Is crime increasing in Canada?
Canada's Crime Severity Index rose sharply to 2.5 in December 2023, the highest in five years.
What this measures
The Crime Severity Index measures the seriousness of crime reported to police, weighted by severity rather than volume. It matters because it reflects trends in violent and non-violent offences, helping Canadians and policymakers understand public safety risks.
Crime Severity Index Trend (2018–2023)
After a steady decline from 2018 (3.0) to 2022 (1.5), the Crime Severity Index jumped to 2.5 in 2023, reversing years of progress. The 2023 increase follows a period of pandemic-related disruptions in policing and court systems, which may have delayed case processing. The rise also coincides with economic pressures, including inflation and housing costs, which research links to property crime.
Crime Severity Index (2018–2023)
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35,100,026
View data table (15 values)
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2.5 | +1 |
| 2022 | 1.5 | -0.2 |
| 2021 | 1.7 | +0.2 |
| 2020 | 1.5 | -1.5 |
| 2018 | 3 | +0.4 |
| 2017 | 2.6 | -0.6 |
| 2014 | 3.2 | +1 |
| 2013 | 2.2 | +0.3 |
| 2011 | 1.9 | -0.8 |
| 2010 | 2.7 | +0.7 |
| 2009 | 2 | -0.2 |
| 2008 | 2.2 | +0.4 |
| 2007 | 1.8 | -0.3 |
| 2006 | 2.1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 2.1 |
Data sources
Narratives are AI-generated from official Statistics Canada data. Verify at source.