Police say Ottawa’s overall crime rate rose by four per cent in 2024, driven by an increase in non-violent crime rates. Read MoreViolent crime rates remained relatively steady while non-violent crime rates increased, police said
Violent crime rates remained relatively steady while non-violent crime rates increased, police said
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Police say Ottawa’s overall crime rate rose by four per cent in 2024, driven by an increase in non-violent crime rates.
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According to the OPS’ 2024 annual report, there were 4,610 police-reported offences per 100,000 residents last year. In 2023, that number was 4,430 offences per 100,000 residents.
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The crime severity index also rose to 55.4 in 2024 from 54.5 in 2023, a two-per- cent increase.
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According to police, the index is used to measure crime reported to police and reflects the relative seriousness of each offence.
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The Evening Citizen
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Violent crime rates remained relatively steady in 2024 with 746 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 748 cases per 100,000 people in 2023. There were 8,192 reported violent crime cases in 2024, a one-per-cent increase since 2023.
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Police attributed this to an increase in sexual assault, assault and deaths.
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There were 21 homicides with 26 victims in 2024. Sixteen of those cases have been solved, police said.
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The police also reported that shootings dropped from 73 to 53 in 2024, a 27-per-cent decrease. More than 100 “crime guns” were also seized last year.
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Meanwhile, non-violent crime rates rose to 3,864 cases per 100,000 people in 2024, a five-per-cent increase since 2023. There were 42,416 reported non-violent crime cases in 2024, a six per cent increase since 2023 (39,931 reported cases).
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Police said this reflected an increase in property crime, mainly theft and fraud.
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Motor vehicle thefts dropped by 21 per cent, the OPS reported.
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Ottawa also saw a minor increase in motor vehicle collisions, but the number of traffic fatalities have decreased.
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According to the report, there were 19,780 motor vehicle collisions in 2024, a one per cent increase from the previous year. There were 18 traffic fatalities last year, down from 27 in 2023.
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“These figures reflect the realities of a growing, dynamic city — and the dedication of the officers and staff working to keep it safe,” said OPS Chief Eric Stubbs in the report.
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Hate crimes still ‘significantly underreported,’ say police
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The 2024 annual report also suggests that while hate crimes have decreased in 2024, many were still significantly underreported.
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The OPS defines hate crimes as “criminal acts motivated by hate or bias against individuals or groups based on factors such as race, national or ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, and other characteristics.”