Homicide in Canada, 2019

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Release date: October 29, 2020
Related article More information PDF version
Homicide in Canada, 2019
Description: Homicide in Canada, 2019

Homicide in Canada, 2019

Nationwide, there were 678 homicides, at a rate of 1.80 per 100,000 population.

486 male victims
144 female victims



Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Province or territory (appearing as row headers), Number of homicides in 2019 and Change in number of homicides from 2018 (appearing as column headers).
Province or territory Number of homicides in 2019 Change in number of homicides from 2018
Canada 678 +20
Newfoundland and Labrador 5 +3
Prince Edward Island 2 +2
Nova Scotia 6 -5
New Brunswick 15 +2
Quebec 77 -6
Ontario 246 -26
Manitoba 72 +17
Saskatchewan 55 +21
Alberta 100 +19
British Columbia 90 0
Yukon 1 -2
Northwest Territories 2 -4
Nunavut 7 -1

Almost 1 in 4 homicides in Canada was gang-related.

The number of gang-related homicides increased in 2019 to its 2nd highest rate ever.

In Canada, 261 homicides were committed with a firearm, or 2 in every 5 homicides. Over half (60%) of these were committed with a handgun.



Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Method of death, Shooting, Stabbing, Beating and Other, calculated using rate per 100, 000 population units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Year Method of death
Shooting Stabbing Beating Other
rate per 100, 000 population
1989 0.79 0.62 0.47 0.48
1990 0.70 0.77 0.47 0.40
1991 0.97 0.80 0.51 0.40
1992 0.87 0.74 0.53 0.42
1993 0.68 0.67 0.40 0.42
1994 0.68 0.53 0.37 0.46
1995 0.59 0.62 0.41 0.35
1996 0.72 0.66 0.44 0.28
1997 0.65 0.56 0.38 0.35
1998 0.50 0.62 0.41 0.30
1999 0.55 0.47 0.41 0.32
2000 0.60 0.49 0.42 0.25
2001 0.55 0.55 0.39 0.26
2002 0.48 0.58 0.40 0.32
2003 0.52 0.45 0.39 0.33
2004 0.54 0.64 0.43 0.30
2005 0.69 0.61 0.44 0.26
2006 0.59 0.64 0.37 0.23
2007 0.57 0.57 0.36 0.23
2008 0.60 0.61 0.37 0.23
2009 0.54 0.62 0.35 0.26
2010 0.51 0.49 0.34 0.26
2011 0.46 0.61 0.38 0.28
2012 0.49 0.47 0.33 0.24
2013 0.38 0.56 0.29 0.19
2014 0.44 0.53 0.29 0.18
2015 0.50 0.60 0.38 0.17
2016 0.62 0.48 0.32 0.22
2017 0.73 0.56 0.30 0.19
2018 0.68 0.50 0.32 0.21
2019 0.70 0.57 0.27 0.22

Indigenous peoplesNote 1 represented about 5% of Canada’s total population in 2019 yet accounted for 27% of homicide victims and 38% of accused persons. The rate of homicide for Indigenous peoples was six-and-a-half times higher than for non-Indigenous people.



Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 Indigenous, Non-Indigenous, Male and Female, calculated using rate per 100,000 population units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Indigenous Non-Indigenous
Male Female Male Female
rate per 100,000 population
Homicide victimsTable 3 Note 2 11.89 4.01 2.04 0.55
Persons accused of homicideTable 3 Note 2 13.73 2.21 1.55 0.17
Note 2

Excludes 12% of homicide victims and 14% of accused persons where gender or Indigenous identity was unknown. The total may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Return to note 2 referrer

One-third of homicide victims were identified as visible minorities, 44% of whom were identified as Black.

Of solved homicides, almost 9 in 10 victims knew their accused.

The proportion of female victims killed by a spouse or intimate partner was 8 times greater than the proportion of male victims.



Homicide victims by accused-victim relationshipHomicide victims Note 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Homicide victims by accused-victim relationship. The information is grouped by Accused-victim relationship (appearing as row headers), Percentage of male victims and Percentage of female victims (appearing as column headers).
Accused-victim relationship Percentage of male victims Percentage of female victims
Spousal or intimate relationshipHomicide victims Note 4 6 47
Family relationship (non-spousal) 15 26
AcquaintanceHomicide victims Note 5 41 12
Criminal relationship 11 1
Stranger 13 7
Other relationship 3 0
Unknown relationship 10 6
Note 3

Excludes 34% of homicides where the accused was not identified. The total may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Return to note 3 referrer

Note 4

Includes boyfriend, girlfriend, same-gender relationship, extra-marital lover, ex-boyfriend/girlfriend and other intimate relationships. Intimate relationship homicide counts include victims of all ages.

Return to note 4 referrer

Note 5

Includes close friend, neighbour, authority or reverse authority figure, business relation, and casual acquaintance.

Return to note 5 referrer

Homicide rate for every 100,000 people living in the 5 largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs)



Table 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 5. The information is grouped by Census metropolitan area (appearing as row headers), Rate per 100,000 population – 2018 and Rate per 100,000 population – 2019 (appearing as column headers).
Census metropolitan area Rate per 100,000 population – 2018 Rate per 100,000 population – 2019
Toronto 2.31 2.03
Montréal 1.11 1.05
Vancouver 1.66 1.52
Calgary 1.34 1.57
Edmonton 2.60 2.20
Canada 1.78 1.80

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Homicide Survey.

More information

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

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

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Date modified: