The volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada increased for the third year in a row last year, according to a report from Statistics Canada. The two per cent increase takes into consideration the volume of crime and the severity, as measured by the Crime Severity Index (CSI). However, the CSI for violent crimes was virtually unchanged at a 0.4 per cent rise, following a 13 per cent increase in total in 2021 and ’22.
Across Canada, the CSI for homicides last year was lower by 14 per cent compared to 2022 and down by 10 per cent for sexual violations against children. The Statistics Canada report states that although there were fewer homicides, there was a four per cent increase in the rate of violent crime because of an increase in assaults, robbery, extortion, and assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm. Across Canada, fraud, shoplifting and vehicle thefts are on the rise, while break and enters dropped five per cent compared to 2022.
The largest contributor to the change in the overall Crime Severity Index was a 52 per cent increase in the rate of police-reported child pornography. Statistics Canada explains that this is partially because more cases, current and historical, are being forwarded to police because of increased public awareness.
Saskatchewan had the fourth highest Crime Severity Index for police-reported crimes in 20023 with Northwest Territories at the top, followed by Nunavut, the Yukon and then Saskatchewan. These numbers come from Statistics Canada. The Northwest Territories’ index, which takes into consideration the volume of crimes and the severity, is 473.7. Saskatchewan’s is 160.2 and Canada as a whole has a CSI of 78.8. Alberta’s CSI is 103 and Manitoba’s is 145.3. The province with the lowest crime rate last year was Ontario at 60.9.
Click here for the full report from Statistics Canada.
According to Statistic’s Canada numbers, of Canada’s largest cities, Barrie, Ontario had the lowest crime severity index last year at 48.1. On the other end, Kamloops has the highest index at 165.3. Saskatoon’s CSI was 116.3, the tenth highest, but the index was down by one per cent from 2022. The number of crimes however, was up by five per cent. Regina’s Crime Severity Index grew by one per cent, but it is lower than Saskatoon’s at 111.6. The crime rate in Saskatchewan’s capital rose by three per cent year-over-year.
