New numbers show where the ‘Big 12’ regions across Ontario sit regarding crime rates, with Waterloo Region ranking among the top five worst in almost every category.
The figures come from Statistics Canada, showing 2024 crime rates across the province. It details areas such as crime severity, clearance rates, firearm violations, and more.
The data was presented during a recent Waterloo Regional Police Service board meeting on Wednesday.
Ontario’s ‘Big 12’ include London, Toronto, Windsor, Greater Sudbury, Peel Region, Hamilton, Ottawa, Durham Region, Niagara Region, York Region, Halton Region, as well as Waterloo Region.
For Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), the largest factors that can be seen are where it sits in regard to overall crime severity and violent clearance rates.
When it comes to crime severity, which includes violent crimes and crimes against property, the region sits in eleventh place among the twelve. It does come amidst a 4.0 per cent dip compared to its numbers in 2023, a similar situation to what is seen amongst many of the other categories.
For violent clearance rates, the region sits even lower, currently ranking twelfth amongst the ‘Big 12.’ This compares with non-violent clearance rates, where the region ranks sixth.
Overall, crimes in both those areas saw total drops in numbers, declining by 1.75 per cent for violent crimes and 5.7 per cent for non-violent crimes, respectively.
Much of the data comes as Waterloo Region ranked lower in 2023 than any other region when it came to the overall number of officers, sitting in the lowest spot of the 12 per 100,000 population. However, no clear data was given for the same statistic in 2024.
A few positive notes are coming from the newly released figures, with the largest gain seen in the WRPS’s response to firearms violations. It saw a decrease of 27.4 per cent, the largest decline amongst those Ontario regions.
As well, a larger decline was also seen in break-and-enter cases, dropping 17.8 per cent from 2023, now making it the lowest rate the region has seen in over two decades.
WRPS said its ongoing crime suppression strategy will help bring those numbers further still, working to combine enforcement with a proactive approach to crime prevention. It hopes for even better numbers and comparisons heading through 2025.
