Regina had the most homicides per capita in Canada in 2021: report
Regina recorded the most homicides per capita in Canada last year, according to an annual report from the Canadian Centre of Justice Statistics (CCJS).
Regina reported 15 homicides in 2021, which is the highest number ever recorded in a single year in the city, according to Regina Police chief Evan Bray.
Bray said the majority of those homicides were linked to drugs or domestic violence.
“Those two things right there, along with the prevalence of firearms in our community, it’s continuing to be a challenge,” he said.
Regina’s homicide rate was 5.67 per 100,000. Thunder Bay and Winnipeg ranked second and third, respectably, with homicide rates of 5.63 and 5.39 per 100,000.
“I think any homicide is awful. I think having that number be as high as 15 is really awful,” said Regina mayor Sandra Masters, adding in all instances the perpetrator and victim were known to each other.
“From a safety perspective, I think for the average citizen our city is safe. There are random acts of opportunity like break and enters … The personal violent crime is often, more often than not, people that are known to each other.”
Nationally, there were 778 homicides, 29 more than the previous year. This is the third consecutive year that the national homicide rate has increased.
The CCJS ranks crime rates in various categories based on census metropolitan areas (CMA) in Canada, which means Regina’s statistics take into consideration crime outside of city limits.
Regina’s total crime rate in 2021 ranks fourth among CMAs with 7,497 incidents per 100,000, up four per cent from 2020 and higher than the national average of 5,375 incidents per 100,000. In 2020, Regina ranked sixth for its total crime rate.
Bray attributed the shift to an increase in homicides, sexual assaults and break and enters.
“Behaviours changed during the pandemic and 2021 saw crime rates go up everywhere, virtually everywhere in Canada,” Bray said.
Despite increases from 2020 crime rates in almost all categories of the report, Regina’s total crime rate is down 24 per cent from a decade ago.
“We’ve seen some positive changes in the last decade,” said Bray, who remembers a time when Regina often ranked first in a number of categories in the report.
VIOLENT CRIMES ON THE RISE
At the CMA level, Regina ranks fifth in the total crime severity index (CSI), according to the CCJS report.
CSI measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada. Violent crime increased across the country in 2021, with the national violent CSI rising five per cent. According to the report, the increase was fueled by higher rates of sexual assault, harassing and threatening behaviours, and homicide.
In 2021, Canada recorded its highest rate of sexual assaults since 1996. Overall, there were 34,242 police-reported sexual assaults in Canada last year, which is about 90 incidents per 100,000.
“Pandemic-related lockdown conditions, particularly in the first year of the pandemic, could have exacerbated the underreporting of sexual assaults,” the report stated.
“Inversely, the later easing of restrictions might have led to an increase in reporting to police, either by victims or by third-party individuals or services.”
Regina CMA had a rate of 85 sexual assaults per 100,000, which is up seven per cent from 2020 and 32 per cent from 2011.
While Regina’s total CSI is down 11 per cent from 2011, its violent CSI is up 16 per cent in the same time period.
Masters said the city needs to look at tackling the root causes of domestic violence and substance abuse in order to drive down crime. She added educating youth about healthy relationships and behaviour will play an important role in the future.
“We know that if we can teach kids about healthy relationships, ten years from now numbers move,” she said.
Bray agreed that the solutions to tackling certain crime will come from a collaborative approach between the police service and community partners.
He said some crimes are easier to prevent than others.
“We can look at holding offenders accountable on indicators that might lead to a homicide,” Bray said.
“But actually preventing a homicide is very, very challenging. It is very challenging for a police service to do. It really has to be part of what I would say is an overall strategy on community wellness.”
In the future, Masters hopes the city’s community and safety well-being plan can help address some of the issues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.