Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah has voiced concerns about a recent rise in crime rates, particularly in violent incidents like home invasions and carjackings. However, he reassures residents that Peel Region remains one of the safest areas in Canada.
In a news release on Wednesday, Peel Regional Police highlighted data from Statistics Canada, which continues to rank Peel Region as one of the country’s safest communities.
“While we are indeed concerned about the increase in crime rates, especially regarding home invasions, carjackings, and other violent crimes, we remain committed to dedicating the necessary resources to ensure effective enforcement and strong investigative capabilities,” Chief Duraiappah stated. “We will also continue to collaborate with partners on initiatives that enhance community safety.”
The release noted that Statistics Canada annually collects and compares data from police services across the country, with the most recent comparison provided through the 2023 Crime Severity Index (CSI) report released in July.
The CSI measures the number and seriousness of crimes, with more severe crimes, such as homicides, carrying greater weight in the index.
Peel’s overall CSI, although up 8 percent from 2022, stands at 51.41, which is below both the national average of 80.45 and Ontario’s average of 60.88.
Despite this overall increase, Peel’s violent CSI actually decreased by 3.48 percent compared to 2022, due to a reduction in homicides, bringing it to 67.34. This is also below the national average of 99.45 and the provincial average of 78.52.
However, Peel’s non-violent CSI saw a significant jump of 15.9 percent from the previous year, now standing at 45.48. Despite the increase, it remains lower than both the national average (73.54) and the provincial average (54.34).
Another metric examined is the “weighted clearance” rate, which measures the number of crimes solved, with more serious crimes receiving greater weight in the calculation.
While Peel Region boasted the highest overall weighted clearance and violent clearance rates for populations over one million, the report wasn’t entirely positive. The region experienced an 11.22 percent decrease in weighted clearance, potentially due to an increase in auto theft, which typically has a low clearance rate.
Peel’s weighted clearance rate was 34.19, slightly lower than the national average of 34.6 and Ontario’s average of 37.99. The violent clearance rate in Peel stood at 57.8, higher than the national rate of 53.84 but slightly lower than Ontario’s rate of 58.6. For non-violent crimes, Peel’s clearance rate was 20.21, which is below the national (24.2) and provincial (26.1) averages.
Finally, Peel Region’s total crime rate per capita was reported at 3,164, significantly lower than the national rate of 5,843 and Ontario’s rate of 4,454. The violent crime rate per capita in Peel was 758, also below the national average of 1,427 and Ontario’s average of 1,055.