Statistics Canada released its annual police-reported crime statistics for 2015, and for the first time in 12 years, the report shows an increase across the nation, with Victoria seeing the third highest increase among cities.
The crime severity index (CSI), which measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime, grew 5% from 2014 to 2015, but was 31% lower than a decade earlier in 2005.
StatsCan says 8 out of 13 provinces and territories reported an increase in the CSI. The largest increases were reported in Alberta at 18 per cent.
Twenty of Canada’s 33 census metropolitan areas reported increased CSI rates, Victoria and Edmonton saw a 16 per cent increase, the third-highest jump. Calgary saw the largest surge at 29 per cent, followed by a 20 per cent increase in Moncton.
The two cities with the highest CSIs in 2015 were Saskatoon, at 112.5, and Regina, at 107.6. Victoria’s CSI in 2015 sits at 72.6.
According to the report released Wednesday, the rise was primarily a result of more incidents of fraud, breaking and entering, robbery, and homicide.
The overall volume and severity of violent crime, as measured by the violent CSI, increased 6% from 2014 to 2015, largely due to increases in robbery, homicide, attempted murder, and violations specific to the use, discharge and pointing of firearms.
Increases in violent crime in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario also contributed to the increase in the national violent CSI.
While the crime rate grew in 2015, it has generally been on a downward trend since the early 1990s, with the only other increase reported in 2003.
Click here to see the full report.
