Canadians are increasingly concerned about rising crime in their communities, with new research showing that most have faced attempted fraud or identity theft in recent years. The findings come as Ottawa considers reforms to the criminal justice system aimed at violent repeat offenders.A survey from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds 62% of Canadians believe crime has risen in their neighbourhoods over the past five years, up sharply from 30% in 2014. Only 24% say crime levels have stayed the same, while 5% believe they have declined. Statistics Canada data support the trend, showing increases in both the Crime Severity Index and Violent Crime Severity Index since 2020.While violent crime attracts headlines, the most widespread threat for Canadians is fraud. More than four-in-five report being targeted by an online or phone scam over the last two years, with 30% losing money or personal information..Canadians reported losses exceeding $638 million in 2024, though authorities estimate only 5 to 10% of cases are formally reported. Expanding the definition of crime to include these scams shows that more than one-in-three Canadians (36%) have been victims over the same period.Older Canadians are disproportionately affected, with those 60 and older nearly twice as likely as 18- to 29-year-olds to report being scammed. Retail workers have experienced growing incidents of shoplifting, verbal abuse and physical threats. Half of Canadians say shoplifting has increased locally, mirroring empirical data from recent years.The survey also shows Canadians feel less safe walking alone after dark compared to 2015 and 2022, and that concern over crime has quadrupled since 2015, with one-in-five naming it a top issue. Cross-border comparisons show Canadians are more likely than Americans to perceive crime as rising (62% vs. 39%), though 13% in both countries report experiencing a police-reported crime in the past two years.
