Crime rate increases in Calgary and Edmonton while Lethbridge sees downward trend

Crime is up in Calgary and Edmonton while Lethbridge is seeing a dip in criminal activity, according to a new report released by Statistics Canada on Thursday.

The report indicates overall crime rates are higher across Canada, increasing by five per cent from 2021 to 2022.

Meanwhile, the Crime Severity Index (CSI), which measures the severity of criminal offences, rose for the second year in a row and was up by four per cent. 

The violent CSI has reached "its highest point" in Canada since 2007, according to the report, which highlighted increases in the number of robberies, extortion cases, homicides and "Level 1" sexual assaults.

Meanwhile, non-violent crimes, such as property-related offences and drug incidents, saw a marginal increase in 2022 — lower than rates observed before the pandemic. 

In Alberta, the crime rate increased by five per cent while the CSI was higher by two per cent in 2022.

However, as the graph indicates, the statistics varied slightly across different parts of Alberta.

The rate and severity of crimes were reported to be lower in Lethbridge compared to trends observed in the past, while Edmonton and Calgary recorded increases in crime rates in 2022.

But what do these numbers mean?  

According to Warren Silver, an analyst at Statistics Canada, the explanation isn't as complicated as it seems.

"[In] Lethbridge, the CSI was down eight per cent, meaning crime severity in Lethbridge was reduced by eight per cent," he said. "The crime rate went down five per cent, meaning the total volume of crime that was reported went down five per cent."

Silver added that Lethbridge was one of the areas that witnessed the "largest" decrease in crime rates in 2022. 

In comparison, crime rates were slightly higher in Calgary — the total number of crimes was up by five per cent while crime severity rose four per cent.  

Meanwhile, Edmonton saw crime rates increase by eight per cent while the CSI was up by three per cent.

'We still have a lot of work to do'

According to Silver, the downward trend in Lethbridge could be attributed to lower instances of breaking and entering as well as a decrease in drug-related offences, specifically possession and drug trafficking.

"[Lethbridge is] one of the places that saw a decrease, whereas most of the other cities in Canada saw an increase, but it was relatively high to begin with," he said.

The latest statistics are "encouraging" and "very positive" for the local community, according to Shahin Mehdizadeh, chief of the Lethbridge Police Service.

"We still have a lot of work to do … but I'm very proud to call this community my home as we are moving certainly towards a good direction," he said at a press conference.

"The issues that drive crime in the city are complex and require a collaborative approach to not only address the root causes but reduce opportunities," he added.

Mehdizadeh and his team are working toward setting up training programs and hiring more experienced police officers, cadets and community peace officers in a bid to curb crime rates in Lethbridge.

The higher crime rates in Alberta shouldn't come as a surprise, according to Doug King, professor of justice studies at Mount Royal University.

"We are just bouncing back from the effects of the pandemic, so crime severity and the overall crime rates in Canada across the board are … actually lower [this year]," he said, adding that the numbers were noticeably higher in 2019 before the pandemic brought things to a standstill.

He added that the CSI in Alberta is relatively lower compared to other provinces.

That said, King reckons that crime rates are starting to rise to pre-pandemic levels and crime severity will continue to increase "unless we do something to address it."

The bigger picture

"How you combat those kinds of offences is by really, really good police work," King said. "It's less about crime prevention and more about crime suppression."

He added it's crucial to remember the situation isn't as grim as it was in the 1990s.

"The overall crime rate in Canada peaked in 1990.… The corresponding crime severity index is actually two-thirds of what it was in 1990," he said.

"You and I are one-third less likely to be a victim of crime than we were in 1990."