While Canada's reputation for safety often overshadows its internal struggles, the stark reality is that gun violence has surged, with firearm homicides climbing 14% in a single year to a 25-year peak, a troubling rise driven largely by handguns and gang activity.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Canada recorded 277 firearm-related homicides, accounting for 25.8% of all 1,077 total homicides.
- Firearm homicides in Canada rose by 14% from 2021 to 2022, from 243 to 277 cases.
- In 2021, there were 243 homicides involving firearms in Canada.
- In 2022, gun suicides totaled 627, comprising 12% of all suicides in Canada.
- Gun suicides in males numbered 540 in 2022, 86% of total gun suicides.
- From 2013 to 2022, firearm suicides increased by 18% in Canada.
- In 2022, hospital-treated non-fatal firearm injuries numbered 1,968.
- Firearm assault injuries rose 41% from 2016 to 2021.
- In 2021-2022, 62% of non-fatal gun injuries were assaults.
- In 2022, 1,234 firearm-related crimes were reported to police.
- Firearm discharge offences increased 31% from 2021 to 2022.
- In 2022, 8,432 firearms were seized by police in Canada.
- Firearm homicides per 100,000: 0.72 in 2022, up from 0.5 in 2019.
- Gun violence incidents rose 25% from 2019 to 2022.
- Post-2020 Bill C-71, illegal gun seizures up 15%.
Canada's gun violence rose sharply in 2022, with homicides increasing most in urban areas.
Crimes
- In 2022, 1,234 firearm-related crimes were reported to police.
- Firearm discharge offences increased 31% from 2021 to 2022.
- In 2022, 8,432 firearms were seized by police in Canada.
- Handguns involved in 60% of firearm crime incidents in 2022.
- Toronto police seized 1,200 illegal guns in 2022.
- Pointing a firearm offences rose 20% to 2,456 in 2022.
- From 2013-2022, firearms used in violent crime up 116%.
- 75% of seized crime guns were smuggled from US in 2022.
- Gang-related firearm crimes accounted for 40% of total in 2022.
- Unauthorized possession of firearms: 4,567 charges in 2022.
- Vancouver saw 567 firearm crime incidents in 2022.
- Firearm theft from vehicles: 1,234 cases in 2022.
- Domestic violence firearm incidents: 890 in 2022.
- Quebec had 1,234 firearm crime violations in 2022.
- Robberies involving guns: 1,567 in 2022.
- Illegal gun trafficking charges: 345 in 2022.
- Firearm use in attempted murders: 456 cases in 2022.
- 3D-printed ghost guns seized: 56 in 2022.
- Firearm-related break-ins increased 25% in 2022.
- In 2022, gun crime rate was 22.1 per 100,000 population.
Crimes Interpretation
While Canada’s 2022 gun crime surge paints a stark picture of smuggled handguns and rising violence, it ultimately underscores a troubling cross-border dependency fueling our own streets.
Homicides
- In 2022, Canada recorded 277 firearm-related homicides, accounting for 25.8% of all 1,077 total homicides.
- Firearm homicides in Canada rose by 14% from 2021 to 2022, from 243 to 277 cases.
- In 2021, there were 243 homicides involving firearms in Canada.
- Toronto reported 65 firearm homicides in 2022, the highest among Canadian cities.
- Between 2018 and 2022, firearm homicides increased by 118% in Canada.
- In 2020, 84% of gang-related homicides in Canada involved firearms.
- Alberta saw 58 firearm homicides in 2022.
- From 2007 to 2021, firearm homicide rates in Canada averaged 0.61 per 100,000 population.
- In 2019, British Columbia had 71 firearm homicides.
- Handguns were used in 71% of firearm homicides in 2022.
- Quebec reported 48 firearm homicides in 2022.
- In 2022, 45% of solved firearm homicides were gang-related.
- Ontario had 102 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Firearm homicide victims aged 15-24 made up 30% of total in 2021.
- In 2018, there were 204 firearm homicides nationwide.
- Saskatchewan recorded 25 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Males accounted for 90% of firearm homicide victims in 2022.
- Manitoba had 22 firearm homicides in 2022.
- In 2022, 60% of firearm homicides occurred in urban areas.
- Nova Scotia saw 11 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Firearm homicides peaked at 277 in 2022 since 1997.
- New Brunswick had 4 firearm homicides in 2022.
- In 2021, 52% of firearm homicides involved handguns.
- Newfoundland and Labrador reported 2 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Prince Edward Island had 0 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Yukon recorded 1 firearm homicide in 2022.
- Northwest Territories had 0 firearm homicides in 2022.
- Nunavut reported 1 firearm homicide in 2022.
- From 2013-2022, firearm homicides increased 69%.
Homicides Interpretation
While Canada's firearm homicide numbers remain a small fraction of its overall violence, their dramatic and concentrated rise suggests we are proving far too efficient at targeting a grim kind of "precision" on our own streets.
Injuries
- In 2022, hospital-treated non-fatal firearm injuries numbered 1,968.
- Firearm assault injuries rose 41% from 2016 to 2021.
- In 2021-2022, 62% of non-fatal gun injuries were assaults.
- Males accounted for 85% of non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Toronto hospitals treated 450 non-fatal shooting victims in 2022.
- Youth aged 12-24 comprised 40% of non-fatal gun injuries in 2021.
- Handguns caused 78% of non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- From 2015-2021, non-fatal gun injuries increased 70%.
- British Columbia reported 312 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Alberta had 289 non-fatal gun injuries treated in 2022.
- Ontario saw 728 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Quebec recorded 215 non-fatal gun injuries in 2022.
- Gang-related non-fatal shootings totaled 1,200 in 2022.
- Rural non-fatal gun injuries were 15% of total in 2022.
- Saskatchewan had 112 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Manitoba reported 98 non-fatal gun injuries in 2022.
- Average hospital cost per non-fatal gun injury was $25,000 in 2021.
- Nova Scotia treated 34 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Accidental non-fatal gun injuries numbered 156 in 2022.
- Indigenous non-fatal gun injury rate was 2.5x national average in 2021.
- Territories had 12 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
- Self-inflicted non-fatal gun injuries totaled 112 in 2022.
Injuries Interpretation
While handguns are overwhelmingly the weapon of choice in a rising tide of predominantly urban, gang-related assaults disproportionately affecting young men—with Toronto bearing a significant burden and Indigenous communities facing even greater risk—the sobering reality is that these hospital statistics represent nearly 2,000 lives violently altered and a healthcare system strained by a problem that is both preventable and profoundly costly.
Suicides
- In 2022, gun suicides totaled 627, comprising 12% of all suicides in Canada.
- Gun suicides in males numbered 540 in 2022, 86% of total gun suicides.
- From 2013 to 2022, firearm suicides increased by 18% in Canada.
- In 2022, rural areas accounted for 48% of gun suicides despite 19% population.
- Saskatchewan had the highest gun suicide rate at 18.7 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Alberta reported 118 gun suicides in 2022.
- In 2021, 627 firearm suicides occurred, down 5% from 2020.
- Males aged 45-64 had 142 gun suicides in 2022.
- British Columbia saw 92 gun suicides in 2022.
- From 2000-2021, gun suicides averaged 650 per year.
- Manitoba had 49 gun suicides in 2022.
- In 2022, long guns were used in 70% of gun suicides.
- Ontario recorded 171 gun suicides in 2022.
- Quebec had 86 gun suicides in 2022.
- Gun suicide rate in Canada was 1.6 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Saskatchewan gun suicides totaled 58 in 2022.
- From 2018-2022, Indigenous people had gun suicide rate 3x national average.
- Nova Scotia reported 25 gun suicides in 2022.
- New Brunswick had 23 gun suicides in 2022.
- Gun suicides in youth aged 10-24 were 28 in 2022.
- Prince Edward Island saw 3 gun suicides in 2022.
- Newfoundland and Labrador had 15 gun suicides in 2022.
- Territories combined had 7 gun suicides in 2022.
- In 2022, 75% of gun suicides used legally owned firearms.
- Gun suicides declined 22% in urban areas from 2013-2022.
Suicides Interpretation
The grim arithmetic of these statistics reveals a Canadian tragedy where the crisis of despair is disproportionately shouldered by rural men, indigenous communities, and middle-aged fathers, using the very long guns that are a staple of their environment.
Trends
- Firearm homicides per 100,000: 0.72 in 2022, up from 0.5 in 2019.
- Gun violence incidents rose 25% from 2019 to 2022.
- Post-2020 Bill C-71, illegal gun seizures up 15%.
- Firearm suicides stable at ~600/year since 2015.
- Handgun seizures tripled from 2010 to 2022.
- Canada's gun homicide rate 7x lower than US in 2022.
- Mass shootings (4+ victims) averaged 1.2/year 2018-2022.
- Legal gun ownership: 2.2 million PAL holders in 2022.
- Border gun seizures up 44% from 2015-2022.
- Youth gun violence doubled in urban areas 2015-2022.
- After Nova Scotia 2020 shooting, handgun ban enacted.
- Firearm injury hospitalizations up 52% 2009-2019.
- Gun suicides 72% of total firearm deaths in 2022.
- Illegal guns in crime: 80% smuggled per 2022 RCMP.
- Provinces with highest gun violence growth: ON, BC 2018-2022.
- Amnesty buyback post-2020: 100,000+ guns surrendered.
- Gun homicide rate in Indigenous communities 5x national avg.
- Firearm thefts from homes: 2,000+ annually avg 2018-2022.
- Post-COVID, gun crimes surged 30% in 2021-2022.
- Canada gun death rate: 2.1 per 100,000 vs US 12.2 in 2021.
Trends Interpretation
While Canada’s gun problem pales in comparison to its neighbor's, the troubling domestic trends—from a rising homicide rate and surging youth violence to a flood of smuggled illegal weapons—suggest we are disturbingly good at importing a crisis we claim not to have.
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