Safety

Total Violent Criminal Code Violations per 100,000 People

Significance

• A safer society has, all else equal, a higher level of well-being.

• Violent crimes involve harm or threats of harm to people and a low violent crime rate can significantly improve the lives of a population.

• Understanding which communities have low violent crime rates can help people to make informed decisions about where to live.

Core Indicator

• The number of total violent criminal code violations per 100,000 people is used to measure the incidence of violent crime.

• In Canada the incidence of violent crime decreased 14.5% from 2000 to 2011, an average of 1.7% per year (see following chart).

Total Violent Criminal Code Violations Per 100,000 People in Canada

1998-2011

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20111,200

1,250

1,300

1,350

1,400

1,450

1,500

1,550

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 252-0051 (UCR)

Decline in Violent Crime Rate

• The decline seen between 2000 and 2011 can be examined in further detail by looking at specific violations (see following chart).

• By far the largest decline occurred in abductions (52%), followed by violent crime with firearms (23%), and robberies (13.4%).

• In contrast, forced confinement (kidnapping) increased by 55.6 %.

Percent Change in Violent Criminal Code Violations per 100,000 people by

detailed Violations in Canada, 2000-2011

-60.0

-40.0

-20.0

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 252-0051 (UCR)

Canada’s Major CMAs

• Among Canada’s largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs), only St. John’s, Halifax, and Winnipeg had more violent criminal code violations per 100,000 than the Canadian average in 2011 (see following chart).

• Ottawa’s violent crime rate – the lowest among the major CMAs in 2011 – was nearly half the Canadian average.

Total Violent Criminal Code Violations per 100,000 people in Major CMAs, 2011

St. J

ohn's

Halifax

Win

nipe

g

Canad

a

Edmon

ton

Victor

ia

Vanco

uver

Sudb

ury

Hamilt

on

Kings

ton

Mon

tréal

Kitche

ner

Londo

n

Toron

to

Québe

c

Calgary

Ottawa

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 252-0051 (UCR)

CMA Trends (2000 to 2011)

• Between 2000 and 2011, the violent crime rate actually fell in all major CMAs except for Edmonton, Québec, Kitchener, and St. John’s (see

following chart).

• St. John’s had by far the largest increase in violent crime (26.6%), followed by Kitchener (6.7%).

• The violent crime rate shrunk the most in Victoria (down 33.6%), followed by Toronto (down 32.1%).

Percent Change in Total Violent Criminal Code Violations per 100,000

People in Major CMAs, 2000-2011

Victor

ia

Toron

to

Calgary

Vanco

uver

Hamilt

on

Ottawa

Halifax

Win

nipe

g

Mon

tréal

Sudb

ury

Londo

n

Kings

ton

Canad

a

Edmon

ton

Québe

c

Kitche

ner

St. J

ohn's

-40.0

-30.0

-20.0

-10.0

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 252-0051 (UCR)