According to the Fraser Institute’s 2024 crime report, violent crime in Canada has risen by 44% since 2014, surpassing even the United States in certain categories. Yet, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) claims certain crimes remain stable or are even declining.
So, is crime truly rising in Vancouver, or is the public perception of crime outpacing reality?
In this article, we will break down the latest crime statistics, compare national and local data to the USA as well, and analyze the key factors driving criminal activity.
Here are the Vancouver crime statistics 2025.
Vancouver Crime Statistics 2025: A Difference In Reporting
The Vancouver Police Department have reported different statistics to the Fraser Institute.
As mentioned earlier, according to the Fraser Institute (2024), violent crime across Canada has increased by 44% since 2014, reaching a national average of 434.11 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
This is higher than the U.S. violent crime rate, which rose only 5% over the same period, reaching 380.7 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Homicides in Canada have risen by 53% since 2014, reaching 2.3 per 100,000 people in 2022.
The U.S. homicide rate remains higher at 5.8 per 100,000 people in 2022, but the gap is narrowing.
Assault with a weapon, robbery, and serious violent offenses have increased in Canada overall, according to police-reported data.
However, the VPD reports a different trend locally:
Homicide rates in Vancouver have remained relatively stable in recent years, fluctuating between 2 to 3 homicides per 100,000 people—lower than Canada’s national average.
Serious violent crimes, such as shootings and stabbings, have increased in specific areas, including the Downtown Eastside.
Random stranger attacks, which have drawn significant media attention, account for less than 1% of all violent crime incidents, according to the VPD.
Read: Vancouver Crime Statistics 2024
Property Crime: US vs Canada
The Fraser Institute’s data shows that Canada’s property crime rate has risen by 7% since 2014, reaching 2,491 crimes per 100,000 people in 2022.
In contrast, property crime in the U.S. has dropped by 24% over the same period, falling to 1,954 per 100,000 people.
Key stats:
Break-ins and vehicle thefts continue to rise, especially in major cities.
Shoplifting and petty theft have surged, particularly in urban centers with high homelessness rates.
Vancouver remains one of the hardest-hit cities in Canada, though the VPD reports a slight decline in 2023.
According to VPD data, Vancouver’s property crime dropped by 2% in 2023, largely due to enhanced security measures and law enforcement efforts. However, break-ins and thefts remain significantly higher than other Canadian cities, particularly in commercial districts.
Vancouver’s Most Pressing Property Crime Issues
Commercial break-ins: Businesses in Gastown, Yaletown, and Downtown report ongoing issues with organized retail theft and repeat break-ins.
Vehicle thefts & catalytic converter thefts: These crimes have skyrocketed due to the high resale value of stolen parts, with Vancouver among the top cities for car theft claims (IBC, 2024).
Shoplifting & repeat offenders: Major retailers have closed Vancouver locations due to persistent theft, with business owners reporting daily losses from offenders who face little legal consequence.
While VPD data shows a small decline in overall property crime, repeat offenses and high-theft rates remain major concerns. The contrast between Canada’s rising crime rates and the U.S.’s declining property crime further challenges the perception that Canada is the safer country overall.
Comparing National vs. Local Crime Trends
Crime Type | Canada (Fraser Institute, 2024) | Vancouver (VPD, 2024) |
Violent Crime | +44% since 2014 (higher than U.S.) | Stable, with spikes in specific areas |
Homicide Rate | 2.3 per 100,000 (↑ 53%) | 2-3 per 100,000 (Stable) |
Property Crime | +7% since 2014 | 2% decrease in 2023 |
Break-ins & Theft | Increasing across Canada | Still high, but declining slightly |
These contrasting narratives between national and local crime reports highlight the complexity of Vancouver’s crime situation. While Canada as a whole is seeing a rise in violent crime, Vancouver’s local trends vary based on crime type and location.
VPD’s Crime Data: A More Optimistic View?
The VPD’s annual crime reports suggest that while crime remains an issue, certain categories—especially violent crime—have stabilized or even declined in recent years.
According to the 2023 VPD Report on Public Safety:
Homicides in Vancouver remained relatively low, with the city reporting an average of 2.2 per 100,000 people in 2022, which is comparable to national averages.
Violent crime incidents, including assaults and robberies, have shown only moderate increases, not the dramatic spikes suggested by broader national crime trends.
Many public safety concerns stem from increased homelessness, mental health crises, and open drug use, rather than traditional organized crime or gang violence.
The VPD emphasizes that Vancouver remains one of Canada’s safest major cities, particularly when compared to urban centers like Toronto, Winnipeg, or Edmonton, where crime rates are historically higher.
Fraser Institute’s Analysis: A More Dire National Perspective
In contrast, the Fraser Institute’s 2024 study presents a less optimistic view of crime in Canada, highlighting that crime—particularly violent crime—is rising faster in Canada than in the U.S..
Key findings include:
Canada’s overall violent crime rate increased by 44% from 2014 to 2022, compared to a 5% increase in the U.S. over the same period.
Canada’s property crime rate is now higher than in the U.S., with 2,491 property crimes per 100,000 people in Canada (2022), compared to 1,954 in the U.S.
Homicides in Canada increased by 53% between 2014 and 2022, compared to a 49% increase in the U.S. over the same period.
Canada’s violent crime rate (adjusted for differences in reporting) now exceeds the U.S. violent crime rate for the first time, with 434 violent crimes per 100,000 in Canada vs. 380 per 100,000 in the U.S.
These findings challenge the long-standing belief that Canada is significantly safer than the United States, at least when it comes to certain categories of crime.
Why the Discrepancy? 3 Reasons There Is A Discrepancy Within Reporting
Different Crime Definitions:
In Canada, Assault Level 1 (simple assault without weapons or serious injury) is classified as a violent crime, whereas in the U.S., it is not included in violent crime statistics.
This inflates Canada’s reported violent crime rate relative to the U.S.
Geographic Scope
The VPD primarily reports on the City of Vancouver, while the Fraser Institute examines crime at the national level and includes broader Metro Vancouver statistics.
Many crime trends in Vancouver’s suburbs (Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond) are higher than in the city itself, contributing to higher overall crime rates in national reports.
U.S. vs. Canada: Policing and Sentencing Differences:
The U.S. has stricter sentencing laws, including longer prison terms for repeat offenders.
Canada has seen bail reform policies that have led to repeat offenders being released more quickly, a point frequently criticized by law enforcement agencies.
U.S. cities with aggressive policing strategies (e.g., New York, Chicago) have seen sharper crime reductions, whereas Canadian cities have adopted less aggressive crime-prevention models.
What Now For Vancouver Residents?
We Should Consider Police Staffing Shortages
The ability to effectively police a growing city is a critical issue in Vancouver. The VPD has repeatedly stated that staffing shortages are making it harder to address crime proactively.
VPD Chief Adam Palmer (2023) stated that the force is understaffed, leading to longer response times and a greater focus on serious violent crimes rather than lower-level property offenses.
Calls for service have increased by 12% since 2019, while the number of active-duty officers has not grown proportionally.
Repeat offenders account for a significant portion of crime, with some individuals being arrested and released multiple times in a single week, according to the Vancouver Police Union.
With fewer resources, the VPD prioritizes major crimes, leaving businesses and homeowners frustrated over a perceived lack of action against repeat theft and vandalism.
A Decline in Prosecutions and Bail Reform Issues
A widely debated topic in Vancouver’s crime discussion is whether judicial policies have made it easier for offenders to remain on the streets.
The Fraser Institute reports that over 40% of repeat offenders are released within 24 hours of arrest, often returning to commit additional offenses.
In 2023, the BC government introduced stricter bail measures, but critics argue that courts remain hesitant to detain repeat property crime offenders.
Public frustration has grown due to cases where violent offenders with multiple prior convictions are released back into the community without significant restrictions.
Law enforcement officials argue that even when arrests are made, prosecution delays and lenient bail conditions create a revolving door for career criminals.
Economic Inequality & Housing Instability
Vancouver has one of the highest costs of living in North America, and this economic pressure contributes to crime rates.
A 2024 study by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) found that Vancouver has the least affordable rental market in Canada, with an average one-bedroom apartment costing over $2,600 per month.
Homelessness rates have risen by 32% since 2019, according to Metro Vancouver’s Homeless Count.
Increased financial strain has pushed more people into desperate situations, leading to higher levels of shoplifting, car thefts, and break-ins.
When combined with mental health struggles and addiction, financial instability creates conditions that lead to more crime.
The Need for a Clearer Picture
Ultimately, both the VPD and the Fraser Institute provide valuable insights, but a more comprehensive approach is needed to understand crime in Vancouver.
A combination of VPD crime data, national crime trends, and public perception surveys would provide a more balanced view of safety in the city.
Better tracking of repeat offenders and crime resolution rates could clarify whether crime is truly rising or if enforcement is simply lagging.
More transparency in crime classification would ensure that residents have accurate information on what’s happening in their neighborhoods.
Conclusion: A Complex Problem Without a Quick Fix
The rise in crime in Vancouver is not driven by a single factor but rather a combination of economic struggles, policing challenges, judicial issues, and social crises.
Violent crime is increasing nationally, but Vancouver’s rates remain stable compared to the rest of Canada.
Property crime remains high, though some categories have declined slightly due to law enforcement initiatives.
Drug addiction, mental health crises, and repeat offenders continue to fuel crime in high-risk areas like the Downtown Eastside.
Solving these issues will require stronger judicial policies, improved police resources, and investments in mental health and addiction treatment—all while ensuring public safety remains a top priority for policymakers.
How Does Vancouver’s Crime Rate Compare to Other Canadian Cities?
Crime is a growing concern in Vancouver, but how does it compare to other major cities in Canada?
The Fraser Institute’s 2024 report provides valuable insights into national crime trends, revealing that while crime rates have increased across the country, Vancouver remains one of the cities with the highest property crime rates and rising violent crime rates.
1. Homicide Rates: Vancouver vs. Other Major Cities
Homicide is often used as a key indicator of violent crime trends. While Vancouver’s homicide rate remains below cities like Toronto and Edmonton, it has been steadily rising.
Vancouver’s homicide rate in 2022 was 2.2 per 100,000 people, up from 1.5 in 2014 (Fraser Institute, 2024).
Toronto’s homicide rate for 2022 was 2.4 per 100,000 people, making it slightly higher than Vancouver’s.
Edmonton reported 3.6 homicides per 100,000 people in 2022, making it one of the most violent cities in Canada.
While Vancouver’s homicide rate is lower than that of major U.S. cities, it has steadily increased over the past decade, raising concerns about public safety and law enforcement resources.
2. Property Crime: Vancouver Has One of the Highest Rates in Canada
Property crime remains one of Vancouver’s biggest public safety issues. Unlike violent crime, which has fluctuated, property crime continues to rise at a concerning rate.
Vancouver had 4,708 property crimes per 100,000 people in 2022—one of the highest in Canada.
Calgary’s property crime rate was 3,968 per 100,000, significantly lower than Vancouver’s.
Toronto had a much lower rate of 2,830 property crimes per 100,000.
Vancouver’s break-ins, car thefts, and shoplifting incidents continue to outpace most major Canadian cities, driven by repeat offenders, economic struggles, and policing challenges.
3. Violent Crime: A Surprising Shift in Trends
Historically, Canada’s violent crime rate was lower than that of the United States, but recent data suggests Canada’s rate is now higher when adjusted for differences in crime classification.
Canada’s national violent crime rate increased by 44% from 2014 to 2022, reaching 434.1 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Vancouver’s violent crime rate is higher than Toronto’s, Edmonton’s, and Calgary’s, making it one of the most dangerous cities in the country for violent offenses.
By contrast, violent crime in the U.S. increased by just 5% in the same period and remains lower than Canada’s adjusted rate (Fraser Institute, 2024).
4. Repeat Offenders and the “Revolving Door” Problem
One of the most pressing issues contributing to Vancouver’s crime problem is repeat offenders who cycle through the justice system without meaningful consequences.
A 2023 VPD report found that 40% of property crimes were committed by just 200 repeat offenders.
The Fraser Institute confirms that Canada’s bail system has led to frequent releases of habitual criminals, allowing offenders to commit multiple crimes in short periods.
While some bail reforms were introduced in 2023, critics argue that courts remain too lenient, and enforcement remains inconsistent.
The gap between public perception and official crime data means that while some categories may be stabilizing, concerns about safety remain at an all-time high.
To truly improve public safety, a mix of law enforcement, judicial reforms, and social interventions will be necessary.
Stay safe!
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