the other hand still have relatively favourable valuations and earnings and dividends should continue to grow if Canada reaches a trade deal with the U.S., boosting the economy, he said.

• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to sign Memorandums of Understanding on energy and trade.

• Bay Street shrugs off tariff threat as dealmaking tally hits $310 billion
• Stakes are high in Canada’s race to become an energy superpower
• It’s a tough time for traditional 60/40 investors

With Donald Trump’s tariff war keeping markets on edge, investors may be anxious about their financial plans. Allan Norman for

FP Answers explains the three steps of the planning process — life planning, financial planning and financial advice — to get you what you want and keep it, no matter what happens.

Send us your summer job search stories

Recently, we published a feature on the death of the summer job as student unemployment reaches crisis levels. We want to hear directly from Canadians aged 15-24 about their summer job search.

Send us your story, in 50-100 words, and we’ll publish the best submissions in an upcoming edition of the Financial Post.

You can submit your story by email to fp_economy@postmedia.com under the subject heading “Summer job stories.” Please include your name, your age, the city and province where you reside, and a phone number to reach you.

McLister on mortgages

Want to learn more about mortgages? Mortgage strategist Robert McLister’s

Financial Post column can help navigate the complex sector, from the latest trends to financing opportunities you won’t want to miss. Plus check his

Financial Post on YouTube

mortgage rate page for Canada’s lowest national mortgage rates, updated daily. Visit the Financial Post’s YouTube channel for interviews with Canada’s leading experts in business, economics, housing, the energy sector and more.

Today’s Posthaste was written by Pamela Heaven with additional reporting from Financial Post staff, The Canadian Press and Bloomberg.

Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at 

• Canadian dollar could hit 78 cents U.S. and sooner than expected
• Canada home prices seen falling further as tariff war deepens downturn

posthaste@postmedia.com . Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here