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3d ago

Rural Crime Rates in Canada 34% Higher Than Urban Areas, StatCan Report Reveals

New data highlights significant provincial disparities, policing challenges, and community efforts to address crime in rural regions.

A file photo of police vehicles in Saskatchewan.
Canadian law enforcement personnel rush to a home on the James Smith Cree First Nation reservation in Saskatchewan, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Robert Bumsted
A sheriff watches a property in Wetaskiwin County on November 6, 2019, when the Alberta government announced its initial plan to combat rural crime in Alberta.
A rural crime watch area sign is seen along Highway 611 southeast of Pigeon Lake, Alberta, on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

Overview

  • Statistics Canada’s latest report shows rural crime rates were 34% higher than urban crime rates in 2023, with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta experiencing the largest gaps.
  • Saskatchewan's rural crime rate was 68% higher than urban areas, followed by Manitoba at 65% and Alberta at 54%.
  • Northern rural communities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba reported violent crime rates twice as high as those in the rural south.
  • Policing challenges, including slower response times in remote areas, contribute to vulnerabilities and have spurred calls for strengthened community watch programs.
  • Experts caution against misconceptions linking population density to crime and highlight how social isolation and media amplify public fear of crime.