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July 20, 2016 - 6:30 PM
KELOWNA – For the first time in 12 years police-reported crime rose across Canada, with Kelowna in the top four for crime severity.
According to a Statistics Canada report released today, July 20, Kelowna has the fourth highest crime severity index (98) behind Edmonton (101.6), Saskatoon (112.5) and Regina (107.6). The index in Kelowna rose nine per cent in 2015, worse than all other cities except Victoria, Abbotsford-Mission, Edmonton, Calgary and Moncton.
The crime severity index measures both the volume and severity of crimes reported by police.
There was a significant increase in crime in eight of the 13 provinces and territories during 2015 with the largest reported in Alberta (18 per cent), New Brunswick (12 per cent), the Northwest Territories (10 per cent) and Saskatchewan (10 per cent).
The report says the Alberta index increase was driven largely by a jump in break and enters, petty theft and motor vehicle thefts.
As has been the case since 2010, the two cities with the highest crime severity indexes in 2015 were Saskatoon and Regina, and relatively high crime severity indexes were recorded in Edmonton and Kelowna, the report says.
Across Canada drug offences such as possession, trafficking and importation fell nine per cent in 2015. Cannabis-related crimes fell 15 per cent and cocaine-related crimes dropped by seven per cent.
The rates for all other drug crimes in the country rose 14 per cent since last year and have been on a steady upward climb for over a decade.
There were 2,700 fewer youth between 12 and 17 years old charged with crimes in Canada and of the 92,000 accused 45 per cent were formally charged and the rest dealt with by other means.
Violent crime rose six per cent across the country. Attempted murder charges rose 22 per cent, firearms charges also 22 per cent, homicide 15 per cent, robbery was up five per cent, sexual assaults were up four per cent and major assaults climbed three per cent.
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