The 2019 Police reported crime statistics have been released. Across Canada, there was a 5% increase, since 2018, in homicide, violent firearms offences, attempted murder and robbery which was partly offset by a decrease in break and enters.
In Saskatchewan there was a 21% increase in several offences including homicide, violent firearms offences, attempted murder, robbery and sexual assault.
In Regina in 2019, the Total Crime Rate rose by 2% over that of 2018. At 9,827 reported crimes per 100,000 population it is the third highest crime rate of 35 Census Metropolitin areas. The Violent Crime Rate showed no year-over-year change in Regina . The Crime Severity index shows a 1% increase since the year before in Regina placing the Queen City at 3rd among CMAs in Total Crime Severity.
In 2019 the CMAs with the highest Violent Crime Severity Index were Winnipeg at 174, Thunder Bay at 145.9, Saskatoon at 134.7 and Regina at 132.6.
The increase in the national number of homicides was driven by Saskatchewan. Provincially, rates of firearm-related homicide were highest in Saskatchewan at 1.62 per 100,000 population. The increase in gang-related homicides in 2019 was driven by more victims in Saskatchewan with an increase of 10 as well as Ontario and, more specifically, the gang related homicides in the CMAs of Toronto, Regina and Saskatoon. With 130 homicides, Toronto, Canada’s most populous CMA, had the most homicides and tenth highest rate.
Rate of homicide for Indigenous peoples was six and a half times higher than for non-Indigenous peoples. In 2019, there were 174 Indigenous victims of homicide,an increase from 141 in 2018. This represents a rate increase of 20% for Indigenous peoples in 2019. The rate of Indigenous persons accused of homicide in 2019 was nearly eleven times higher compared to non-Indigenous accused persons.
One-third of homicide victims identified as belonging to a visible minority group In Canada. Most homicide victims knew their killer which is consistent with previous years, the majority (85%) of victims of solved homicides in 2019 knew their killer.
The Drug-impaired driving rate went up for the sixth consecutive year. The rate for all drug-impaired driving violations increased 43% between 2018 and 2019. In total, there were 6,453 drug-impaired driving violations in 2019, 2,009 more than the previous year.
