Rural crime fact sheets, 2023: Saskatchewan

Map 1 start

Map 1 end

Demographic and household characteristics

The province of Saskatchewan was home to 1,167,711people in 2021. Among them, 34% lived in the province’s rural areas, while the remaining 66% resided in urban areas. Saskatchewan had both urban and rural areas in the provincial South, while the provincial North was entirely rural.^Note 

According to the latest data from the Census of Population, over half of residents of rural areas were aged 35 or older (57%), along with 54% of urban residents (Table 1). However, residents of rural areas in the provincial North were comparatively younger, with 6 in 10 (60%) aged 34 and under.

A quarter (25%) of residents of rural areas were First Nations, Métis or Inuit (Indigenous), almost twice the proportion as in urban areas (13%). Indigenous peoples comprised the majority of the population in the rural North (86%).

Urban areas were home to a larger proportion of immigrants than rural areas (16% and 5%). The percentage of immigrants in the population was similar in the rural areas of the North (3%) and of the South (5%).

Educational attainment varied between the urban and rural areas of Saskatchewan, with more than double the proportion of urban residents reporting having attained a bachelor’s degree or higher (31%, compared to13% in rural areas). When it came to residents of the rural North, 4 in 10 (40%) reported less than a high school diploma—a considerably larger proportion than among residents in the rural South (14%) and urban areas (8%).

A slightly larger proportion of people living in urban areas were in the labour force (67%) in 2021 compared to those in rural areas (62%), meaning slightly more people in rural areas were retired, disabled, or otherwise not working or looking for work. The unemployment rate for those who were in the labour force was relatively close in urban and rural areas (9% and 7%), although unemployment in the rural North was higher (19%).

The proportions of households falling into the various after-tax income brackets were generally comparable between rural and urban areas. Urban areas reported a slightly larger proportion of households earning $100,000 or more (33%, versus 27% of rural areas). The proportion of households that met the threshold of low-income^Note  was somewhat higher in rural areas (15%, versus 11% of urban households), though the proportion of low-income households in the rural North specifically was higher (26%).

Rural and urban areas were roughly comparable when it came to the number of people living in each household. Rural areas had slightly more two-person households than did urban areas (38% versus 34%), while urban areas were home to more households with three or four residents (28% versus 22%). Households in the rural North most often had five or more residents (27%). Also in the rural North, about a quarter (26%) of residents reported that their home was in need of major repairs.

It is important to note that the nature and extent of crime is influenced by various demographic, social and economic characteristics. For more information, see Characteristics of police-reported crime in rural areas, 2023: Provincial fact sheets.

Characteristics of police-reported crime

In 2023, 32% of Saskatchewan residents lived in an area served by a police service whose jurisdiction was primarily rural.^Note  That year, police services in rural areas reported 68,811 incidents of Criminal Code violations (excluding traffic), translating into a rate of 18,010 incidents per 100,000 population. In urban areas, the rate was considerably lower (10,699) (Table 2). The crime rate in the rural areas of the province increased by 4% from 2022, though the increase since 2018 was considerably larger (+26%). In urban areas, the crime rate also increased by 4% from 2022 but showed a substantially smaller increase from 2018 (+3%).

The crime rate was highest in Saskatchewan’s rural North in 2023 (79,683 incidents per 100,000 population), a rate which was seven times higher than in the rural South (11,171). Over time, the rural North has seen an overall increase in the crime rate, while the rate in the rural South has remained generally stable (Chart 1).

Increases to the crime rate were fairly consistent between rural areas of the North (+4% from 2022 and +29% from 2018) and rural areas of the South (+5% from 2022 and +25% from 2018) in 2023.^Note 

Chart 1 start

Chart 1 end

Characteristics of police-reported violent crime

The rate of police-reported violent crime was just over twice as high in rural areas of Saskatchewan (4,266 incidents per 100,000 population) than in urban areas in 2023 (1,919) (Table 2). This was largely reflective of assaults and firearm-specific offences, the rate of which was the highest among violent crime types in all areas and which was double in rural areas of the province compared to urban areas. Uttering threats, though comparatively less common, showed the largest difference in rate between rural (647 incidents per 100,000) and urban (206 per 100,000) areas among all violent crime. Notably, violent crime comprised more than one-fifth (22%) of overall crime in rural areas, while in urban areas, it accounted for less than one-fifth (17%).

Both rural and urban areas of the province saw the violent crime rate grow in 2023: in rural areas, violent crime increased by 3% from 2022 and 38% from 2018, while in urban areas, the increases were +5% and +28%, respectively.

The highest rate of violent crime in Saskatchewan was noted in the rural North (18,985 incidents per 100,000 population), while the rural South recorded a considerably lower rate (2,634). The rate of assaults and firearm-specific offences was nearly nine times higher in the rural North (14,137 incidents per 100,000) compared to the rural South (1,581).

Characteristics of police-reported non-violent crime

Police services in rural areas of Saskatchewan reported 33,597 incidents of property crime in 2023, translating to a rate of 8,793 incidents per 100,000 population (Table 2). This rate was higher than what was reported by police services in urban areas (5,930). The rural property crime rate increased 3% from what was reported in 2022 and 18% from 2018, while urban areas saw a small increase from 2022 (+2%) and an overall decline since 2018 (-4%).

In 2023, the most common type of police-reported property crime in rural areas was mischief (5,308 incidents per 100,000 population), which increased by 4% from 2022 and 26% from 2018 and largely drove trends in rural property crime overall. After theft of $5,000 or under (2,103), mischief was the second most common type of property crime reported by urban police services (1,688), though the rate in rural areas was slightly more than three times as high (while rates of other types of property crime were more comparable).

Like other types of crime, rates of property crime were higher in the rural North (37,336 incidents per 100,000) than in the rural South (5,628). Despite the rate being almost seven times higher in the rural North, the gap between rates in the rural North and the rural South was smaller for most types of property crime compared to other types of crime. The exception was mischief, which was 12 times higher in the rural North—the largest gap in rates among almost all types of police-reported crime.

The rate of other Criminal Code offences in rural Saskatchewan was 4,951 incidents per 100,000 population in 2023, a rate which increased by 8% from 2022 and by 33% from 2018 (Table 2). Offences against the administration of justice—which include violations like breaches of conditions—and disturbing the peace were the highest-volume offence types in this category of crime (2,674 and 1,640 incidents per 100,000 population, respectively).

Overall, rural areas recorded a rate of other Criminal Code offences that was just under twice the rate noted in urban areas of the province (2,849 incidents per 100,000). However, the rate of disturbing the peace specifically was almost four times higher in rural areas than in urban areas. This difference was largely driven by rates in the rural North (8,980 per 100,000 population).

The rate of offences against the administration of justice was fairly comparable in rural (2,674 incidents per 100,000) versus urban (2,116) areas, though rates in the rural North specifically were substantially higher (11,421). Rates of administration of justice offences showed a slight decline in urban areas since 2018 (-5%), while in rural areas they had increased over this time (+26%)—including a 45% increase in the rural North specifically.

Characteristics of victims of police-reported violent crime

Across the province, women and girls represented a larger proportion of victims of police-reported violent crime in 2023, and the gap was somewhat larger in rural areas (59%) than in urban areas (53%) (Table 3). Overall, rates of violent victimization against women and girls were over twice as high in rural areas (4,221 victims per 100,000 women and girls) as in urban areas (1,753), and the same was seen with violence against men and boys (2,842 victims per 100,000 men and boys in rural and 1,529 in urban areas). The gap between rates of violence against women and girls versus those against men and boys was also larger in rural than urban areas.

The rate of violence against women and girls in the rural North was 19,713 per 100,000 women and girls in 2023. Rates of violence against men and boys were also highest in this area of the province (13,564 per 100,000 men and boys).

Among victims of violent crime in rural areas, 9 in 10 (90%) knew the person accused of the crime. Comparatively, violence committed by a stranger was more common in urban areas (29%).

Slightly larger proportions of victims in rural areas than urban areas had been victimized by a current or former legally married spouse, common law partner, dating partner or other intimate partner (29% and 24%, respectively). When it came to victimization by a family member other than a spouse,^Note  the proportion of victims was almost double in rural compared to urban areas (27% and 15%, respectively).

The proportion of victims who sustained a physical injury as a result of violent crime was slightly higher in rural (60%) than urban (57%) areas, including 64% of victims in the rural North.^Note 

Characteristics of police-reported violent crime incidents

A weapon was present in 24% of violent criminal incidents reported by rural police services in 2023, a smaller proportion than what was reported in urban areas (30%) (Table 4). The rate of violent incidents with a weapon present was 819 incidents per 100,000 population in rural areas and 502 per 100,000 in urban areas.

A private residence was the location for almost 8 in 10 (77%) incidents of violent crime in rural areas in 2023, including 78% in rural areas of the North. This was a larger proportion than what was noted in urban areas (55%). In urban areas, larger proportions of incidents occurred on public transportation, streets, roads or open areas (23% versus 12% in rural areas) or in commercial or non-residential locations (22% versus 11%).

Criminal incidents can be cleared (i.e., solved) by police through either the laying of a charge or through other means, or they can remain uncleared.^Note  A difference was noted between rural and urban areas, in terms of the proportion of incidents cleared. In rural areas, less than half (47%) of violent incidents remained uncleared by police in 2023; in urban areas, this proportion was just over half (53%) (Table 4). In rural areas, slightly more than one-third (35%) of violent incidents resulted in a charge against an accused, a smaller proportion than in urban areas (41%). More incidents were cleared otherwise in rural areas of the province (18% versus 7% in urban areas).^Note  Patterns of incidents cleared otherwise in the rural North were generally consistent with those in the rural South.

Family and intimate partner violence

Rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) were highest among women and girl victims, in both rural and urban areas (Table 5).^Note  In rural areas, rates of IPV among women and girls (1,984 victims per 100,000 women and girls aged 12 and older) were about 4 times higher than rates among men and boys (514), and in urban areas, they were also four times higher (747 versus 178, respectively). As with other types of crime, rates were generally highest in rural areas of the North.

Over time, the rate of police-reported IPV has risen across the province. In rural areas, the rate of IPV increased by 30% from 2013, with a sizable increase in the rural North in particular (+37%) (Chart 2). In urban areas, the rate of IPV increased by 5% between 2013 and 2023.

Chart 2 start

Chart 2 end

As with IPV, rates of family violence^Note  were higher among women and girls than men and boys across the province (Table 5). In rural areas, the rate of family violence against women and girls (1,854 victims per 100,000 women and girls) was about twice as high as the rate against men and boys (931). In urban areas, rates of family violence against women and girls were twice as high as rates among men and boys (600 per 100,000 versus 269). This pattern was consistent in the rural northern and southern areas of the province, with rates against women and girls being about double those against men and boys in these areas.

Rates of non-spousal family violence increased from 2013, in both rural (+30%) and urban (+11%) areas (Chart 2). As with IPV, the largest increase in rates of family violence was noted in the rural North (+44%).

In both rural and urban areas, rates of police-reported family and intimate partner violence were highest among people aged 18 to 44 (including both women and girls and men and boys who were victims) (Table 5). The gap between women and girls and men and boys when it came to rates of these forms of violence was largest with this age group, and grew smaller among older victims. Close to two-thirds of women and girls who were victims of family and intimate partner violence sustained injuries (63% of victims in rural areas and 65% of victims in urban areas). Proportions were slightly higher among men and boys who were victims, 67% of whom sustained injuries in both rural and urban areas.

Characteristics of accused persons

In both rural and urban areas in 2023, men and boys aged 25 to 44 had the highest rates of being accused of police-reported crime (Table 6). This was the case across all crime types for men and boys in rural areas and almost all crime types in urban areas; the exception was with rates of men and boys accused of violent crime in urban areas, which were slightly higher among those aged 18 to 24 (2,633 accused per 100,000 men and boys in that age group).

Accused rates among women and girls were slightly different, with the highest rate being seen among women aged 18 to 24 in both rural (14,131 accused per 100,000 women and girls in that age group) and urban (6,862) areas. As was the case with men and boys, this pattern was consistent across all crime types save violent crime in urban areas, where the rate was also highest among younger women and girls (1,397 per 100,000 women and girls aged 12 to 17).

A person accused of a police-reported crime can have the incident of which they are accused be cleared by the laying or recommendation of a charge, or cleared otherwise. When it came to crime overall, the proportion of accused adults whose incidents were cleared by charge was substantially higher in urban (86%) than rural areas (53%) in 2023 (Table 7). Additionally, a higher percentage of police-reported incidents involving adult accused in the rural South were cleared by charge (60%), compared to incidents in the rural North (43%).

In rural areas, clearance by charge was most common when it came to adults accused of violent crime (69%), proportions that were fairly similar in the rural North (70%) and rural South (68%). These proportions remained lower than the proportion of adults accused of violent crime in urban areas who were charged (87%). Notably, rates of charges against adults accused of property crime were particularly low in rural areas (23%); 13% of adults charged with property crimes in the rural North were charged, along with 33% of those accused in the rural South. In urban areas, meanwhile, 73% of adults accused of property crime saw charges laid. 

Tables

Table 1 Demographic and household characteristics, by rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2021

Table 2 Police-reported crime, by selected violation, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023

Table 3 Police-reported violent crime, by victim characteristic, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023

Table 4 Police-reported violent crime, by incident characteristic, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023

Table 5 Police-reported family violence and intimate partner violence, by victim characteristic, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023

Table 6 Police-reported crime, by gender and age group of accused persons, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023

Table 7 Police-reported crime, by age group of accused, incident clearance status, rural or urban area and North or South region, Saskatchewan, 2023