Table 13
Homicides, by selected accused and incident characteristics, and by Indigenous identity group, Canada, 2015 to 2020


Table 13
Homicides, by selected accused and incident characteristics, and by Indigenous identity group, Canada, 2015 to 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Homicides. The information is grouped by Selected accused and incident characteristics (appearing as row headers), First Nations , Métis, Inuit, Indigenous, group unknown, Total Indigenous persons and Non-Indigenous persons, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Selected accused and incident characteristics First Nations Métis Inuit Indigenous, group unknown Total Indigenous persons Non-Indigenous personsTable 13 Note ‡
number percent number percent number percent number percent number percent number percent
Clearance statusTable 13 Note 1
Not cleared 103 15 11 20 6 9 39 22 159 16 886 30
Cleared by charge 553 82 44 79 51 78 137 77 785 81 1,801 62
Cleared otherwise 18 3 1 2 8 12 1 1 28 3 235 8
Elapsed time between when homicide occurred and when it was cleared
1 day or less 310 54 24 53 35 61 69 50 438 54 1,002 49
2 to 30 days 158 28 16 36 15 26 46 33 235 29 607 30
31 days or more 102 18 5 11 7 12 23 17 137 17 416 21
Average elapsed time (days) 53 Note ...: not applicable 16 Note ...: not applicable 17 Note ...: not applicable 31 Note ...: not applicable 45 Note ...: not applicable 82 Note ...: not applicable
Gender of accused
Man 457 82 39 91 53 90 117 87 666 84 1,824 91
Woman 103 18 4 9 6 10 18 13 131 16 177 9
Unknown 7 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 7 Note ...: not applicable 5 Note ...: not applicable
Median age of accused 27 Note ...: not applicable 26 Note ...: not applicable 29 Note ...: not applicable 29 Note ...: not applicable 27 Note ...: not applicable 31 Note ...: not applicable
Relationship to victimTable 13 Note 2
Married or common-law spouse 67 12 3 7 14 25 3 2 87 11 252 13
Current spouse 58 10 2 4 14 25 3 2 77 10 200 10
Separated or divorced spouse 9 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 10 1 52 3
Family member 143 26 10 22 19 35 24 19 196 25 346 18
Relative 73 13 8 18 10 18 15 12 106 14 285 15
Extended familyTable 13 Note 3 70 13 2 4 9 16 9 7 90 11 61 3
Intimate partner (non-spouse) 29 5 1 2 3 5 6 5 39 5 96 5
Current intimate partner 22 4 1 2 1 2 4 3 28 4 61 3
Ex-intimate partner 7 1 0 0 2 4 2 2 11 1 35 2
Friend or acquaintance 283 51 23 51 18 33 68 53 392 50 859 45
Friend or family friend 198 36 14 31 16 29 36 28 264 34 415 22
Neighbour 12 2 1 2 2 4 2 2 17 2 77 4
Criminal relationshipTable 13 Note 4 42 8 4 9 0 0 12 9 58 7 227 12
Other known person 31 6 4 9 0 0 18 14 53 7 140 7
Stranger 33 6 8 18 1 2 27 21 69 9 368 19
Unknown 16 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable 10 Note ...: not applicable 30 Note ...: not applicable 115 Note ...: not applicable
History of family violenceTable 13 Note 5
Yes 97 52 3 38 20 65 13 50 133 53 193 38
No 89 48 5 63 11 35 13 50 118 47 312 62
Unknown or not applicable 385 Note ...: not applicable 37 Note ...: not applicable 28 Note ...: not applicable 112 Note ...: not applicable 562 Note ...: not applicable 1,531 Note ...: not applicable
Most serious violation
First degree murder 150 22 14 25 17 26 28 16 209 22 1,527 52
Second degree murder 386 57 34 61 42 65 117 66 579 60 1,108 38
Manslaughter 138 20 8 14 6 9 32 18 184 19 284 10
Infanticide 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Indigenous identity of accused
Indigenous person 504 89 34 79 58 98 88 67 684 86 218 11
First Nations person 476 84 14 33 0 0 16 12 506 63 114 6
Métis person 9 2 15 35 0 0 5 4 29 4 28 1
Inuit person 0 0 0 0 58 98 0 0 58 7 4 0
Indigenous person, group unknown 19 3 5 12 0 0 67 51 91 11 72 4
Non-Indigenous person 60 11 9 21 1 2 44 33 114 14 1,748 89
Unknown 3 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable 6 Note ...: not applicable 40 Note ...: not applicable
Accused has a mental illnessTable 13 Note 6
Yes 59 12 4 10 12 22 14 14 89 13 451 26
No 453 88 35 90 42 78 86 86 616 87 1,283 74
Unknown 55 Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable 5 Note ...: not applicable 35 Note ...: not applicable 99 Note ...: not applicable 272 Note ...: not applicable
Accused had consumed a substance during the period leading up to the incident
Yes 426 91 23 79 46 88 63 86 558 90 756 62
No 41 9 6 21 6 12 10 14 63 10 457 38
Unknown 100 Note ...: not applicable 14 Note ...: not applicable 7 Note ...: not applicable 62 Note ...: not applicable 183 Note ...: not applicable 793 Note ...: not applicable
Accused was involved in illegal activities
No 425 75 33 79 49 89 68 59 575 74 1,437 74
Yes 139 25 9 21 6 11 48 41 202 26 503 26
Unknown 3 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable 19 Note ...: not applicable 27 Note ...: not applicable 66 Note ...: not applicable
Homicide related to illegal drug trade activities
Yes, or suspected 99 15 8 15 2 3 31 18 140 15 741 28
No 555 85 45 85 61 97 137 82 798 85 1,881 72
Unknown 20 Note ...: not applicable 3 Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable 9 Note ...: not applicable 34 Note ...: not applicable 300 Note ...: not applicable
Gang-related homicideTable 13 Note 7
Yes, or suspected 93 14 7 13 0 0 30 17 130 13 725 25
No 579 86 47 87 65 100 147 83 838 87 2,154 75
Unknown 2 Note ...: not applicable 2 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 4 Note ...: not applicable 43 Note ...: not applicable
... not applicable
0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
Note 1

For an incident to be cleared, at least one accused must have been identified and either a charge has been laid, or recommended to be laid, against this individual in connection with the incident, or the the accused is processed by other means.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

If there were more than one accused, only the closest relationship to the victim was recorded.

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Note 3

Includes nieces, nephews, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, cousins, in-laws, etc., related by blood, marriage (including common-law) or adoption.

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Note 4

Includes, for example, drug dealers, and their clients, loan sharks, or gang members, as well as co-substance users.

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Note 5

Includes only homicides in which the accused was a family member or an intimate partner.

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Note 6

In 1997, the Homicide Survey began collecting information on any suspected mental or developmental disorders (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and dementia) of accused persons. This information reflects police perceptions of the mental condition of the accused person and is not necessarily supported by a medical or health professional’s assessment. As such, it should be interpreted with caution.

Return to note 6 referrer

Note 7

A homicide is classified as gang-related when police confirm or suspect that the accused person and/or victim involved in the homicide was either a member, or a prospective member, of an organized crime group or street gang or was somehow associated with an organized crime group or street gang, and the homicide was carried out as a result of this association.

Return to note 7 referrer

Note: Data on accused are available only for homicides that were cleared. Indigenous identity includes victims and accused persons identified as First Nations persons, Métis, Inuit, or an Indigenous identity where the Indigenous group is not known to police. Homicides for which the Indigenous identity was unknown are excluded from the total calculations. The year 2019 marked the first cycle of collection of the Homicide Survey data for which information on gender identity was reported for victims and persons accused of homicide. Gender refers to the gender a person publicly expresses in their daily life, including at work, while shopping or accessing other services, in their housing environment or in the broader community. Prior to 2019, Homicide Survey data was presented by the sex of the victims and accused persons. Sex and gender refer to two different concepts. Caution should be exercised when comparing counts for sex with those for gender. Given that small counts of victims and accused persons identified as “gender diverse” may exist, the aggregate Homicide Survey data available to the public has been recoded to assign these counts to either “man” or “woman” in order to ensure the protection of confidentiality and privacy. Victims and accused persons identified as gender diverse have been assigned to either man or woman based on the regional distribution of victims’ or accused persons’ gender.
Source: Statistics Canada, Homicide Survey.
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