Think Tank's Justice Report Card Shows High Crime Rates Persist in Canada
A new report on the state of criminal justice in Canada paints a concerning picture, indicating that violent crime, hate crimes, and property theft rates remain stubbornly high across multiple provinces and territories. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute's fourth Justice System Report Card, released this week, gives Canada's criminal justice system dismal grades on keeping the public safe and maintaining the trust of Canadians.
Alarming Trends in Crime Statistics
According to the report, police-reported hate crimes increased by an alarming 85 per cent between 2020 and 2024. During this same period, hate crimes targeting Jewish communities saw a staggering 178 per cent increase. While violent crime decreased by approximately half a percent across Canada in 2024, it actually rose in the two most populous provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the Northwest Territories.
The violent crime severity index, which measures changes in the intensity of police-reported incidents, fell by one per cent compared to 2023. However, property crime showed mixed results, increasing in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon in 2024 while decreasing across the country by five per cent overall.
Eroding Public Confidence and Systemic Challenges
The share of Canadians expressing confidence in both police and the court system declined in 2024, with fewer than half of respondents saying they trusted the courts to deliver justice. Co-authors Dave Snow and Richard Audas warn that "rising crime, mounting delays, and inconsistent enforcement have created a widening gap between expectations and performance."
Snow emphasized to media that the persistently high crime rates and eroding public trust share a common thread in administrative challenges. "What maybe stuck out to me the most about this year's report card is that pretty much everything we put under the category of 'efficiency' is trending in the wrong direction," said Snow. He noted that cases are taking longer to resolve, more are being withdrawn, and a growing share of accused individuals are on remand awaiting trial.
Post-COVID Crime Patterns and Enforcement Concerns
The authors observed that 2024 continued a post-COVID trend of worsening public safety, with violent crime increasing in nine provinces since 2020 and property crime increasing in eight provinces during the same period. Snow highlighted that while more violent crimes are being reported, fewer are being solved, with the police clearance rate hitting a five-year low of 53.7 per cent in 2024.
The report also points to significant data gaps regarding criminal recidivism and offences committed while on bail. Snow noted there is "more than anecdotal evidence" linking the observed increase in violent crime in the 2020s to reforms that have made it easier for violent offenders to return to the streets.
Without meaningful reform, the authors warn that Canada risks "entrenching failure in its criminal justice system – eroding public safety, weakening accountability, and undermining confidence in the rule of law itself." The report card serves as a stark assessment of the challenges facing Canada's justice system as it grapples with persistent crime rates and declining public trust.
