Lower crime rate, new laws ‘unlikely’ to change Canadians view on safety

Despite new tough-on-crime laws being passed by the federal Liberals last spring, national pollsters suggest that these changes are unlikely to alter Canadians' current view on safety or make it a political wedge issue between parties. David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, explained that it takes time for such perceptions to align with reality.

Canadians are more likely to feel safer before they believe crime rates have improved. Statistics Canada reported in July that both crime rates and severity had decreased across the board in 2025, with crime severity index down 5% for the second consecutive year, the conventional crime rate down 2%, and the homicide rate at its lowest since 2014.

However, these statistics do not account for the impact of the three new crime bills passed by the Liberals, which introduced stricter penalties for hate crimes, coercive control, and sexual deepfakes, among other offenses. Despite these new laws, the Conservative Party claims that the Liberals' policies have led to an increase in violent crime and shootings, citing statistics from before 2015.

Conservative justice critic Arpan Khanna pointed to a 57% increase in violent crime since then, while Police Chief of Peel reported a doubling of shootings in 2026. He argued that the new laws are merely a Band-Aid solution and not a comprehensive fix for the crisis. Liberal leaders, including Justice Minister Sean Fraser, responded by emphasizing the importance of working with law enforcement and provincial partners to address the issue effectively.

Pollsters stress that people's perceptions of crime are primarily based on their personal experiences and community observations rather than the most recent statistics. Some regions, like Ontario and British Columbia, show a higher concern for crime compared to Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The Conservatives have traditionally emphasized law and order, and polling indicates that they are perceived as better equipped to handle crime issues compared to the Liberals.