Table 3
Police-reported crime for selected drug offences, Canada, 2018 and 2019


Table 3
Police-reported crime for selected drug offences, Canada, 2018 and 2019
Table summary
This table displays the results of Police-reported crime for selected drug offences. The information is grouped by Type of offence (appearing as row headers), 2018, 2019, Change in rate 2018 to 2019 and Change in rate 2009 to 2019, calculated using number, rate and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Type of offence 2018Note r: revised 2019 Change in rate 2018 to 2019 Change in rate 2009 to 2019
number rate number rate percent
Total drug offences 84,927 229 70,140 187 -19 -36
Total cannabis offencesTable 3 Note 1 36,579 99 16,868 45 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis - possessionTable 3 Note 1 26,402 71 46 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis - traffickingTable 3 Note 1 3,387 9 20 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis - production or importation/exportationTable 3 Note 1 5,281 14 214 1 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - possessionTable 3 Note 2 459 1 1,818 5 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - distributionTable 3 Note 2 189 1 955 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - saleTable 3 Note 2 244 1 1,078 3 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - importation or exportationTable 3 Note 2 Table 3 Note 3 342 1 11,193 30 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - productionTable 3 Note 2 102 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded 907 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Cannabis (Cannabis Act) - otherTable 3 Note 2 Table 3 Note 4 173 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded 637 2 Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Total other drug offences (excluding cannabis) 48,348 130 53,272 142 9 47
Cocaine - possession 7,027 19 6,732 18 -6 -21
Cocaine - trafficking 6,969 19 7,995 21 13 -26
Cocaine - production or importation/exportation 613 2 595 2 -4 47
Methamphetamine - possession 10,546 28 10,849 29 1 1,127
Methamphetamine - trafficking 2,718 7 3,228 9 17 642
Methamphetamine - production or importation/exportation 583 2 369 1 -38 871
Ecstasy - possession 284 1 231 1 -20 -57
Ecstasy - trafficking 129 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded 118 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded -10 -60
Ecstasy - production or importation/exportation 805 2 318 1 -61 629
Heroin - possession 2,282 6 2,342 6 1 342
Heroin - trafficking 866 2 708 2 -19 125
Heroin - production or importation/exportation 204 1 140 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded -32 132
Opioids (not heroin) - possessionTable 3 Note 5 1,494 4 2,346 6 55 Note ...: not applicable
Opioids (not heroin) - traffickingTable 3 Note 5 933 3 1,355 4 43 Note ...: not applicable
Opioids (not heroin) - production or importation/exportationTable 3 Note 5 78 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded 65 Note 0svalue rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded -18 Note ...: not applicable
Other drugs - possessionTable 3 Note 5 Table 3 Note 6 7,050 19 7,964 21 11 Note ...: not applicable
Other drugs - traffickingTable 3 Note 5 Table 3 Note 6 3,449 9 5,288 14 51 Note ...: not applicable
Other drugs - production or importation/exportation or otherTable 3 Note 5 Table 3 Note 6 2,318 6 2,629 7 12 Note ...: not applicable
... not applicable
0s value rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded
r revised
Note 1

As a result of the coming into force of the Cannabis Act on October 17, 2018, all prior cannabis-related legislation under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) has been replaced with the Cannabis Act.

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Note 2

The Cannabis Act came into force October 17, 2018; therefore, there is no percentage change from 2018 to 2019, or from 2009 to 2019.

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Note 3

The Montréal census metropolitan area in Quebec accounted for 56% of all importation or exportation offences reported under the Cannabis Act (6,323 of the 11,193 offences reported nationally). The high proportion of offences was attributed to cannabis seizures conducted by the Canada Border Services Agency in Montréal that were thought to be related to possible misunderstanding by the public related to the purchase and delivery of cannabis from outside of Canada under the new legislation.

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Note 4

Includes "other Cannabis Act" offences, such as possession, production, sale, distribution or importation of anything for use in production or distribution of illicit cannabis, and use of a young person in the commission of a cannabis offence.

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Note 5

In November 2017, the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey began counting violations involving opioids (other than heroin) under their own unique violation codes. Prior to this, violations involving opioids (including fentanyl) were counted within the category of "other drugs"; therefore, the percentage change from 2009 to 2019 for violations involving opioids or "other drugs" are not shown.

Return to note 5 referrer

Note 6

Includes all other drugs listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), such as prescription drugs, barbiturates, LSD and "drugs used to facilitate sexual assault". Trafficking and production of other drugs includes the possession, production, sale or importation of anything (such as precursors) with the knowledge that it will be used in the production or trafficking of a controlled substance (as defined in section 2(1) of the CDSA).

Return to note 6 referrer

Note: Police-reported statistics may be affected by differences in the way police services deal with offences. In some instances, police or municipalities might choose to deal with some offences using municipal bylaws or provincial provisions rather than Criminal Code provisions. Counts are based on the most serious violation in the incident. One incident may involve multiple violations. Data for specific types of crime are available, in most cases, from 1977. Rates are calculated on the basis of 100,000 population. Percentage changes are based on unrounded rates. Populations are based upon July 1st estimates from Statistics Canada, Centre for Demography.
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.
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