Small businesses are seeing rise in shoplifting, new data suggests. How should Canadians respond?

New data suggests shoplifting and other crimes are on the rise for small businesses across Canada. (File photo)

New data suggests shoplifting and other crimes are on the rise in communities across Canada, with small business owners reporting growing concerns about safety and mounting pressure on their operations.

A recent survey released Wednesday by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that half of small business owners say crime has increased in their community over the past year, while just two per cent reported a decline.

The findings echo national data from Statistics Canada, which shows police-reported shoplifting incidents amounting to $5,000 or less rose 14 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year. It marks the fourth consecutive annual increase and a 66 per cent jump since 2014.

Together, the data points to what the federation describes as sustained pressure on small businesses, particularly on so-called “Main Street” retailers.

Nearly half of respondents also said they are concerned about their own safety, as well as the safety of their staff and customers.

In response, some business owners say they have been forced to adapt their operations, including locking doors during business hours, introducing buddy systems for employees and reducing shifts where staff work alone.

“This level of concern for basic safety is unacceptable, and it reinforces the need for governments to collaborate on meaningful solutions to improve the situation,” the report suggested.

Are you a small business owner affected by shoplifting? Have you witnessed shoplifting happening in your store or community?

If so, what steps have you taken to deal with it? Do you think governments should do more to support small businesses, such as investing in security measures?

Share your story by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.