A CLOSER LOOK AT CANADA’S HOMICIDE RATES.
... AND THREE THAT HAD NONE
According to Statistics Canada data released this week, police reported 611 homicides across Canada in 2016, a rate of 1.68 per 100,000 people. The rate is one per cent lower from the year before and 44 per cent lower than the peak rate recorded in 1975.
Homicide rates differ significantly across the country’s 33 census metropolitan areas (CMAs), which are made up of a city and its surrounding commuter suburbs. Here’s a look at some of the key regional differences.
HIGHEST HOMICIDE RATES
Eight victims in Thunder Bay boosted the northern Ontario city’s homicide rate to 6.64 in 2016, the highest among the 33 CMAs. The homicide rate has generally fluctuated over the years in Thunder Bay. In 2015 it was 2.48, while 2014 saw a rate of 9.04. The second and third highest homicide rates in 2016 were in the Prairies. Edmonton saw 47 homicides, nine more than the year before, for a rate of 3.39. Regina followed with 8 homicides and a rate of 3.23.
LOWEST HOMICIDE RATES
The CMAs with the lowest homicide rates per 100,000 were Greater Sudbury and Kingston in Ontario, and Trois-Rivières, Que. Police reported zero homicides in all three communities in 2016.
BIGGEST CITIES
What about the largest metropolitan areas? Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary were in the middle of the list of 33 CMAs. Calgary saw 33 victims for 2.24 per 100,000, which is higher than the national rate. Vancouver saw a rate of 1.61 with 41 homicides, followed by Toronto with 1.55 and 96 victims. Montreal fared better with a homicide rate of 1.02 and 42 homicide reports. Though Toronto had lower rates than a number of large cities, it did see 14 more homicides in 2016 than the previous year. Statistics Canada noted in their release that gang-related homicides were a contributing factor to the year-over-year rise in victims.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
For the 33 CMAs, the homicide rate per 100,000 was 1.63. Outside these metropolitan areas, the rate was 1.80.
GUN DEATHS
For the third year in a row, homicides involving firearms saw an increase in both their number and rate. In 2016, there were 223 firearm-related homicides, or 44 more than the year before. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000, it was also the highest rate of firearm-related homicides since 2005. Gang activity was linked to 54 per cent of these homicides, up from 43 per cent in 2015.