‘Another busy year’: Ottawa’s crime rate ticks up 10 per cent in 2023, violent crime up slightly

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Ottawa’s crime rate increased by nearly 10 per cent in 2023 while violent crime rose slightly by 1.7 per cent last year, according to statistics published in the Ottawa Police Service’s annual report.

The reported crime rate increased 9.9 per cent from 4,031 per 100,000 population in 2022 to 4,430 per 100,000 population last year.

There were 8,055 violent crimes last year — a category that includes homicide, attempted murder, assault, sexual assault, robbery, uttering threats and intimidation — compared to 7,805 in 2022.

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Requests for service rose by 15 per cent over the previous year, though that sharp increase was partially attributed to a spike in non-dispatched 911 calls “triggered by the automatic SOS feature on Android devices.”

The issue “led to an unusually high volume of emergency calls” in 2023, according to police, and has now been resolved.

There were 427,400 calls for service in 2023, including about 54,100 additional calls through the dispatch system (400,000 total) and around 3,000 additional reports submitted online (27,400 total), according to OPS data.

“2023 was another busy year filled with both challenges and significant progress,” according to the report, shared at Monday’s Ottawa Police Services Board meeting.

“OPS members responded to over 400,000 calls for service, dealing with numerous challenges, investigating complex crimes, and assisting those in need. They dealt with an array of issues, from the rise in auto thefts to incidents of gun violence, substance abuse, overdoses, ongoing demonstrations and major events, violence against women, and hate crimes targeting various communities.

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“Despite the challenges, members demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to serving our community. However, from listening to both OPS members and members of the community, we know that overall service delivery, as well as internal culture, policies, and practices, need to improve.”

There were 48,000 reported Criminal Code of Canada offences in 2023, excluding traffic offences, representing a 12 per cent increase in reported crime over the same period in 2022.

The 28 per cent clearance rate remained in line with the previous year’s results for offences that have been solved or resolved.

Ottawa’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) increased by five per cent to 59 points in 2023, with Violent CSI in line with 2022, while the city’s Non-Violent CSI rose by eight per cent.

The CSI is compiled annually by Statistics Canada to account for reported crime and the relative seriousness of crimes committed in each Canadian jurisdiction.

Ottawa’s CSI is well below the 2022 national rate of 78.

The volume of violent crimes increased by three per cent in the city in 2023, driven by assaults, threats and robberies, police said.

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Property-related offences increased by 13 per cent in 2023, which police attributed to a spike in thefts — including shoplifting — along with fraud, mischief, break-and-enters and thefts from motor vehicles.

There were 15 homicides in 2023 with 16 victims. Three of those homicides remain unsolved.

The number of shootings increased by 22 per cent to 73. There were 60 shootings in the city in 2022. Police seized 81 guns associated with crime last year.

The number of collisions on Ottawa roadways also increased by 28 per cent to nearly 19,300.

Collisions resulting in injuries increased 25 per cent to 2,804 in 2023. Ottawa police officers attended 2,499 collisions directly, according to the data, accounting for 13 per cent of all reported incidents.

There were 27 fatalities on Ottawa roads in 2023, up from 23 fatalities in 2022.

Vehicle thefts are also on the rise in the National Capital Region, police said.

There were 1,854 vehicles reported stolen in 2023, with 51 per cent of those recovered.

Police charged 188 individuals with auto theft-related offences and recovered 948 stolen vehicles.

“To counter this growing crime trend, Ottawa police experts have trained patrol officers on the current trends, technologies, and methods needed to intercept thefts that are in progress before they leave the city,” the report states.

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