Firearms and violent crime in Canada, 2012: highlights

View the most recent version.

Archived Content

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.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

[Full article in HTML] [Full article in PDF]

• There were approximately 5,600 victims of police-reported firearm-related violent crime in Canada (excluding Quebec) in 2012, representing a rate of 21 victims for every 100,000 population.  
• A small proportion (2%) of police-reported violent crime involves firearms. About 17% of violent crime involved another type of weapon, such as a knife or blunt instrument, while the majority (81%) did not involve any type of weapon. These proportions have remained consistent since 2009.
• Most injuries that result from violent crime are not caused by firearms. In 2012, 1% of victims of violent crime who suffered physical injury were injured due to the use of a firearm.
• Similar to trends in violent crime in general, Saskatchewan and Manitoba recorded the highest rates of firearm-related violence in 2012 (34 and 32 per 100,000, respectively). Across all reporting provinces, rates of firearm-related violent crime are considerably lower than rates of non-firearm-related violent crime.
• There were 172 firearm-related homicides in Canada in 2012, 14 more than the previous year. Nova Scotia and Alberta (0.84 and 0.75 per 100,000, respectively) reported the highest rates of firearm-related homicides among the provinces, while there were no firearm-related homicides in Prince Edward Island or the territories.
• Halifax (41 per 100,000) and Moncton (39 per 100,000) had the highest rates of firearm-related violent crime among census metropolitan areas (CMAs).
• More than eight in ten (82%) firearm-related violent offences in Toronto involved a handgun, the highest proportion among CMAs.
• Most victims (60%) of firearm-related violent crime did not know the accused person. Both accused persons and victims of firearm-related violent crime were typically male (92% and 67%, respectively).
• About half (46%) of all firearm-related homicides were gang-related, compared to 8% of homicides involving another type of weapon and 5% of homicides committed using physical force.
• Individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 were accused of firearm-related violent crime at a higher rate than any other age group (50 per 100,000 population). Youth (age 12 to 17), with 43 persons accused for every 100,000 population, had the next highest rate of persons accused.
• Handguns were the most commonly present weapon for accused persons between the ages of 18 to 54, while a rifle or shotgun was most typically present for persons 55 and over accused of firearm-related crime. Of youth accused of criminal offences involving a firearm, firearm-like weapons such as pellet guns or flare guns or unknown types of firearms (44%) and handguns (38%) were the most frequently possessed weapons.