GTA residents fear rising crime despite police reporting declines: survey
CBC
A new survey has found residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are worried about rising crime rates, despite various police services in the region reporting declines.
The survey by Liaison Strategies found 72 per cent of Torontonians believed homicide in the city had increased over the past year. But as of Dec. 30, Toronto has had 42 reported homicides in 2025 — the lowest rate since 1986 — according to data provided by Toronto Police Service (TPS).
The survey also reported that residents felt crimes, such as assault, robbery, motor vehicle theft and hate crimes, had increased in the city.
A previous survey from October by the company found crime had overtaken affordable housing as the top issue people were concerned about in the city, said David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies.
“What we saw across the board is that people, no matter what kind of crime it is, no matter where they live, they think crime is going up,” he said.
In spite of the survey’s results, data from some police agencies in the GTA are reporting lower crime rates from previous years.
In a year-end interview with CBC News earlier this month, TPS Chief Myron Demkiw said the city is seeing a drop in crime rates after some "significant" highs over the past decade, though he noted that youth crime rates were a cause for concern.
Major crime indicators have decreased in all categories this year, except for theft over $5,000, Toronto police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer told CBC News.
“We recognize that lower numbers don’t automatically translate into people feeling safer,” said Sayer. “After several years of higher crime, trust and confidence take time to rebuild. That’s why visibility matters.”
She said Toronto police are working to be “more present in communities” to improve safety and the sense of safety in neighbourhoods.
The survey also found 76 per cent of Torontonians believed crime across Canada had increased over the past year. It’s a sentiment seen across the GTA with 77 per cent of Brampton, 64 per cent of Mississauga and close to 60 per cent of Vaughan and Markham residents agreeing crime is on the rise.
Liaison Strategies surveyed 800 residents in Brampton, 800 in Mississauga, 800 in Vaughan, 800 in Markham and 1,000 people in Toronto over two days in October this year using Interactive Voice Response for its results.
Meanwhile data from Peel Regional Police found the number of homicides from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 was lower compared to the same time last year. It’s a trend that applies to most major crimes in the region, except sexual violations.
York Regional Police data from January to October this year also illustrated a drop in most crimes compared with previous years, robberies excepted. Homicide rates in the region were down 53 per cent in 2025, with nine deaths recorded through the end of October, compared to 19 in 2024.
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