Every day should be Computer Security Day. Why? Our data highlight the role that cyberspace plays in the criminal world today. Indeed, about 4% of the crimes reported by police services across Canada in 2024 had a cyber component. Cyberspace is the Internet-enabled digital world in which online communication, data exchange, and digital interactions take place.
More than half of police-reported cybercrimes are related to fraud or extortion
There were 225.1 police-reported cybercrimes per 100,000 Canadians in 2024, more than twice the rate in 2018 (91.9 cybercrimes), the earliest year with comparable data. In 2024, cybercrime was more prevalent in larger cities (237.7 incidents per 100,000 Canadians) than in smaller towns (186.8).
Rates of cybercrime per 100,000 Canadians ranged from 423.0 incidents in British Columbia to 114.2 in Nunavut.
Fraud (46,301 incidents) was by far the most reported cyber-related violation in 2024, accounting for almost half of all cybercrime incidents. Combined with identity theft (957 incidents), identity fraud (4,283) and extortion (6,042), fraud-related violations accounted for 62% of cybercrimes.
Harassing or threatening behaviours (14,162 incidents) accounted for 15% of cybercrimes and child sexual abuse or exploitation material (10,786) accounted for 12%.
Cyber security incidents rise for individuals while falling slightly for businesses since 2018
The Canadian Internet Use Survey found that over two-thirds (70%) of Canadians experienced a cyber security incident in 2022, up from 2020 (58%) and 2018 (52%).
Total business spending on recovering from cyber security incidents doubled from approximately $600 million in 2021 to $1.2 billion in 2023. This followed an increase of about $200 million from 2019 to 2021.
About one in eight Canadian businesses (13%) impacted by cyber security incidents reported incidents to police services in 2023, up from 10% in 2021. The leading types of incidents reported were those aiming to steal money or demand ransom payment (56% of businesses reporting incidents to police services), followed by those aiming to steal personal or financial information (33%).
One in five businesses planned on taking additional cybersecurity measures in the second quarter of 2025
For businesses, the war to combat cybercrime is ongoing.
Every quarter, we ask businesses in Canada questions about their future business plans and outlook. In the second quarter of 2025, one in five (19.8%) businesses in Canada had plans to take new or additional cybersecurity actions over the next 12 months, with information and cultural industries (42.6%) and finance and insurance (37.1%) businesses most likely to have such plans.
Preliminary data on police-reported cybercrime during the first six months of 2025 are now available
Since the fall of 2024, we have been publishing preliminary quarterly data on police-reported cybercrime incidents across Canada.
During the first six months of 2025, 40,437 incidents of cybercrime were reported by police.
The bottom line is cybercrime is happening every day, affecting both individuals and businesses: fraud and extortion drive most cases.
Stay safe by keeping software up to date; using strong, unique passwords; watching for scams, and reporting incidents when they occur.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).