View the most recent version.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.
The Daily. Thursday, December 14, 2000
Twice as many women were police officers as of June 2000 compared with a decade previously, according to a new report. In 1990, there were 3,573 female police officers, representing just over 6% of all officers. By June this year, there were 7,658 female police officers, accounting for almost 14% of the total.
British Columbia had the highest proportion of female police officers at almost 18%, followed by Ontario at almost 15%. The Atlantic provinces continued to have the lowest proportion of female officers at around 10%.
The overall total of 56,020 police officers as of June 2000 was a 1.3% increase from the previous year. This total was the equivalent of one police officer for every 549 Canadians.
Canada has 182 police officers for every 100,000 population, a rate that has remained relatively stable for the last five years following a 10% decline between 1991 and 1996. The current Canadian rate is lower than in both the United States (247 in 1998) and England and Wales (233).
Police officers
2000
| Population | Total police officers | Police officers per 100,000 population | % change in rate 1995 to 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| '000 | ||||
| Newfoundland | 538.8 | 772 | 143 | -5.8 |
| Prince Edward Island | 138.9 | 205 | 148 | 4.1 |
| Nova Scotia | 941.0 | 1,600 | 170 | -2.1 |
| New Brunswick | 756.6 | 1,309 | 173 | 0.2 |
| Quebec | 7,372.4 | 13,835 | 188 | -4.1 |
| Ontario | 11,669.3 | 21,637 | 185 | -2.3 |
| Manitoba | 1,147.9 | 2,142 | 187 | -3.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 1,023.6 | 1,864 | 182 | -1.1 |
| Alberta | 2,997.2 | 4,613 | 154 | -4.6 |
| British Columbia | 4,063.8 | 6,708 | 165 | 0.3 |
| Yukon | 30.7 | 120 | 391 | 4.2 |
| Northwest Territories | 42.1 | 154 | 366 | ... |
| Nunavut | 27.7 | 86 | 311 | ... |
| Provincial/territorial total | 30,750.1 | 55,045 | 179 | -2.7 |
| RCMP (headquarters and training academy)(1) | ... | 975 | ... | ... |
| Canada | 30,750.1 | 56,020 | 182 | -2.8 |
| 1 | Officers are included separately as they provide a national service. All other RCMP officers are included in the province or territory in which they work. |
| ... | Figures not appropriate or not applicable. |
Among the provinces, Quebec had 188 police officers for every 100,000 population, the highest rate, followed closely by Manitoba at 187. Newfoundland (143) and Prince Edward Island (148) had the lowest rates.
According to 1999 data, Thunder Bay had the highest rate among Census Metropolitan Areas, 196 police officers for every 100,000 population, followed by Regina at 192. Sherbrooke (110) and Chicoutimi-Jonquière (118) had the lowest.
Policing costs in Canada totalled $6.4 billion in 1999, a 2.9% increase from 1998, or a 1.2% rise after adjusting for inflation. This total was the equivalent of $210 for every Canadian. Over the past decade, policing costs have increased 10% in adjusted dollars.
Available on CANSIM: matrix 301 and table 00130101.
The report Police resources in Canada, 2000 (85-225-XIE, $26) is now available. See How to order products.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (613-951-9023; 1-800-387-2231), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.