Thunder Bay, Ont., once again reports the highest homicide rate in Canada
CBC
Thunder Bay, Ont., continues to have the highest homicide rate in the country, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
The annual homicide trends report, released on Dec. 2, is based on data from 2024. It says the northwestern Ontario city's homicide rate rose from 5.41 to 6.08 per 100,000 population that year, followed by Chilliwack (4.75) and Winnipeg (4.66) respectively.
In 2020, Thunder Bay marked its fifth consecutive year of having the country's highest homicide rate. While it reported the second-highest rate in Canada in 2021, it took the top spot once again in 2022 and 2023.
“The homicide rate is considered a key metric for assessing the state of violence, community safety and social welfare of a country,” the latest report from Statistics Canada says. “Domestic and international policymakers analyze the incidence of homicides to understand the extent of violence, identify trends and determine an appropriate response.”
Though the national homicide rate dropped four per cent in 2024, Thunder Bay’s numbers have remained consistent.
There were 53 homicides reported in Thunder Bay between 2020 and 2025, a spokesperson for the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) told CBC News in an email on Wednesday.
The city saw seven homicides and 295 sudden deaths in 2025, compared to eight homicides and 300 sudden deaths the year before. The most recent sudden death was reported on Christmas Day on Regent Street in the city’s north end.
The City of Thunder Bay is developing a new community safety and well-being plan aimed at addressing neighbourhood safety concerns. Throughout 2025, it held several public engagement sessions as well as an online survey in order to gather feedback.
As for the police service, it launched a few new safety initiatives in the past year, including a housing safety unit pilot project which involves dedicated special constables patrolling social housing buildings.
The force also received provincial funding in the fall to support new forensic technology, including a new bullet recovery program and LiDAR software that helps officers recreate crime scenes.
Funds also went toward a mental health and addictions program known as the Integrated Mobile Police Assessment Crisis Team, which aims to divert non-emergency calls from police or the hospital to more appropriate support services.
Last month, the Thunder Bay Police Service Board approved the police service's 2026 operational budget request, which totals about $64 million. That amount, which must be approved by city council as part of the municipal budget process, marks an increase of just over nine per cent over the previous year.
The TBPS is proposing capital budgets of about $3.2 million for 2026 and $4.8 million for 2027.
Meanwhile, a citizen satisfaction survey is currently open to the public to provide feedback about the TBPS. It can be accessed on the police service’s website.
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