Statistics Canada Article on Police-reported Crime Statistics for 2023

Statistics Canada has published an article on Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2023 that shows an increase in the volume and severity of police-reported crime for the third consecutive year:

"The volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada, as measured by the Crime Severity Index (CSI), increased for the third consecutive year—up 2% in 2023—an upward trend that began in 2015. Relatively large shifts in certain types of crime led to an increase in the Non-violent CSI, while the Violent CSI remained virtually unchanged."

"The Non-violent CSI—which includes, for example, property offences and drug offences—rose 3% in 2023, following a 5% increase in 2022. A significant contributor to the 2023 increase was a higher rate of police-reported child pornography (+52%)."

"Increased reporting of child pornography was partially the result of more cases—current and historical—being forwarded to local police services by specialized provincial Internet child exploitation police units and the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre."

"Other types of non-violent crime also increased in 2023, including fraud (+12%), shoplifting ($5,000 or under; +18%), and motor vehicle theft (+5%). In contrast, breaking and entering dropped 5% from 2022, continuing a general downward trend in this crime since the 1990s."

"The Violent CSI remained virtually unchanged (+0.4%) in 2023, following a 13% cumulative increase over the previous two years. Compared with 2022, the Violent CSI recorded lower rates of homicide (-14%) and sexual violations against children (-10%) in 2023. The Violent CSI also recorded higher rates of extortion (+35%), robbery (+4%) and assault committed with a weapon or causing bodily harm (+7%)."

"The CSI is one of several measures of crime in Canada. It looks at both the volume and the severity of crime, while the conventional crime rate measures only the volume of crime."