Statistics Canada has released the homicide trends in Canada for 2023, with the murder rates for three of the largest cities in Alberta being broken down.
In 2023, eight provinces saw reductions in their homicide rates. The largest decline was in New Brunswick (-42%), while Nova Scotia (-29%) and British Columbia (-23%) also saw big drops.
In 2023, police services reported 778 homicides across the country, 104 fewer victims than the previous year. As a result, the national homicide rate decreased by 14%, from 2.27 to 1.94 homicides per 100,000 population. This marks the first time since 2019 that the rate was below two homicides per 100,000 population.
Among Canada’s Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), Thunder Bay recorded the highest homicide rate in 2023, despite a 54% decrease in the number of homicides compared with the previous year. Thunder Bay’s homicide rate stood at 5.39 per 100,000 population, followed by Winnipeg (5.04) and Chilliwack (4.77).
Edmonton and Calgary were grouped into a CMA with a 500,000 and over population, while Red Deer was included in the 100,000 to less than 500,000 population bracket.
The homicide rates are calculated per 100,000 population using revised July 1 population estimates from the Statistics Canada Centre for Demography.
Edmonton
The Edmonton CMA recorded 48 murders in 2023, up from 36 the city saw in 2022. The homicide rate worked out to be 3.06, much higher than the national average of 1.94.
Calgary
The Calgary CMA recorded 24 murders in 2023, down from 29 the city saw in 2022. The homicide rate worked out to be 1.43, lower than the national average of 1.94.
Red Deer
The Red Deer CMA recorded one murder in 2023, down from four the central Alberta city saw in 2022. The homicide rate worked out to be 0.92, much lower than the national average of 1.94.
Statistics Canada says similar to 2022, nearly four in 10 homicides were committed with a firearm in 2023. Like in recent years, handguns were the most common firearm used in these crimes, accounting for 56% of firearm-related homicides in 2023.