Crime statistics

Canada's crime rate edged up in 2001 for the first time in a decade, in the wake of a sharp jump in car thefts and increases in minor crimes such as bail violations and mischief.

Police reported 55,000 more criminal incidents in 2001 than in 2000, resulting in a 1% increase in the rate of total Criminal Code offences. Impaired driving increased for the first time in nearly 20 years and drug offences were up for the eighth consecutive year.

Of the 2.4 million criminal incidents, excluding traffic offences, 13% were violent crimes, 52% were property crimes, and the remaining 35% were other offences such as mischief, disturbing the peace, prostitution or arson.

The violent crime rate rose for the second year in a row, although homicides remained stable. The property crime rate continued its long-term downward trend. The crime rate among youth rose for the second straight year (+1%).

The rate of motor vehicle theft rose for the first time in five years. Police reported about 170,000 vehicles stolen in 2001, a 5% increase from 2000 and 10% higher than in 1991. Four provinces incurred double-digit increases in 2001: Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

The three prairie provinces - Manitoba (+6%), Saskatchewan (+5%) and Alberta (+4%) - recorded the largest increases in provincial crime rates. The crime rate fell in only three provinces: Quebec (-3%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-2%) and New Brunswick (-1%).

As in previous years, the highest provincial crime rates were in Saskatchewan, followed by British Columbia and Manitoba. The three territories continued to report crime rates much higher than those of the provinces. The lowest rates were again in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.

Violent crime up for second year in a row

Police reported about 309,000 violent crimes in 2001, up 7,000 from 2000. This nudged the violent crime rate up 1%, the second consecutive increase after seven years of decline from 1993 to 1999. Prior to 1993, the violent crime rate had risen each year since 1977. The 2001 violent crime rate was 6% lower than a decade ago, but 52% higher than 20 years ago.

Minor assaults account for almost two-thirds of all violent crimes each year. In 2001, the rate of minor assaults advanced 1% and was the key factor in the rise in the total violent crime rate. The more serious categories of assault - assault with a weapon and aggravated assault - increased 5%, mainly because of a 7% increase in Quebec and a 14% jump in Saskatchewan.

The overall rate of sexual assaults rose slightly (+0.7%), primarily because of an 8% increase in Quebec. However, Quebec still reported the lowest rate among the provinces. The slight increase at the national level was the first increase in sexual assault since 1993. The 2001 sexual assault rate is 27% lower than in 1991.

The more serious categories of sexual assault declined. The rate of sexual assaults with a weapon declined 17% and aggravated sexual assaults dropped 9%.

The robbery rate remained relatively stable in 2001. Robberies involving firearms have been dropping consistently over the past decade, including a 12% decline in 2001; about one in every seven robberies was committed with a firearm. Robberies committed with other weapons, such as knives, increased 4%; robberies not involving any weapon were up 2%.

The rate of criminal harassment, commonly known as stalking, fell 5%, according to data from a group of 95 police services representing 42% of the national volume of crime. However, this rate had increased 45% from 1996 to 2000.

Six provinces and all three territories reported increases in violent crime in 2001. The largest provincial increases were in Saskatchewan (+8%), Nova Scotia (+6%) and New Brunswick (+5%). The largest declines were in British Columbia (-3%) and Manitoba (-2%).

Among the provinces, Saskatchewan and Manitoba reported the highest violent crime rates, and Quebec and Prince Edward Island continued to report the lowest.

Homicide rate stable

Police reported 554 homicides in 2001, eight more than in 2000. Despite the small increase in numbers, the rate remained stable for the third consecutive year at 1.8 homicides for every 100,000 population. In general, the homicide rate has been declining since the mid-1970s. The rate of attempted murders fell 7% in 2001.

All four Atlantic provinces and Quebec reported a decline in homicides; Ontario and all three prairie provinces recorded small increases.

Manitoba had 34 homicides, resulting in the highest homicide rate (3.0 homicides per 100,000 population) for the second consecutive year, followed by Saskatchewan (2.7) and Alberta (2.3). Newfoundland and Labrador, with one homicide, had the lowest rate (0.2), followed by Nova Scotia (1.0) and New Brunswick (1.1).

Property crime rate lowest in nearly 30 years

The property crime rate edged down 1% in 2001, continuing a downward trend since the early 1990s. The 2001 rate was the lowest in nearly 30 years. A 5% decline in break-ins contributed to the overall drop.

The drop in the rate of break-ins began in the early 1990s. The rate in 2001 was 41% lower than the peak in 1991. Police reported about 167,000 residential break-ins and 80,000 business break-ins. The rate of residential break-ins was down 6%, and break-ins at businesses were down 3%. Break-ins fell in every province.

Seven provinces and two territories reported a decline in property crime rates. Police in Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest decline (-6%), primarily because of an 8% drop in break-ins and a 6% drop in thefts. The only provincial increases were in Manitoba (+3%), British Columbia (+1%) and Ontario (+1%). British Columbia again had the highest property crime rate, and Newfoundland and Labrador the lowest.

First increase in impaired driving in nearly 20 years

The rate of impaired driving incidents rose for the first time in nearly 20 years. Impaired driving incidents went up 7%, and the number of persons charged by police rose 1%.

Part of the decline in impaired driving during the 1990s may be attributed to a growing tendency by police to issue a road-side suspension, rather than laying a charge against drivers found to have a blood-alcohol reading slightly over the legal limit (80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood). These offences were not sent to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) survey in the past unless the driver was formally charged by police. Beginning in 2001, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began sending these incidents to the UCR survey as "actual" incidents of impaired driving.

As a result, RCMP data showed a 10% increase in impaired driving incidents. It is difficult to say how much of this increase was due to the reporting change and how much was an actual increase. The remainder of police forces across the country reported a 5% rise in the rate of impaired driving. Beginning in 2002, all police forces will be reporting impaired driving incidents in the same manner as the RCMP.

Police reported more than 90,000 incidents of impaired driving, with about 71,000 persons charged. The largest increases were reported in British Columbia (+16%), Alberta (+13%) and Quebec (+9%). The largest decline in impaired driving was in Nova Scotia (-10%).

Drug offences continue to increase

The upward trend in reported drug offences since 1993 continued in 2001, with a 3% increase. The most recent increase was driven by a 6% rise in the rate of cannabis offences, which now account for three in four of the nearly 92,000 drug offences. More than two-thirds (70%) of cannabis offences were for possession.

The rate for both cocaine and heroin offences dropped in 2001, while the rate of "other" drugs, such as ecstasy, increased 3%. Over the past decade, cannabis offence rates have nearly doubled (+91%) but the rates for cocaine (-32%) and heroin (-36%) offences are down by about one-third.

Slight increase in youth crime

The youth crime rate, as measured by the rate of youths aged 12 to 17 formally charged by police, rose a slight 1% for the second straight year, after decreasing from 1991 to 1999.

The violent crime rate for youths increased 2%, its second consecutive gain, but the youth property crime rate continued to drop, falling 3%. Police-reported data show that 16 is the peak age of offending among all youths and adults for both violent and property crimes.

There were 30 youths accused of homicide in 2001 - the lowest level in over 30 years and 18 fewer than the average of 48 over the past decade.

The rate of youths charged with robbery climbed 10% in 2001, and youths charged with motor vehicle theft rose 7%. The rate of young people charged with breaking and entering fell 6%, the tenth consecutive decline.

Crime rate up in most metropolitan areas

The crime rate increased in 14 of 25 census metropolitan areas in 2001, including double-digit increases in Sherbrooke, Sudbury and Regina . The largest declines were reported in London, Montréal and Victoria.

As in recent years, the highest crime rates were in Regina, Saskatoon, Vancouver and Winnipeg, and the lowest in Chicoutimi-Jonquière, Québec, Trois-Rivières and Toronto.

The highest homicide rates were reported in Regina (3.5 homicides per 100,000 population), Sudbury (3.1) and Winnipeg (2.8), and the lowest in Sherbrooke (no homicides), Ottawa (0.4) and Saskatoon (0.4).

The motor vehicle theft rate was highest in Regina, Winnipeg and Vancouver and lowest in St. John's and Saint John. Large increases in vehicle theft were reported in Victoria (+55%) and Edmonton (+39%).

The rate of break-ins was highest in Regina, Saskatoon and Sherbrooke. The lowest rates of break-ins were found in two of the largest metropolitan areas, Toronto and Ottawa.

Available on CANSIM: tables 252-0013 and 252-0014.

Juristat: Crime statistics in Canada, 2001, Vol. 22, no. 6 (85-002-XIE, $8/$70; 85-002-XPE, $10/$93) is now available.

For more information or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (1-800-387-2231; 613-951-9023), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.