Lower crime rate, new laws ‘unlikely’ to change Canadians view on safety
In July, Statistics Canada said that both the rates and severity of reported crime were down almost all across the board in 2025.
Recent Statistics Canada data revealed that crime rates in Canada have decreased significantly in 2025. The crime severity index, which considers the number of crimes and their severity, dropped by 5% in the previous year, marking the second consecutive decline. The conventional crime rate, tracking the volume of crimes, decreased by 2%, while the homicide rate reached a level not seen since 2014.
These statistics encompass new tough-on-crime laws passed by the federal Liberals last spring, which introduced new offenses like hate crimes and coercive control, made bail more difficult to obtain, and restored mandatory minimum prison sentences.
However, despite these laws and the declining crime rates, many Canadians remain skeptical about the safety of their communities. David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, believes that people need to feel safer before they genuinely believe that the crime rate is decreasing. Canadians are often influenced by their personal experiences and perceptions in their communities rather than the statistics.
David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, added that hearing stories about carjackings, home invasions, and fatal shootings can create a sense that crime is worsening. Even though the crime numbers have improved, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has argued that violent crime has increased by 57% since 2015 and that the Liberal government has failed to address the issue effectively.
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