Canada recorded a gun death rate of 2.1 per 100,000 compared with 12.2 in the US in 2021, yet the internal pressure points are stark. Firearm homicides rose to 277 in 2022 and gun crime incidents climbed 25 percent from 2019 to 2022, alongside 8,432 firearms seized by police that year. The details behind those totals are where the real pattern shows up, from Toronto’s 1,200 illegal gun seizures to the role of smuggling.
Key Takeaways
- 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.
- 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, 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, 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.
- 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%.
In 2022, Canadian gun violence rose with more firearm homicides, injuries, and illegal guns tied to US smuggling.
Related reading
01 · Category
Crimes20 stats
01
In 2022, 1,234 firearm-related crimes were reported to police.
02
Firearm discharge offences increased 31% from 2021 to 2022.
03
In 2022, 8,432 firearms were seized by police in Canada.
04
Handguns involved in 60% of firearm crime incidents in 2022.
05
Toronto police seized 1,200 illegal guns in 2022.
06
Pointing a firearm offences rose 20% to 2,456 in 2022.
07
From 2013-2022, firearms used in violent crime up 116%.
08
75% of seized crime guns were smuggled from US in 2022.
09
Gang-related firearm crimes accounted for 40% of total in 2022.
10
Unauthorized possession of firearms: 4,567 charges in 2022.
11
Vancouver saw 567 firearm crime incidents in 2022.
12
Firearm theft from vehicles: 1,234 cases in 2022.
13
Domestic violence firearm incidents: 890 in 2022.
14
Quebec had 1,234 firearm crime violations in 2022.
15
Robberies involving guns: 1,567 in 2022.
16
Illegal gun trafficking charges: 345 in 2022.
17
Firearm use in attempted murders: 456 cases in 2022.
18
3D-printed ghost guns seized: 56 in 2022.
19
Firearm-related break-ins increased 25% in 2022.
20
In 2022, gun crime rate was 22.1 per 100,000 population.
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Homicides29 stats
01
In 2022, Canada recorded 277 firearm-related homicides, accounting for 25.8% of all 1,077 total homicides.
02
Firearm homicides in Canada rose by 14% from 2021 to 2022, from 243 to 277 cases.
03
In 2021, there were 243 homicides involving firearms in Canada.
04
Toronto reported 65 firearm homicides in 2022, the highest among Canadian cities.
05
Between 2018 and 2022, firearm homicides increased by 118% in Canada.
06
In 2020, 84% of gang-related homicides in Canada involved firearms.
07
Alberta saw 58 firearm homicides in 2022.
08
From 2007 to 2021, firearm homicide rates in Canada averaged 0.61 per 100,000 population.
09
In 2019, British Columbia had 71 firearm homicides.
10
Handguns were used in 71% of firearm homicides in 2022.
11
Quebec reported 48 firearm homicides in 2022.
12
In 2022, 45% of solved firearm homicides were gang-related.
13
Ontario had 102 firearm homicides in 2022.
14
Firearm homicide victims aged 15-24 made up 30% of total in 2021.
15
In 2018, there were 204 firearm homicides nationwide.
16
Saskatchewan recorded 25 firearm homicides in 2022.
17
Males accounted for 90% of firearm homicide victims in 2022.
18
Manitoba had 22 firearm homicides in 2022.
19
In 2022, 60% of firearm homicides occurred in urban areas.
20
Nova Scotia saw 11 firearm homicides in 2022.
21
Firearm homicides peaked at 277 in 2022 since 1997.
22
New Brunswick had 4 firearm homicides in 2022.
23
In 2021, 52% of firearm homicides involved handguns.
24
Newfoundland and Labrador reported 2 firearm homicides in 2022.
25
Prince Edward Island had 0 firearm homicides in 2022.
26
Yukon recorded 1 firearm homicide in 2022.
27
Northwest Territories had 0 firearm homicides in 2022.
28
Nunavut reported 1 firearm homicide in 2022.
29
From 2013-2022, firearm homicides increased 69%.
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Injuries22 stats
01
In 2022, hospital-treated non-fatal firearm injuries numbered 1,968.
02
Firearm assault injuries rose 41% from 2016 to 2021.
03
In 2021-2022, 62% of non-fatal gun injuries were assaults.
04
Males accounted for 85% of non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
05
Toronto hospitals treated 450 non-fatal shooting victims in 2022.
06
Youth aged 12-24 comprised 40% of non-fatal gun injuries in 2021.
07
Handguns caused 78% of non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
08
From 2015-2021, non-fatal gun injuries increased 70%.
09
British Columbia reported 312 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
10
Alberta had 289 non-fatal gun injuries treated in 2022.
11
Ontario saw 728 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
12
Quebec recorded 215 non-fatal gun injuries in 2022.
13
Gang-related non-fatal shootings totaled 1,200 in 2022.
14
Rural non-fatal gun injuries were 15% of total in 2022.
15
Saskatchewan had 112 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
16
Manitoba reported 98 non-fatal gun injuries in 2022.
17
Average hospital cost per non-fatal gun injury was $25,000in 2021.
18
Nova Scotia treated 34 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
19
Accidental non-fatal gun injuries numbered 156 in 2022.
20
Indigenous non-fatal gun injury rate was 2.5x national average in 2021.
21
Territories had 12 non-fatal firearm injuries in 2022.
22
Self-inflicted non-fatal gun injuries totaled 112 in 2022.
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Suicides25 stats
01
In 2022, gun suicides totaled 627, comprising 12% of all suicides in Canada.
02
Gun suicides in males numbered 540 in 2022, 86% of total gun suicides.
03
From 2013 to 2022, firearm suicides increased by 18% in Canada.
04
In 2022, rural areas accounted for 48% of gun suicides despite 19% population.
05
Saskatchewan had the highest gun suicide rate at 18.7 per 100,000 in 2021.
06
Alberta reported 118 gun suicides in 2022.
07
In 2021, 627 firearm suicides occurred, down 5% from 2020.
08
Males aged 45-64 had 142 gun suicides in 2022.
09
British Columbia saw 92 gun suicides in 2022.
10
From 2000-2021, gun suicides averaged 650 per year.
11
Manitoba had 49 gun suicides in 2022.
12
In 2022, long guns were used in 70% of gun suicides.
13
Ontario recorded 171 gun suicides in 2022.
14
Quebec had 86 gun suicides in 2022.
15
Gun suicide rate in Canada was 1.6 per 100,000 in 2022.
16
Saskatchewan gun suicides totaled 58 in 2022.
17
From 2018-2022, Indigenous people had gun suicide rate 3x national average.
18
Nova Scotia reported 25 gun suicides in 2022.
19
New Brunswick had 23 gun suicides in 2022.
20
Gun suicides in youth aged 10-24 were 28 in 2022.
21
Prince Edward Island saw 3 gun suicides in 2022.
22
Newfoundland and Labrador had 15 gun suicides in 2022.
23
Territories combined had 7 gun suicides in 2022.
24
In 2022, 75% of gun suicides used legally owned firearms.
25
Gun suicides declined 22% in urban areas from 2013-2022.
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Trends20 stats
01
Firearm homicides per 100,000: 0.72 in 2022, up from 0.5 in 2019.
02
Gun violence incidents rose 25% from 2019 to 2022.
03
Post-2020 Bill C-71, illegal gun seizures up 15%.
04
Firearm suicides stable at ~600/year since 2015.
05
Handgun seizures tripled from 2010 to 2022.
06
Canada's gun homicide rate 7x lower than US in 2022.
07
Mass shootings (4+ victims) averaged 1.2/year 2018-2022.
08
Legal gun ownership: 2.2 million PAL holders in 2022.
09
Border gun seizures up 44% from 2015-2022.
10
Youth gun violence doubled in urban areas 2015-2022.
11
After Nova Scotia 2020 shooting, handgun ban enacted.
12
Firearm injury hospitalizations up 52% 2009-2019.
13
Gun suicides 72% of total firearm deaths in 2022.
14
Illegal guns in crime: 80% smuggled per 2022 RCMP.
15
Provinces with highest gun violence growth: ON, BC 2018-2022.
16
Amnesty buyback post-2020: 100,000+ guns surrendered.
17
Gun homicide rate in Indigenous communities 5x national avg.
18
Firearm thefts from homes: 2,000+ annually avg 2018-2022.
19
Post-COVID, gun crimes surged 30% in 2021-2022.
20
Canada gun death rate: 2.1 per 100,000 vs US 12.2 in 2021.
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Canada Gun Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-gun-violence-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Canada Gun Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/canada-gun-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Canada Gun Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-gun-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
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en.wikipedia.orgcbsa-asfc.gc.cacanada.ca
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