Police-reported crime, as measured by the Crime Severity Index (CSI), has gone up in Canada for the second consecutive year — up 4% from 2022 — according to data collected by Statistics Canada. .The Violent CSI rose in 2022, reaching its highest point since 2007, according to a Thursday statement..Statistics Canada said the Non-Violent CSI increased in 2022 but remained lower than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. .It said the consecutive increases recorded in the overall CSI might indicate a return to the upward trend in crime observed before the start of the pandemic..The first year of the pandemic was marked by a decline in the overall volume and severity of police-reported crime, driven by less non-violent incidents while COVID-19 restrictions were first implemented. .Before this drop, the CSI increased for five consecutive years beginning in 2015. .Statistics Canada acknowledged the Violent CSI rose 5% in 2022, following a 6% increase in the previous year. Compared with 2021, it said the increase in 2022 included higher rates of extortion (39%), robbery (15%), homicide (8%), and level 1 sexual assault (3%). .The Non-Violent CSI rose 4% in 2022 but was 6% lower than 2019. Much of the increase in 2022 was because of higher rates of several property crimes, notably shoplifting under $5,000 (31%), motor vehicle theft (24%), theft under $5,000 (10%), general fraud (7%), and breaking and entering (4%). .In contrast, rates of other non-violent violations were down from 2021, including drug offences (-17%), identity fraud (-11%), identity theft (-8%), impaired driving (-3%) and administration of justice violations (-2%)..The CSI takes into account the volume and the severity of crime. The police-reported crime rate increased by 5% from 2021 to 2022, up to 5,668 incidents per 100,000 population..Statistics Canada said Manitoba recorded the largest CSI increase (14%). .Subsequent to Manitoba was Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador (6%). .Most provinces recorded CSI increases, with the exceptions of Yukon (-5%), Nunavut (-4%), and New Brunswick (-2%)..Breaking and entering continued to be one of the more common crimes. About 133,000 incidents were reported by police in 2022, contributing 16% to the CSI. .The rate of robbery was up for the first time in two years, increasing 15% in 2022. Despite the increase, the rate was 10% lower than in 2019. .Police reported 874 homicides in 2022 — 78 more than the year before. The homicide rate increased 8% from 2.08 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021 to 2.25 homicides per 100,000 population in 2022 — the highest rate since 1992. .The national increase stemmed from more homicides in British Columbia (30 homicides), Manitoba (26), and Quebec (20). As has been the case historically, provincial homicide rates were highest in Manitoba (6.24 homicides per 100,000 population) and Saskatchewan (5.94 per 100,000)..Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in March he was putting forward a bill to improve the Canadian justice system. .READ MORE: WATCH: Poilievre introduces bill to go after violent offenders.“And today, we propose an end to the catch and release parole system,” said Poilievre. .“We are going to bring jail, not bail.”
