No — overall, crime in Canada went down in 2025. The Crime Severity Index (CSI) fell 5% to 75.0, its second annual decline, and the crime rate fell 2% to 5,585 incidents per 100,000 people. Yet in an Angus Reid poll, 62% of Canadians said crime in their community had increased over the past five years. Both can feel true at once: severity is lower than in 2023, but it is still 7% above 2015, and a few everyday crimes — shoplifting, criminal harassment and drug offences — are rising.
Data: Statistics Canada, “Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2025” (The Daily, 22 July 2026) and CSI tables; Angus Reid Institute poll (November 2025) as reported by CP24 (January 2026). All crime figures are for calendar year 2025. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Do Canadians think crime is going up?
Many do. In an Angus Reid Institute poll conducted in November 2025, 62% of Canadians said they believed crime in their community had increased over the previous five years (as reported by CP24 in January 2026).
At the same time, most people feel personally safe. In Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey, 76% of urban residents said they were satisfied with their personal safety. Concern about crime in general and feeling safe day to day are not the same thing.
What does the data actually show?
It depends a lot on which years you compare. Here is the Crime Severity Index over the past decade:
| Period | CSI at start | CSI at end | Change (our arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 → 2025 (last year) | 78.84 | 75.01 | -5% |
| 2023 → 2025 (since recent peak) | 81.27 | 75.01 | -8% |
| 2020 → 2025 (five years) | 73.92 | 75.01 | +1% |
| 2015 → 2025 (ten years) | 70.39 | 75.01 | +7% |
| 2006 → 2025 | 100.00 | 75.01 | -25% |
| 1998 → 2025 (since record high) | 118.84 | 75.01 | -37% |
So someone thinking about the past five years is broadly right that crime severity rose for a while: the index climbed from 73.92 in 2020 to 81.27 in 2023, an increase of about 10%. But it has fallen since, and 2025 ended up roughly where 2020 was. Over the long term, crime severity is far lower than in the late 1990s.
Which crimes went down?
- Break-ins fell 11% to 264 per 100,000 — the third yearly drop and 41% below 2015. They fell in every province and territory.
- Car theft fell 16% to 201 per 100,000, a second annual decline. In the Toronto metro area the rate dropped by about 27%, and in Montréal by about 29%.
- Homicide fell 16% to 1.61 per 100,000 (672 victims) — the largest drop since 1986 and the lowest rate since 2014. Handgun homicides fell 31%.
- Robbery fell 6%, extortion 10%, firearm discharge or pointing 14%, mischief 5% and fraud 4%.
- Hate crime fell 3% to 4,708 incidents.
Which crimes are going up?
- Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) rose 11% to 208,941 incidents, or 502 per 100,000. It was the fifth increase in a row, and the rate is 79% higher than in 2015. Statistics Canada names it as the biggest offset to the overall decline.
- Criminal harassment rose 6% to 35,618 incidents (86 per 100,000).
- Drug offences rose 11% to 59,808 incidents (144 per 100,000).
Some offences fell in 2025 but are still much higher than a decade ago. Extortion is more than three times its 2015 rate, and total fraud is 61% higher. Violent crime overall was stable at 1,443 per 100,000.
Visible, everyday offences like shoplifting are things many people see or hear about, which may help explain why crime can feel like it is rising even as more serious crime declines.
Is crime going up where I live?
The national picture is a decline, but not every place followed it. Crime severity fell in every province and territory except New Brunswick (+6%) and Nunavut (+10%). Among the 41 metro areas, 12 recorded a higher CSI in 2025, including:
- Saint John (+20%), Moncton (+11%) and Fredericton (+7%) in New Brunswick;
- Brantford (+8%), London (+8%) and Thunder Bay (+3%) in Ontario;
- Victoria (+5%) and Vancouver (+1%) in British Columbia;
- Drummondville (+4%) in Quebec and Lethbridge (+2%) in Alberta.
Even within a city, the CSI and the crime rate can move in opposite directions. In Calgary, the CSI fell 3% while the crime rate rose 5%, largely because shoplifting jumped.
Why might perception and data differ?
We cannot say exactly why people answer polls the way they do, but a few factors are worth keeping in mind:
- Time frame. The five years before 2025 included a real rise in crime severity to 2023.
- Type of crime. Shoplifting, harassment and drug offences — which are rising — can be more visible in daily life than break-ins or homicide, which are falling.
- Reporting. Police data counts only reported incidents. In 2019, only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police, so changes in willingness to report can affect the numbers too.
- Local variation. National averages can hide what is happening on a particular street or in a particular town.
How do I check crime near a specific address?
- Use the official police data. Many police services publish maps or open data — for example Toronto, Calgary and Halifax.
- Use our map. Our Canada crime map will bring the official figures together in one place.
- Compare over time, not just one month — look at the same crime types for the same period in previous years.
- Read the limits: points are approximate and many incidents go unreported.
Want to see what is happening near you?
Safety App Canada puts official crime data on a live map, plans walking routes that avoid high-risk areas and sends one-tap SOS alerts to the people you trust. Coming soon to Android and iPhone.
Is crime going up in Canada FAQ
Is crime in Canada going up in 2026?
There are no official national figures for 2026 yet. The latest data, for 2025, shows crime severity down 5% and the crime rate down 2%.
Why do so many Canadians think crime is rising?
In an Angus Reid poll, 62% said local crime had increased over five years. Crime severity did rise from 2020 to 2023, and some visible crimes such as shoplifting are still increasing, even though overall severity has fallen since 2023.
Is violent crime going up in Canada?
The violent crime rate was stable in 2025 at 1,443 per 100,000, and the violent CSI fell 4%. Homicide fell 16%, while criminal harassment rose 6%.
Is shoplifting increasing in Canada?
Yes. Shoplifting rose 11% in 2025 to 502 incidents per 100,000 people — the fifth annual increase and 79% higher than in 2015.
Is crime lower now than in the past?
Yes, over the long term. Canada’s 2025 CSI of 75.0 is 25% below 2006 and 37% below the 1998 high.
Related: Crime rate in Canada 2025 · Shoplifting in Canada · Car theft in Canada · Break-ins in Canada · Fraud and scams in Canada · The Crime Severity Index explained. In an emergency call 911.