Canada’s homicide rate at lowest level since 1966

The agency also recorded the number of homicides between 1980 and 2014. The homicide rate, however, was stable, which meant 2013 and 2014 tallied the lowest homicide rates since 1966.

Among provinces, Manitoba had the highest homicide rate for the eighth straight year while Thunder Bay, Ont., picked up the dubious distinction of becoming Canada’s murder capital.

For the population as a whole, there were four more homicides in 2014 than a year earlier.

Nearly a quarter of homicide victims in Canada are Aboriginal.

In addition, the report showed a higher percentage of homicides of aboriginal people were solved compared to those of non-aboriginal people.

Stats Canada says Aboriginals are also far more likely to be accused of homicide. Even the national average was higher where Aboriginals died at a rate almost 6.5 times higher than for non-Aboriginals. The murder rate of Aboriginal women remains unchanged since 1980, while it declines for the rest of the population. In fact, StatCan said, police were more likely to solve killings where aboriginals were victims than those involving non-aboriginal victims.

Acquaintances posed the biggest threat, followed by relatives. 10 times as many were accused in 2014 across the country.

In 2014, five provinces reported fewer homicides compared with 2013: Ontario (-13), Nova Scotia (-7), Saskatchewan (-7), Manitoba (-7) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-5).

The Canadian homicides report, released Wednesday, marks the first year the survey has had complete police-reported data on the aboriginal identity of victims and people accused of homicide. The numbers are elevated for indigenous women too, with the rate of homicide for aboriginal females six times higher than for their non-aboriginal counterparts.

Alberta followed in second with 11.55 homicides per 100,000. Regina had a rate of 2.09, putting it in 8th spot.

No homicides were reported in Saguenay, Sherbrooke, Kingston, Oshawa and Brantford in 2014. As was the case in previous years, most solved homicides in 2014 were committed by someone known to the victim (83 per cent).

“Over the past 34 years, the number of aboriginal female victims has remained relatively stable”.