Canada's homicide rate declines to 44-year low
The number of homicides in Canada last year fell to the lowest level in 44 years, according to Statistics Canada, a decrease the agency says was driven largely by fewer incidents in major cities and the western provinces.
In 2010, police reported 554 homicides in Canada, 56 fewer than the year before, the agency reported Tuesday, following a decade of relative stability. The homicide rate fell to 1.62 for every 100,000 population, its lowest level since 1966, the agency says.
The data was released a day after the Conservative government launched its third attempt in the House of Commons to abolish the federal long-gun registry and destroy its records, arguing the program is wasteful and ineffective in preventing gun crime.
The decrease follows a downward trend in Canada's overall crime rate in the past decade.
With 35 fewer homicides in 2010 than in 2009, the rate in British Columbia fell to its lowest point since the mid-1960s. Police in Alberta reported 18 fewer homicides, while those in Manitoba reported 12 fewer.
Police in several of the nation's largest cities reported substantially fewer homicides in 2010. The homicide rate in Vancouver, with 25 fewer killings, fell 42 per cent to its lowest level since data in metropolitan areas became available in 1981.
Thunder Bay recorded the highest homicide rate for the second year in a row, with five slayings — a rate of 4.2 per 100,000 population. The next highest rates were in Saskatoon and Regina, Statistics Canada says.
Gun killings down
Police reported 170 homicides with a firearm last year, down from 180 the year before, which Statistics Canada said is consistent with a general decline in gun-related homicides seen over the past three decades.
The rate of gang-related slayings also decreased for the second year in a row, with police considering 94 killings to be connected with gangs in 2010, down from 124 in the previous year.
Rates of homicide involving rifles or shotguns in 2010 were about one-fifth of those seen 30 years ago.
Stabbings, accounting for 31 per cent of homicides, were nearly as common in 2010 as shootings, at 32 per cent. Another 22 per cent of homicides involved beatings, while eight per cent were by strangulation or suffocation. The remaining homicides used other means such as motor vehicles, fire and poisoning.
Canada's homicide rate declines to 44-year low - Canada - CBC News
The number of homicides in Canada last year fell to the lowest level in 44 years, according to Statistics Canada, a decrease the agency says was driven largely by fewer incidents in major cities and the western provinces.
In 2010, police reported 554 homicides in Canada, 56 fewer than the year before, the agency reported Tuesday, following a decade of relative stability. The homicide rate fell to 1.62 for every 100,000 population, its lowest level since 1966, the agency says.
The data was released a day after the Conservative government launched its third attempt in the House of Commons to abolish the federal long-gun registry and destroy its records, arguing the program is wasteful and ineffective in preventing gun crime.
The decrease follows a downward trend in Canada's overall crime rate in the past decade.
With 35 fewer homicides in 2010 than in 2009, the rate in British Columbia fell to its lowest point since the mid-1960s. Police in Alberta reported 18 fewer homicides, while those in Manitoba reported 12 fewer.
Police in several of the nation's largest cities reported substantially fewer homicides in 2010. The homicide rate in Vancouver, with 25 fewer killings, fell 42 per cent to its lowest level since data in metropolitan areas became available in 1981.
Thunder Bay recorded the highest homicide rate for the second year in a row, with five slayings — a rate of 4.2 per 100,000 population. The next highest rates were in Saskatoon and Regina, Statistics Canada says.
Gun killings down
Police reported 170 homicides with a firearm last year, down from 180 the year before, which Statistics Canada said is consistent with a general decline in gun-related homicides seen over the past three decades.
The rate of gang-related slayings also decreased for the second year in a row, with police considering 94 killings to be connected with gangs in 2010, down from 124 in the previous year.
Rates of homicide involving rifles or shotguns in 2010 were about one-fifth of those seen 30 years ago.
Stabbings, accounting for 31 per cent of homicides, were nearly as common in 2010 as shootings, at 32 per cent. Another 22 per cent of homicides involved beatings, while eight per cent were by strangulation or suffocation. The remaining homicides used other means such as motor vehicles, fire and poisoning.
Canada's homicide rate declines to 44-year low - Canada - CBC News
