The number of homicides in Alberta hit historic highs in 2020, helping propel Canada to its highest homicide rate in nearly three decades..In figures released by Stats Canada, Alberta recorded 139 homicides, the highest number of homicides for the province since data collection began in 1961..The provincial homicide rate of 3.14 per 100,000 population was the highest recorded in Alberta since 2015..And the Edmonton and Calgary areas had the largest increase in homicides among all cities in Canada..StatsCan reported the Edmonton area — which includes surrounding communities like Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc and St. Albert — witnessed 47 homicides in 2020. The homicide rate increased to 3.19 per 100,000 population, up from 2.21 per 100,000 in 2019..Down the QEII in the Calgary area, there were 39 killings in 2020, increasing the homicide rate to 2.53 over 1.57 in 2019. .StatsCan said the Alberta increases were largely from a spike in firearm-related killings.Edmonton saw a 97% increase in the rate of firearm-related homicides, while Calgary saw a 48% increase..A total of 29 of the Alberta slayings last year were tied to gangs, accounting for 20% of all homicides in the province. There were 24 gang-related homicides in Alberta in 2019..Across the country, there were 743 homicides, including the 22 victims of the Nova Scotia massacre..It’s the highest number of homicides recorded since 1991, and 56 more than in 2019. It increased Canada’s homicide rate by 7% from 1.83 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019 to 1.95 per 100,000 population in 2020. That’s the highest national homicide rate since 2005..“Social isolation, reduced income and job loss were amplified amidst the pandemic, potentially leading to increased tension in the home and escalations of violence,” said the StatsCan report..“Risk factors for family violence such as social isolation, reduced income and job loss were amplified amidst the pandemic, potentially leading to increased tension in the home and escalations of violence.”
The number of homicides in Alberta hit historic highs in 2020, helping propel Canada to its highest homicide rate in nearly three decades..In figures released by Stats Canada, Alberta recorded 139 homicides, the highest number of homicides for the province since data collection began in 1961..The provincial homicide rate of 3.14 per 100,000 population was the highest recorded in Alberta since 2015..And the Edmonton and Calgary areas had the largest increase in homicides among all cities in Canada..StatsCan reported the Edmonton area — which includes surrounding communities like Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc and St. Albert — witnessed 47 homicides in 2020. The homicide rate increased to 3.19 per 100,000 population, up from 2.21 per 100,000 in 2019..Down the QEII in the Calgary area, there were 39 killings in 2020, increasing the homicide rate to 2.53 over 1.57 in 2019. .StatsCan said the Alberta increases were largely from a spike in firearm-related killings.Edmonton saw a 97% increase in the rate of firearm-related homicides, while Calgary saw a 48% increase..A total of 29 of the Alberta slayings last year were tied to gangs, accounting for 20% of all homicides in the province. There were 24 gang-related homicides in Alberta in 2019..Across the country, there were 743 homicides, including the 22 victims of the Nova Scotia massacre..It’s the highest number of homicides recorded since 1991, and 56 more than in 2019. It increased Canada’s homicide rate by 7% from 1.83 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019 to 1.95 per 100,000 population in 2020. That’s the highest national homicide rate since 2005..“Social isolation, reduced income and job loss were amplified amidst the pandemic, potentially leading to increased tension in the home and escalations of violence,” said the StatsCan report..“Risk factors for family violence such as social isolation, reduced income and job loss were amplified amidst the pandemic, potentially leading to increased tension in the home and escalations of violence.”