2022 Crime Severity Index information Released

2022 Crime Severity Index Released: Increase in Violent Crime

Thursday, July 27th, 2023 - 3:54 pm
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Despite an increase in violent crime, Guelph remains a safe community for our citizens, according to new data released today.

Statistics Canada released its 2022 Police-Reported Crime Statistics report. The report includes information on the Crime Severity Index (CSI), a measure of the relative seriousness of police-reported crime across the country. Nationally, overall crime severity increased by four per cent, while violent crime severity increased by 4.6 per cent, reaching its highest point since 2007.

Guelph’s overall crime severity increased by 7.6 per cent last year. However, our community maintained its ranking of the 12th-lowest overall crime severity of the 35 census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in Canada.

Locally, the increase in overall crime severity is due almost entirely to a 27.2 per cent increase in the Violent Crime Severity Index (VCSI). This figure was driven by a 26 per cent increase in reported assaults, a 19 per cent increase in reported sexual crimes as well as two murders and two attempted murders, each up from zero in 2021.

While Guelph’s violent crime severity increased, it is worth noting that despite a small slip in the rankings — from second to fourth-lowest VCSI in Canada — Guelph continues to rank favourably in VCSI in comparison with the other CMAs in Canada.

Non-violent CSI (NCSI) was virtually unchanged from 2021 to 2022. Break and enter incidents remained the primary contributor to Guelph’s NCSI in 2022 despite a reduction in incidents from 563 to 514. The Guelph Police Service is pleased with the impact of our full-time Community Response Break Enter Auto Theft Team of five officers created in January of 2022.

The Crime Severity Index trends observed are aligned with information previously released as part of the 2022 Guelph Police Service Annual Report. This includes increases in the following areas:

Priority 1 Response Times increased by seven seconds.
Calls for Service increased from 72,565 to 77,933 (trending to 90,000 calls in 2023)
Overtime increased by more than 5,000 hours from 26,898 hours to 31,990 hours
Member off-duty sick time increased by nearly 10,000 hours from 14,848 hours to 24,432 hours

“Together this data points to an overall increase in the volume and severity of the crimes occurring in our city,” said Police Chief Gord Cobey. “That said, Guelph’s Violent Crime Severity ranking is consistent with what we know about our city: Guelph remains a safe place to live and grow.”

“Our Service is committed to understanding the factors influencing these crime trends and working to implement strategies and initiatives to ensure the safety of our citizens, and the wellness our members, now and into the future,” Cobey added.

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