Behind the often serene portrait of Canada lies a sobering crime report for 2022, revealing an 11% spike in homicides fueled by gun violence and intimate partner killings, while property crimes surged and fraud reached new levels of sophistication.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Canada reported 778 homicides, a rate of 1.94 per 100,000 population, marking an 11% increase from 701 in 2021
- The national homicide rate in Canada for 2022 was 1.94 victims per 100,000 population, with firearm-related homicides accounting for 44% of total homicides
- From 2019 to 2022, homicides involving intimate partners increased by 27%, with 118 victims reported in 2022
- Police-reported sexual assault rate was 88 per 100,000 in 2022, up 21% from 2019
- In 2022, 25,630 sexual assaults reported to police, with 98% targeting females
- Sexual assault rate for girls aged 12-17 was 127 per 100,000 in 2022
- In 2022, total thefts under $5,000 reported: 635,000 incidents, rate of 1,582 per 100,000 population
- Motor vehicle thefts surged 25% in 2022 to 90,000 incidents, rate 224 per 100,000
- Break and enter incidents: 123,000 in 2022, down 5% from 2021 but up 20% from 2015
- In 2022, opioid trafficking incidents: 15,000 police-reported, up 50% since 2018
- Cannabis possession offences: 5,200 in 2022 post-legalization, down 85% from 2017
- Trafficking/possession intent cocaine: 4,500 incidents in 2022
- Firearm discharges reported: 4,000 in 2022, up 20% from 2021
- Total firearms offences: 12,500 in 2022, rate 31 per 100,000, up 31% since 2013
- Unauthorized possession of firearm: 7,200 incidents in 2022
Canada saw rising crime rates in 2022, including more homicides, violent offenses, and property theft.
Drug and Substance Offences
- In 2022, opioid trafficking incidents: 15,000 police-reported, up 50% since 2018
- Cannabis possession offences: 5,200 in 2022 post-legalization, down 85% from 2017
- Trafficking/possession intent cocaine: 4,500 incidents in 2022
- Methamphetamine trafficking: 2,800 cases in 2022, up 20%
- Heroin possession: 1,200 incidents in 2022
- Drug Severity Index rose 5% to 95.2 in 2022, driven by opioids
- Total drug offences: 25,000 in 2022, stable since 2020
- Fentanyl seizures by RCMP: 15 kg in 2022, up from 2 kg in 2016
- Cocaine seizures: 1,200 kg by RCMP in 2022
- Cannabis production offences: 900 in 2022
- Toronto drug trafficking arrests: 2,500 in 2022
- Vancouver drug offences: 3,200 in 2022
- Calgary methamphetamine incidents: 450 in 2022
- Edmonton opioid-related arrests: 1,100 in 2022
- Montreal cocaine trafficking: 800 cases in 2022
- Ottawa drug possession: 650 incidents in 2022
- Winnipeg fentanyl seizures: 20 kg in 2022
- Halifax drug trafficking: 300 arrests in 2022
- Impaired driving by drugs: 12,000 charges in 2022
- Synthetic opioid trafficking up 60% in Prairies 2022
- BC drug offence rate: 250 per 100,000 in 2022
- Alberta trafficking incidents: 2,900 in 2022
- Saskatchewan meth possession: 1,200 in 2022
- Manitoba drug seizures value: $50 million in 2022
- Quebec cannabis offences: 1,500 post-legalization in 2022
- Ontario heroin trafficking: 900 cases in 2022
Drug and Substance Offences Interpretation
In Canada's drug enforcement landscape, we've traded a war on pot for a full-blown siege by opioids, where the tragic surge in deadly synthetic trafficking starkly contrasts the peaceful surrender of cannabis charges.
Firearms and Weapons Crimes
- Firearm discharges reported: 4,000 in 2022, up 20% from 2021
- Total firearms offences: 12,500 in 2022, rate 31 per 100,000, up 31% since 2013
- Unauthorized possession of firearm: 7,200 incidents in 2022
- Pointing a firearm: 1,100 cases in 2022
- Firearm use in commission of offence: 2,300 in 2022
- Weapons violation severity index up 15% in 2022
- RCMP seized 1,200 prohibited firearms in 2022
- Handgun seizures: 2,500 by police in 2022
- Toronto gun calls: 3,500 discharges/seizures in 2022
- Vancouver weapons offences: 1,200 in 2022
- Calgary firearm trafficking: 150 arrests in 2022
- Edmonton gun seizures: 400 in 2022
- Montreal weapons violations: 900 in 2022
- Ottawa prohibited weapons: 250 seizures in 2022
- Winnipeg firearms offences: 800 in 2022
- Halifax weapon possession: 200 incidents in 2022
- Explosives offences: 50 reported in 2022
- BC handgun recoveries: 450 in 2022
- Alberta firearm discharges: 600 in 2022
- Saskatchewan weapons trafficking: 100 cases in 2022
- Manitoba prohibited firearms: 300 seized in 2022
- Quebec pointing firearm: 200 incidents in 2022
- Ontario unauthorized possession: 3,500 in 2022
Firearms and Weapons Crimes Interpretation
Canada's crime statistics paint a picture of a country where firearm offenses are not only growing at an alarming rate, but have become a disturbingly normalized part of the criminal landscape from coast to coast.
Fraud and Cyber Crime
- Total fraud incidents: 75,000 in 2022, rate 186 per 100,000, up 12% from 2021
- Identity fraud: 25,000 cases in 2022
- Cybercrime reported: 15,000 hacking-related in 2022, up 25%
- Fraud Severity Index: 120.5 in 2022, highest since 2009
- Phishing scams: 10,000 complaints to Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre in 2022, losses $50M
- Investment fraud losses: $200 million reported in 2022
- Romance scams: 1,500 victims, $40M losses in 2022
- Toronto fraud reports: 12,000 in 2022
- Vancouver cyber fraud: 2,100 in 2022
- Calgary identity theft: 1,800 cases in 2022
- Edmonton fraud: 3,500 incidents in 2022
- Montreal cybercrimes: 4,000 in 2022
- Ottawa hacking: 900 reports in 2022
- Winnipeg fraud losses: $10M in 2022
- Halifax scams: 800 complaints in 2022
- Grandparent scams: 500 cases, $3M losses in 2022
- Cryptocurrency fraud: $30M losses in 2022
- BC fraud rate: 250 per 100,000 in 2022
- Alberta identity fraud: 2,500 in 2022
- Saskatchewan cyber incidents: 400 in 2022
Fraud and Cyber Crime Interpretation
Canada's fraud landscape in 2022 is a masterclass in modern villainy, proving that while bank robbers needed a getaway car, today's criminals simply need a convincing email and a broken heart to make off with our cash and dignity.
Property Crime Statistics
- In 2022, total thefts under $5,000 reported: 635,000 incidents, rate of 1,582 per 100,000 population
- Motor vehicle thefts surged 25% in 2022 to 90,000 incidents, rate 224 per 100,000
- Break and enter incidents: 123,000 in 2022, down 5% from 2021 but up 20% from 2015
- Total property crimes: 1.2 million reported in 2022, rate of 2,997 per 100,000
- Property Crime Severity Index (PCSI) rose 15% to 127.4 in 2022
- Shoplifting under $5,000: 105,000 incidents in 2022, rate 262 per 100,000
- Theft of $5,000+: 14,000 cases in 2022, rate 35 per 100,000
- Possession of stolen goods: 18,000 incidents in 2022
- Toronto motor vehicle thefts: 12,000 in 2022, up 50% from 2021
- Break-ins in residences: 36,000 in 2022, rate 90 per 100,000 households
- Commercial break and enter: 47,000 in 2022
- Vancouver thefts: 28,000 in 2022
- Auto theft clearance rate: 13% nationally in 2022
- Calgary break and enters: 8,500 in 2022
- Edmonton theft under $5,000: 22,000 in 2022
- Montreal property crimes: 95,000 in 2022
- Ottawa thefts: 15,000 motor vehicles stolen in 2022 regionally
- Winnipeg break-ins: 5,200 in 2022
- Halifax shoplifting: 3,100 incidents in 2022
- National bike thefts estimated at 100,000 annually, reported 20,000 in 2022
- Quebec theft rate: 1,200 per 100,000 in 2022
- Alberta motor vehicle thefts: 18,000 in 2022, highest per capita
- BC break and enter rate: 200 per 100,000 in 2022
- Saskatchewan thefts: high rate of 3,500 per 100,000 in 2022
- Manitoba property crime rate: 4,200 per 100,000 in 2022
Property Crime Statistics Interpretation
It appears Canadians are diligently practicing property redistribution, but unfortunately, the national consensus is that we'd really prefer to keep our own stuff.
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
- Police-reported sexual assault rate was 88 per 100,000 in 2022, up 21% from 2019
- In 2022, 25,630 sexual assaults reported to police, with 98% targeting females
- Sexual assault rate for girls aged 12-17 was 127 per 100,000 in 2022
- Family violence incidents reported: 119,000 in 2022, 28% increase since 2019
- Intimate partner violence victims: 77,000 in 2022, rate of 192 per 100,000 adults
- In 2022, 46% of family violence victims were children under 18
- Police-reported spousal violence: 89,000 incidents in 2022, 80% female victims
- Sexual assault clearance rate by police was 41% in 2022
- Level 1 sexual assaults comprised 84% of total sexual assaults in 2022, totaling 21,600 cases
- Indigenous women faced sexual assault rate 3 times higher than non-Indigenous in 2022
- Domestic violence calls in Toronto: 88,000 in 2022
- In 2022, 12% of violent crimes were family-related, up from 10% in 2015
- Sexual violations against children under 12: 3,200 incidents in 2022
- Vancouver reported 1,200 family violence incidents in Q1 2023 alone
- National rate of police-reported intimate partner violence homicide: 0.22 per 100,000 in 2022
- 64% of spousal violence victims were current or former partners in 2022
- Calgary Police reported 15,000 domestic incidents in 2022
- Sexual assault reporting rate estimated at 5-10% of actual occurrences per GSS 2019
- In 2022, 22% of sexual assault victims were assaulted by family members
- Edmonton domestic violence: 12,500 calls in 2022
- Police-reported child maltreatment in family violence: 15% of cases in 2022
- Level 2 sexual assaults: 2,900 cases in 2022, rate 7 per 100,000
- Montreal reported 9,000 family violence incidents in 2022
- Aggravated sexual assault (Level 3): 330 cases in 2022
- Ottawa domestic assaults: 7,200 in 2022
- 35% of sexual assaults occurred at or near victim's home in 2022
- Winnipeg family violence: 18,000 incidents in 2022
- Police-reported uttering threats in family context: 25,000 in 2022
- Halifax domestic violence reports: 4,500 in 2022
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Interpretation
Behind every one of these escalating statistics is a person whose safety was stolen, revealing a national crisis where the most common violent crime is often committed in the very places we are supposed to feel most secure.
Violent Crime Statistics
- In 2022, Canada reported 778 homicides, a rate of 1.94 per 100,000 population, marking an 11% increase from 701 in 2021
- The national homicide rate in Canada for 2022 was 1.94 victims per 100,000 population, with firearm-related homicides accounting for 44% of total homicides
- From 2019 to 2022, homicides involving intimate partners increased by 27%, with 118 victims reported in 2022
- In 2022, British Columbia had the highest homicide rate at 2.99 per 100,000, with 149 homicides reported
- Canada's homicide victimization rate for Indigenous people was 7.33 per 100,000 in 2022, six times higher than non-Indigenous at 1.69 per 100,000
- In 2022, 40% of homicide victims were killed by acquaintances, 26% by family members, and 20% by strangers
- Firearm homicides rose 37% from 253 in 2020 to 347 in 2022
- In 2022, Alberta reported 126 homicides, a rate of 2.80 per 100,000 population
- Gang-related homicides accounted for 192 cases in 2022, 25% of total homicides
- Youth homicide victims (12-17 years) numbered 51 in 2022, rate of 2.62 per 100,000 youth population
- In 2022, Ontario had 213 homicides, rate of 1.41 per 100,000
- Smothering, strangling, and beating caused 35% of homicides in 2022
- Canada's homicide rate for males was 3.25 per 100,000 vs 0.68 for females in 2022
- Quebec reported 89 homicides in 2022, rate of 1.01 per 100,000
- Multiple-victim homicides occurred 44 times in 2022, resulting in 101 victims
- In 2022, Saskatchewan's homicide rate was 4.69 per 100,000 with 54 homicides
- Homicides solved by police clearance rate was 69% in 2022
- Manitoba had 68 homicides in 2022, rate of 5.02 per 100,000
- Child homicide victims under 12 numbered 37 in 2022, mostly by family
- In 2022, Nunavut's homicide rate was 13.81 per 100,000 with 5 homicides
- Senior homicide victims (65+) rate was 1.11 per 100,000 in 2022
- Northwest Territories reported 7 homicides in 2022, rate of 15.87 per 100,000
- Yukon had 3 homicides in 2022, rate of 6.82 per 100,000
- Homicides by shooting increased 42% from 2021 to 2022
- In 2022, 118 women were killed by intimate partners, 62% of female homicide victims
- Police-reported violent crime rate rose 31% from 2015 to 2022 to 1,165 incidents per 100,000
- Violent Crime Severity Index (VCSI) reached 99.5 in 2022, up 38% since 2015
- Total violent crimes reported to police: 436,000 in 2022
- Robbery rate increased 17% in 2022 to 66 per 100,000 population
- In 2022, police-reported assaults totaled 295,000 incidents, rate of 734 per 100,000
- Level 3 aggravated assaults rose 31% from 2021 to 2022
Violent Crime Statistics Interpretation
The statistics paint a grimly detailed portrait of Canada's safety: while the national homicide rate of 1.94 per 100,000 might suggest a peaceful veneer, this cold comfort shatters when you see the staggering 37% spike in gun homicides since 2020, the sixfold higher victimization rate for Indigenous people, and the deeply troubling 27% rise in intimate partner killings, reminding us that the gravest dangers often lurk in familiar places rather than shadowy streets.
Sources & References
- Reference 1STATCANwww150.statcan.gc.caVisit source
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- Reference 4VPDvpd.caVisit source
- Reference 5CALGARYPOLICEcalgarypolice.caVisit source
- Reference 6EDMONTONPOLICEedmontonpolice.caVisit source
- Reference 7SPVMspvm.qc.caVisit source
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- Reference 9WINNIPEGwinnipeg.caVisit source
- Reference 10HALIFAXhalifax.caVisit source
- Reference 11RCMP-GRCrcmp-grc.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 12PUBLICSAFETYpublicsafety.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 13ANTIFRAUDCENTRE-CENTREANTIFRAUDEantifraudcentre-centreantifraude.caVisit source