Mississauga and Brampton see drop in crime rates due to pandemic

Crime rates in Peel were the lowest in the country last year compared to the top 10 Canadian municipalities with the largest policing population.

According to Statistics Canada’s annual report on crime severity, the crime rate in Peel was 2,211 incidents per 100,000 people, which was less than half the national average of 5,301.

The report said the COVID-19 pandemic had a large impact on the crime rates across the country, and Statistics Canada said there were 18 per cent fewer criminal incidents in April 2020, there compared to the same month the previous year.

The overall Crime Severity Index (CSI) in the Region dropped by 16 per cent between 2019 and 2020, while the Canada-wide and Ontario CSI dropped by 8 and 9 per cent respectively.

Peel’s overall CSI for 2020 was 37, while York and Durham had slightly higher numbers at 39 and 40.7.

In general, crime levels in Ontario were comparatively lower throughout the pandemic period from March to December.

But in some regions, crimes like domestic violence incidents were up 22 per cent in April 2020 compared to the same month a year prior.

The average CSI in Canadian municipalities was 73.4, and some cities had rates which doubled or even tripled Peel’s. Winnipeg had the highest with 121.9, while Edmonton and Vancouver had rates of 115.6 and 104.7.

The Region also ranked third lowest in on the volent crime index, which was 51.9 last year. Of the cities and regions compared by Statistics Canada, only Durham and York had lower violent crime scores.

“In a region our size with the volume of crime and violent crime we continue to be proud that, for a population over one million, we are the safest municipality,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah.

Statistics Canada uses the number of crimes as well as the relative seriousness of crimes to calculate the CSI and puts more weight on serious crimes.