Every year, Statistics Canada issues a Crime Severity Index (CSI) report for Census Metropolitan Areas across Canada. The CSI is a measure of Police-reported crime that reflects the seriousness of offences by assigning a weighted value to crime types with a higher value being given to more serious crimes.

For the first time since 2015, the overall CSI in Greater Sudbury is down. Between 2020 and 2021, Canada’s total crime rate decreased by 0.3% whereas Greater Sudbury’s crime rate decreased by 4.3%. The Crime Rate is presented as the number of Police-reported Criminal Code Offences per 100,000 population in a Census Metropolitan Area.

A major contributing factor to the decrease in the CSI here in Greater Sudbury is a 13.15% decrease the Non-Violent CSI, mainly property crimes. This was primarily due to a 15% decrease in Break and Enters and a 20% decrease in Frauds including Identity Theft. Through education and awareness, we will continue to provide statistics and messaging including information about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and common/current scams, so that you can protect yourself, your loved ones and your property.

Although there was a decrease in the Non-Violent CSI, there was an increase in the Violent CSI (13.05%). This was mainly attributed to an increase in number of Sexual Assaults reported to GSPS (27%) and an increase in the number of Homicides and Attempted Murders.

In the Statistics Canada report, it was stated that:

“In 2020, pandemic-related lockdown conditions could have exacerbated issues around underreporting of Sexual Assaults. With widespread Stay-at-Home Orders and overburdened hospital and medical care resources, it may have been difficult for [Survivors] to come forward and report instances of Sexual Assault, and less likely that a third-party (for example Doctor or Teacher) would identify signs of abuse, particularly in children and youth. Likewise, with circumstances around the pandemic evolving in 2021, there may have been more opportunity for individuals to report Sexual Assaults, but also potentially more opportunity for Sexual Assaults committed by strangers. There are some indications that family violence services and [Survivors] of family violence were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

Through Project Champion, a four-year initiative with the main goals of increasing awareness and education in regards to sexual violence, creating a sustainable process for reviewing Sexual Assault Investigations with enhanced report checking and Survivor-centred training for Officers and ongoing awareness of alternative reporting methods (online reporting option), we are dedicated and committed to working with our community partners in order ensure culturally sensitive, wrap-around services are available to Survivors of Sexual Assault.

In 2021, there were six Homicide Investigations and nine Attempted Murder Investigations in Greater Sudbury. These were targeted and isolated incidents where the individuals involved were known to each other. Out of the 15 investigations, 14 resulted in the individual(s) believed to be responsible being arrested and charged.

The Statistics Canada CSI report focuses on non-violent and violent criminal offences, however, we know that the majority of Calls for Services across Canada are non-criminal in nature. In 2021, 83% of our Calls for Services were non-criminal versus 17% being criminal. Non-criminal Calls for Services include but are not limited to Mental Health-related calls, Liquor Licence Act infractions, Suspicious Persons, Disturbances, Trouble with Youth and Ambulance Assist.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on the mental health, physical health, emotional health and financial status of our community members with many of our vulnerable population being displaced into the downtown core. We recognize that the increased visibility of homelessness and those living with addictions and mental health illnesses impacts the perception of safety and the visibility of crime, however we know that enforcement is not a suitable or sustainable way to address these concerns. Addressing social issues upstream by providing vulnerable community members with wraparound social services has proven to be effective where enforcement alone has proven to be ineffective, not only because of Bill C-75, but because it criminalizes already marginalized individuals and does nothing to deter crime.

We will continue to work collaboratively with community partners to address the root causes of social disorder including homelessness, addictions and mental health in order to ensure the appropriate response prior to Police intervention. Our focus continues to be on providing wraparound support services to victims and survivors, as well as, those living with addictions and/or mental health issues while at the same time addressing community safety.

Email icon Back to Search