Canadian police solved about a third of crime in 2025: the national weighted clearance rate was 36.6, down from 39.4 in 2015, according to Statistics Canada. Clearance varies hugely by offence. Police cleared about 56% of violent incidents but only about 18% of property incidents, 11% of car thefts and 10% of frauds in 2025 (our calculation). By province, Quebec solved the most (45.6) and British Columbia the least (23.0).
Data: Statistics Canada, weighted clearance rates (Table 35-10-0026-01) and cleared incidents by violation (Table 35-10-0177-01), 2025 data released 22 July 2026, checked 19 October 2026. Shares of incidents cleared by offence, rankings and changes are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 19 October 2026.
Key facts
- Canada’s weighted clearance rate was 36.6 in 2025, up slightly from 35.8 in 2024 but below 39.4 in 2015 (Statistics Canada).
- The violent weighted clearance rate was 54.5 in 2025 and the non-violent rate 26.3; both were lower than in 2015 (62.7 and 30.0).
- Police cleared 487 of 672 homicides recorded in 2025, about 72%, but only about 20% of break-ins and 11% of motor vehicle thefts (our calculation).
- Quebec had the highest provincial clearance rate (45.6) and British Columbia the lowest (23.0) in 2025.
- Among metro areas, Greater Sudbury had the highest clearance rate (60.0) and Vancouver the lowest (19.0).
What is the clearance rate?
The clearance rate is the share of police-reported crimes that police have solved. An incident is “cleared” when police identify at least one accused person and either lay a charge (cleared by charge) or deal with it another way, for example through diversion or because the accused has died (cleared otherwise). Statistics Canada’s weighted clearance rate gives more weight to serious crimes, using the same weights as the Crime Severity Index, so solving a homicide counts for more than solving a minor theft. A weighted clearance rate of 36.6 means roughly that, adjusted for seriousness, a little over a third of crime was solved.
How many crimes are solved in Canada?
About a third of police-reported crime in Canada is solved: the national weighted clearance rate was 36.6 in 2025, according to Statistics Canada. Counting incidents without weights, police cleared 337,260 of 601,139 violent incidents (about 56%) and 228,971 of 1,308,090 property incidents (about 18%) in 2025 (shares our calculation).
| Year | Weighted clearance rate (all crime) | Violent weighted clearance rate | Non-violent weighted clearance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 39.4 | 62.7 | 30.0 |
| 2017 | — | 63.7 | 30.0 |
| 2019 | — | 58.2 | 27.9 |
| 2021 | — | 56.0 | 26.3 |
| 2023 | — | 54.0 | 24.4 |
| 2024 | 35.8 | 54.1 | 25.3 |
| 2025 | 36.6 | 54.5 | 26.3 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01. Dashes: years not shown for the overall rate.
The violent clearance rate fell from 63.7 in 2017 to 54.0 in 2023 and has edged up since. The non-violent rate followed a similar path, reaching a low of 24.4 in 2023 (Statistics Canada).
Which crimes are most and least likely to be solved?
Homicide is the crime most likely to be solved in Canada: police cleared 487 of the 672 homicides recorded in 2025, about 72%. Car theft and fraud are among the least likely, with about 11% and 10% of incidents cleared (Statistics Canada; shares our calculation).
| Offence (Canada, 2025) | Incidents | Incidents cleared | Share cleared (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impaired driving (all types) | 67,399 | 49,911 | 74% |
| Homicide | 672 | 487 | 72% |
| Assault level 1 | 219,951 | 133,597 | 61% |
| Criminal harassment | 35,618 | 20,216 | 57% |
| Drug violations | 59,808 | 31,708 | 53% |
| Uttering threats | 97,324 | 47,810 | 49% |
| Sexual assault level 1 | 36,284 | 17,012 | 47% |
| Robbery | 22,930 | 10,001 | 44% |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 208,941 | 65,462 | 31% |
| Mischief | 307,909 | 67,759 | 22% |
| Breaking and entering | 109,248 | 21,687 | 20% |
| Extortion | 12,132 | 1,660 | 14% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 83,652 | 9,346 | 11% |
| Fraud | 177,472 | 18,309 | 10% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01 (actual incidents and total cleared). Shares are unweighted and are our calculation; cleared incidents in a year can include incidents reported earlier.
The pattern is consistent: crimes where the victim knows or sees the offender, or where the offender is caught in the act (assault, impaired driving, shoplifting caught by staff), are solved far more often than crimes committed out of sight or online (break-ins, car theft, fraud, extortion). The 74% figure for impaired driving reflects that most cases are detected when a driver is stopped.
Which province solves the most crime?
Quebec had the highest weighted clearance rate of any province in 2025, at 45.6, and British Columbia the lowest, at 23.0, according to Statistics Canada. Quebec’s rate rose from 41.7 in 2015, while British Columbia’s fell from 27.7.
| Province | Weighted clearance rate (2015) | Weighted clearance rate (2024) | Weighted clearance rate (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | 41.7 | 42.7 | 45.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 46.6 | 40.5 | 41.1 |
| Manitoba | 44.5 | 40.8 | 40.4 |
| Ontario | 43.1 | 38.9 | 39.8 |
| Alberta | 37.1 | 33.8 | 34.9 |
| Nova Scotia | 42.7 | 32.9 | 32.6 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 33.6 | 26.1 | 28.7 |
| Prince Edward Island | 34.8 | 31.1 | 28.6 |
| New Brunswick | 36.8 | 28.5 | 27.4 |
| British Columbia | 27.7 | 22.8 | 23.0 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01. Canada: 36.6 in 2025.
Quebec was the only province with a higher clearance rate in 2025 than in 2015 (our comparison). Quebec also has one of the lowest crime severity levels in the country; see crime rate by province for the full provincial picture.
Which cities solve the most and least crime?
Greater Sudbury had the highest weighted clearance rate among Canada’s 41 metro areas in 2025, at 60.0, and Vancouver the lowest, at 19.0, according to Statistics Canada. Four of the five highest rates were in Quebec or northern Ontario metros, and the eight lowest were all in British Columbia, Alberta or New Brunswick (our ranking).
| Highest, metro area (CMA) | Weighted clearance rate (2025) | Lowest, metro area (CMA) | Weighted clearance rate (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Sudbury | 60.0 | Vancouver | 19.0 |
| Saguenay | 54.3 | Moncton | 20.9 |
| Sherbrooke | 52.6 | Abbotsford–Mission | 21.6 |
| Trois-Rivières | 51.8 | Chilliwack | 22.4 |
| Brantford | 50.2 | Kamloops | 24.0 |
| Drummondville | 50.1 | Kelowna | 24.6 |
| Belleville–Quinte West | 49.3 | Victoria | 26.6 |
| Peterborough | 48.9 | Nanaimo | 26.7 |
| Thunder Bay | 47.2 | Red Deer | 28.1 |
| Regina | 46.9 | Halifax | 31.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01; ranking among 41 census metropolitan areas is our calculation.
Greater Sudbury’s rate rose from 54.4 in 2024 and 47.1 in 2015. Saguenay’s rose from 47.8 to 54.3 in 2025. Vancouver’s has been the lowest of the large metros for years: it was 21.7 in 2015 (Statistics Canada).
How do the biggest cities compare?
Montréal had the highest weighted clearance rate of Canada’s six largest metro areas in 2025, at 40.1, and Vancouver the lowest, at 19.0, according to Statistics Canada. Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and Edmonton were all close to one another, between 32.9 and 34.7.
| Metro area (CMA) | Weighted clearance rate (2015) | Weighted clearance rate (2025) | Crime Severity Index (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montréal | 36.6 | 40.1 | 61.3 |
| Calgary | 28.0 | 34.7 | 61.7 |
| Ottawa (Ont. part) | 39.2 | 33.8 | 50.6 |
| Toronto | 41.9 | 33.7 | 55.0 |
| Edmonton | 39.6 | 32.9 | 95.6 |
| Vancouver | 21.7 | 19.0 | 83.5 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01. Winnipeg: 33.2 in 2025.
Toronto’s clearance rate fell the most among the large metros since 2015, by about 8 points, while Calgary’s and Montréal’s rose (our calculation). See safest big cities in Canada for how these metros compare on crime itself.
Why are so many crimes not solved?
Statistics Canada’s figures show where clearance is low but do not explain why, so any explanation has to be general. Three patterns are clear in the data. First, crimes without a witness or a known offender, such as break-ins, car theft and fraud, are cleared far less often. Second, places where property crime makes up more of the caseload tend to have lower overall clearance. Third, the clearance rate only covers crimes reported to police; Statistics Canada estimates that about 29% of victimizations were reported in 2019, so many crimes never enter the figures at all.
For your own safety, the most useful step is reducing the chance of the low-clearance crimes in the first place: see our guides to preventing break-ins and protecting your car from theft, and how to report a crime so it is counted.
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Crime clearance rate in Canada FAQ
What percentage of crimes are solved in Canada?
Canada’s weighted clearance rate was 36.6 in 2025. Counted without weights, police cleared about 56% of violent incidents and about 18% of property incidents (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
What percentage of murders are solved in Canada?
Police cleared 487 of the 672 homicides recorded in Canada in 2025, about 72%, according to Statistics Canada data (share our calculation).
What percentage of car thefts are solved in Canada?
About 11%. Police cleared 9,346 of 83,652 motor vehicle theft incidents in 2025, according to Statistics Canada.
Which province has the lowest clearance rate?
British Columbia, with a weighted clearance rate of 23.0 in 2025. Quebec had the highest, at 45.6.
Which city has the lowest crime clearance rate in Canada?
Vancouver, with a weighted clearance rate of 19.0 in 2025, the lowest of the 41 metropolitan areas.
Related: Crime Severity Index explained · crime rate in Canada · crime rate in Canada by city · break-ins in Canada · car theft in Canada · youth crime statistics. In an emergency call 911.