An annual Statistics Canada report shows that crime is falling in most parts of the country, but has spiked in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where local officials blame drugs.
The Crime Severity Index found that overall police-reported crimes fell in most provinces and territories between 2015 and 2016, but went up by nine per cent in Saskatchewan and eight per cent in Manitoba.
The cities with the most reported crimes are Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Winnipeg, according to the index. Crime is up in all four cities, with Regina seeing a 15 per cent increase and Winnipeg registering a 16 per cent jump.
Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth said at a news conference Friday that changes in reporting may partially explain the jump, but an uptick in methamphetamine and opioid drug addiction are also contributing.
"These are highly addictive drugs,” Smyth said. “Users often resort to crime to feed their habits," he added.
Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill said that methamphetamine “swept” into his city a couple of years ago and that could explain the five per cent increase in crime there.
“We have people that are up on meth for five or six days straight,” he said. “They’re not thinking clearly, they’re not rational. They’re doing crimes that probably would have never happened before.”
Weighill said he believes the solution to the drug problem includes more funding for things like public housing, health care, education and jobs.
In Regina, Police Chief Evan Bray told reporters that he’s seeing more drugs and guns.
Michael Fougere, Regina’s Mayor, said a downturn in the province’s economy could also be contributing.
The cities with the least severe crime, according to the index, are Quebec City, Toronto and Barrie, Ont.
The biggest decreases in crime severity were seen in Trois-Rivieres, Que. (down 14 per cent) and Victoria, B.C. (down 12 per cent).
Overall, the severity of crime fell by 29 per cent between 2006 and 2016, according to the report.
With reports from CTV Winnipeg and CTV Regina
