Last year saw highest rate of gang-related homicides in 16 years: Statistics Canada

Published November 21, 2022 at 3:57 pm

Data from Statistics Canada show there was an increase in homicides in 2021 and nearly one-quarter of the killings were connected to gangs.

There were 788 homicides in the country last year – up three per cent from 2020 – and 184 of those were gang related.

It marks the highest rate of gang-related homicides since 2005.

The agency says firearms were the most common weapon used in homicides.

Saskatchewan had the highest homicide rate, up nine per cent from 2020.

The rate of Indigenous victims across the country remained disproportionately high — six times higher than non-Indigenous people.

Videos

Black and South Asian people also had higher rates of being victims of homicide.

The Canadian Press