New Brunswick is one of the two provinces with the highest volume of copper thefts, according to Bell.
In a press release, the communications giant said New Brunswick and Ontario are the epicentres of the issue.
Between January and June of 2026, Bell recorded 993 incidents nationwide, representing a 78 per cent increase over the same period in 2025.
Ontario saw the highest number of cases at 579, while New Brunswick had 268, which the company said was a 235 per cent increase from 2025.
Bell said Quebec also saw a significant surge, with 91 incidents recorded so far this year, up 89 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The increase in theft is more acute in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Lanaudière and the Laurentians, said the communications company.
While metal theft has increased significantly, the telecommunications company noted that arrests have also risen by 32 per cent.
Particularly in Quebec, according to Bell, the province stands out for its enforcement efforts, with arrests up 150 per cent — one of the highest in the country.
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Bell has also recently obtained a favorable court decision in Quebec related to copper theft, reinforcing the use of civil remedies to hold offenders accountable.
In the release, EVP and CFO Mark McDonald said the theft of copper can lead to service outages that can potentially endanger public safety, particularly by disrupting access to emergency services.
“No other organization can stop copper theft alone. It will take coordinated action from telecommunications providers, governments, law enforcement, recyclers and communities to hold criminals accountable and protect the networks Canadians depend on,” he added.
Bell said it’s taking a “multi-pronged approach” to help prevent copper theft and protect its network, including deploying alarms linked to law enforcement, increasing on-the-ground surveillance, working closely with police departments, and pursuing legal action against offenders.
The communications company said protecting “critical infrastructure is a shared responsibility,” and added that members of the public can also help by reporting suspicious activity near telecommunications infrastructure to local police or Crime Stoppers.
