Police-reported crime in Canada, 2020

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Release date: July 27, 2021
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Infographic: Police-reported crime in Canada, 2020
Description: Police-reported crime in Canada, 2020

Police-reported crime in Canada, 2020

The Crime Severity Index (CSI)Note 1 was 8% lower than in 2019, the first decrease after 5 years of increases. In the first year of the pandemic, the Violent CSI decreased 4%, while the Non-violent CSI decreased 10%. This was the largest year-over-year change recorded for the Non-violent CSI.


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
2006* 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 79.8
2020 73.4
*Index base year

In 2020, most provinces and one territory reported decreases 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, 2020 and Percentage change in CSI, 2019 to 2020 (appearing as column headers).
Province or territory CSI value, 2020 Percentage change in CSI, 2019 to 2020
Newfoundland and Labrador 68.9 -4
Prince Edward Island 57.2 -11
Nova Scotia 71.7 +8
New Brunswick 82.8 +3
Quebec 51.6 -7
Ontario 55.7 -9
Manitoba 125.2 -10
Saskatchewan 141.1 -6
Alberta 107.4 -11
British Columbia 95.7 -8
Yukon 214.5 +1
Northwest Territories 414.5 +6
Nunavut 368.4 -1
Canada 73.4 -8

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


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
Breaking and entering -16%
Theft under $5,000 -20%
Robbery -18%
Shoplifting under $5,000 -36%
Administration of justice violations -17%
Sexual assault (level 1) -9%

2,669 hate crime incidents

The number of police-reported hate crimes increased 37% to 2,669 incidents. Hate crimes targeting the Black population, East or Southeast Asian population, Indigenous population, and South Asian population accounted for most of the national change.

743 victims of homicide in Canada, 56 more than in 2019.


Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Victims of homicide (appearing as row headers), Number of victims of homicide and Homicide rate per 100,000 population (appearing as column headers).
Victims of homicideTable 4 Note 1 Number of victims of homicide Homicide rate per 100,000 population
Indigenous male victims 163 16.50
Indigenous female victims 38 3.76
Non-Indigenous male victims 382 2.14
Non-Indigenous female victims 125 0.69
Note 1

Total homicide victims excludes persons where the Indigenous identity or gender identity was reported as unknown by police (5% of victims in 2020). Rates are calculated per 100,000 Indigenous population by sex, and per 100,000 non-Indigenous population by sex.

Return to note 1 referrer

The rate of police reported opioid offences (excluding heroin) increased 34% in 2020. Of all specific drug offences reported in 2020, opioid offences were the only ones to have increased from the previous year.

The rate of total fraudNote 2 remained stable for the first time in 9 years; however, rates of identity theft (+52%) and identity fraud (+12%) increased.

Five largest increases and decreases in CSI among census metropolitan areas


Table 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 5. The information is grouped by Census metropolitan area (appearing as row headers), Percentage change in CSI, 2019 to 2020 (appearing as column headers).
Census metropolitan area Percentage change in CSI, 2019 to 2020
Top 5 increases by CMA
Peterborough +14
Greater Sudbury +7
Kingston +4
Victoria +3
Halifax +2
Top 5 decreases by CMA
Regina -20
Calgary -17
Ottawa -16
Barrie -16
Toronto -15

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. “Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2020.” Juristat. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 85-002-X.

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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, 2021

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