Police-reported crime in Canada, 2019

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Release date: October 29, 2020
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Infographic: Police-reported crime in Canada, 2019
Description: Police-reported crime in Canada, 2019

Police-reported crime in Canada, 2019

The Crime Severity Index (CSI)Note 1 was 5% higher than in 2018, marking the 5th consecutive increase after 11 years of declines. The rise in Canada’s CSI in 2019 was the result of increases in numerous offences, most notably fraud, child pornography, uttering threats, mischief, sexual assault (level 1) and shoplifting of $5,000 or under.



Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), CSI (appearing as column headers).
Year CSI
2005 101.3
2006 *Index base year 100.0
2007 95.3
2008 90.6
2009 87.8
2010 82.9
2011 77.6
2012 75.5
2013 68.9
2014 66.9
2015 70.4
2016 72.0
2017 73.6
2018 75.6
2019 79.5

In 2019, 12 provinces and territories reported an increase in their CSI.



Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Province or territory (appearing as row headers), CSI value, 2019 and Percentage change in CSI, (appearing as column headers).
Province or territory CSITable 2 Note 1 value, 2019 Percentage change in CSI, Table 2 Note 1
2018 to 2019
Newfoundland and Labrador 71.6 +10
Prince Edward Island 64.0 +18
Nova Scotia 66.1 +1
New Brunswick 79.5 +9
Quebec 55.9 -1
Ontario 60.7 +1
Manitoba 139.3 +10
Saskatchewan 148.2 +5
Alberta 119.1 +5
British ColumbiaTable 2 Note 2 104.4 +17
Yukon 215.7 +26
Northwest Territories 388.6 +19
Nunavut 361.3 +11
Note 1

While the crime rate measures the volume of criminal violations, the Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a measure of both the volume and severity of police-reported crime. To determine the severity of a crime, all crimes are assigned a weight based on actual sentences handed down by the courts in all provinces and territories. More serious crimes are assigned higher weights, while less serious crimes are assigned lower weights. As a result, more serious offences have a greater impact on changes in the index.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

Part of the increase in police-reported crime throughout British Columbia in 2019 may be attributable to the implementation of new reporting standards for classifying incidents as founded or unfounded. For more information, see the detailed Juristat article ‘’Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2019.’’

Return to note 2 referrer

Crimes affecting the change in CSI because of their volume and severity include:



Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Type of offence (appearing as row headers), Rate (appearing as column headers).
Type of offence Rate
Increases
Fraud Rate +8%
Child pornography Rate +46%
Uttering threats Rate +20%
Mischief Rate +8%
Sexual assault (level 1) Rate +7%
Shoplifting of $5,000 or under Rate +11%
Decreases
Breaking and entering Rate -1%

With continued discussion about sexual misconduct and unfounded sexual assaults, the police-reported rate of sexual assault continued to increase.

+7%   Sexual assault
In 2019, 10% of sexual assaults were classified as unfounded,Note 3 compared with 14% in 2017.

Following the legalization of cannabis in October 2018, importation and exportation were the most common cannabis offences under the new law (64%).

The rate of drug offences excluding cannabis grew by 9%.

Police reported 3,766 opioid offences (excluding heroin), 1,261 more than in 2018.

After changes to Canada’s impaired driving laws in 2018, 2019 saw the largest increase in the rate of police-reported impaired driving in over three decades (+19%).

Five largest increases and decreases in CSI among census metropolitan areas:



Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Census metropolitan area (appearing as row headers), Percentage change in CSI, 2018 to 2019 (appearing as column headers).
Census metropolitan area Percentage change in CSI,Table 4 Note 1 2018 to 2019
Top 5 increases in CSI
KelownaTable 4 Note 2 20
VictoriaTable 4 Note 2 16
Belleville 13
VancouverTable 4 Note 2 11
Peterborough 10
Top 5 decreases in CSI
Brantford -10
Sherbrooke -10
Halifax -10
Guelph -9
Windsor -8
Note 1

While the crime rate measures the volume of criminal violations, the Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a measure of both the volume and severity of police-reported crime. To determine the severity of a crime, all crimes are assigned a weight based on actual sentences handed down by the courts in all provinces and territories. More serious crimes are assigned higher weights, while less serious crimes are assigned lower weights. As a result, more serious offences have a greater impact on changes in the index.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

Part of the increase in police-reported crime throughout British Columbia in 2019 may be attributable to the implementation of new reporting standards for classifying incidents as founded or unfounded. For more information, see the detailed Juristat article ‘’Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2019.’’

Return to note 2 referrer

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.

“Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2019.” Juristat. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 85-002-X.

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© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2020

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