New data from the Vancouver Police Department shows that, last year, the city’s overall Crime Severity Index reached its lowest level since tracking began in 1998. Over the past decade, police say, Vancouver’s overall CSI fell 22.3 per cent, while the national figure rose 4.2 per cent. The VPD also reported a record-low non-violent CSI for 2025. The index accounts for the seriousness of offences, rather than treating every reported crime equally. “Vancouver is safer now than it’s ever been,” said Senior Deputy Chief Const. Howard Chow, at a news conference Thursday. The VPD says overall crime rates, property crime and violent crime rates declined over the longer period from 2002 to 2025. It credits proactive policing, targeted enforcement and investments in technology and strategies, including Project Barrage and the creation of District 5. Notably, those last two initiatives began last year, and therefore had no bearing on crime rates before then. However, the longer-term figures come alongside increases in some crime categories this year. Earlier figures reported by CTV News showed violent crime in Vancouver was up six per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The first quarter saw a 12.3 per cent year-over-year increase, followed by a smaller 1.4 per cent increase in the second quarter. The VPD says some less serious offences have moved in the wrong direction in 2026, while the most serious categories—including murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, commercial and residential break-and-enters, and auto theft—are decreasing. Police project all three CSI categories will fall to their lowest recorded levels by the end of 2026. Mayoral candidates question timing of release The figures were released as Vancouver enters the final stretch of its municipal election campaign, prompting questions from candidates about why the VPD chose to announce the long-term trends now. TEAM mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick said the timing deserves scrutiny, questioning why the figures were being highlighted just days before the vote. Vancouver Liberals mayoral candidate Kareem Allam said police and other public institutions should remain impartial during an election campaign. “The role of the bureaucracy is to be impartial, particularly in the midst of an election year,” Allam said. Vote Vancouver mayoral candidate Rebecca Bligh also questioned the timing, saying it was fair for voters to ask why the data was being released ahead of election day. She has argued that public safety concerns require a broader response involving municipal, provincial and federal partners, rather than relying on policing alone. Green mayoral candidate Pete Fry said Vancouver’s crime rates should be considered in broader context. “Crime rates have been trending down across North America,” Fry said. “It’s not just an anomaly here.” The candidates’ comments reflect differing views on the timing and interpretation of the data. The statistics themselves do not establish a political motive for the release. ABC points to policing investments Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC Party said the new figures show Vancouver is moving in the right direction. In a statement, the party pointed to funding for 100 additional VPD officers, expanded mental-health response capacity and targeted enforcement initiatives, including Project Barrage and District 5. ABC said no single initiative can account for the long-term crime trends, but argued the results reinforce the importance of sustained investment and proactive policing. The Vancouver Police Union, which endorsed Sim in the 2022 election, has said it will not endorse a mayoral candidate in 2026. Chow defends focus on crime data Asked whether releasing the figures nine days before the election could be seen as an endorsement of Sim, Chow said his concern was how crime data has been portrayed in recent months. “What I’m concerned about is the fact of how our data over the last number of months have been misrepresented,” he said. Chow argued the VPD wants the public to have a clearer picture of crime trends, including the distinction between long-term changes and increases in some categories this year. Vancouver’s municipal election is Oct. 17.
