The federal government tabled a bill Thursday to make street racing a crime and impose stiffer sentences for those convicted.
If passed by Parliament, the proposed legislation would make street-racing a separate offence under the Criminal Code -- raising maximum sentences in some cases and imposing mandatory driving prohibitions for all convicted.
The legislation was introduced at the outset of business in the House of Commons on Thursday and Justice Minister Vic Toews detailed the new bill at a morning news conference in Ottawa.
"It's a very dangerous activity and we want to send a very clear message that people are only entitled to use our public highways if they obey specific laws," Toews told reporters.
"Our public roadways are not raceways."
The bill recommends raising maximum sentences to life in prison for the most serious cases and also calls for mandatory driving bans for those convicted.
Toews said under the proposed legislation, a first-time offender could get a mandatory minimum sentence of one year.
"On a second offence a mandatory minimum of two years prohibition and on the third, three years," Toews said.
"But a judge would have the discretion to raise that mandatory minimum to 10 years, 14 years and in some cases even life imprisonment."
Back in May, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised federal action on the issue, saying the Tories will propose changes to the laws in line with those urged by late B.C. MP Chuck Cadman.
Cadman, who died in July after a battle with skin cancer, had previously drafted a private-member's bills demanding stiffer penalties for both street racing and vehicle theft.
Street racers currently convicted of dangerous driving face a maximum sentence of five years. If someone is injured, the maximum is 10 years, and 14 years if someone is killed.
Street racing accidents
Street racing has been blamed for several deaths and injuries across the country in recent years.
Just last week, a 31-year-old Ontario man was killed when he was reportedly racing his Porsche west of Toronto.
And last month an Ontario couple celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary were killed north of Toronto when their vehicle was struck by a young man in a street race.
In January, 46-year-old Toronto cab driver Tahir Khan died when he was caught in the middle of an alleged street race between two Toronto students.
The same month, four men were killed in Vancouver when their car slammed into a lamppost.
The street racing bill follows Conservative legislation to impose mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving guns and for ending conditional sentences for violent offenders.
The government also plans to raise the age of consent for sex to 16 from 14.
Two street-racing cars destroyed
Meanwhile, in an attempt to bring attention to the issue in Ontario, York Regional Police and Attorney General Michael Bryant destroyed two so-called "Hot Wheels" cars which were forfeited for speeding and dangerous driving.
"The message is clear: this is what will happen to your prized possession if you continue to race on York Region roads," York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge said Thursday.
The two Honda vehicles, which were stopped in separate incidences in 2003 and 2004, were substantially modified for street racing.
The province took possession of the cars under the Civil Remedies Act, a law passed last December which allows police to seize property used in illegal activities.
"We're not just slamming the brakes on street racing. We have to take away people who are engaged in street racing, we have to take away their hot wheels for good," Attorney General Michael Bryant told CTV News.
The two vehicles were the first street racing cars to be destroyed under the act.
Since 1999, 34 people have been killed by street racing in the Greater Toronto area alone.
With files from The Canadian Press
