Regina recorded the highest number of homicides per capita in Canada last year, according to an annual report issued by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS).

Regina reported 15 homicides in 2021, the highest number ever recorded in a single year in the city, according to Regina Police Chief Evan Bray.

Regina's homicide rate was 5.67 per 100,000. Thunder Bay and Winnipeg ranked second and third respectively on average, with homicide rates of 5.63 and 5.39 per 100,000. Nationally, there were 778 homicides, an increase of 29 from the previous year.

This is the third consecutive year that the national homicide rate has increased.

CCJS categorizes crime rates into different categories based on Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA) in Canada, meaning that Regina's statistics take into account crime outside the city limits.

Regina's overall crime rate in 2021 ranked fourth among CMAs with 7,497 incidents per 100,000, a four percent increase from 2020 and higher than the national average of 5,375 incidents per 100,000. In 2020, Regina ranked sixth in overall crime rate.

Bray attributed this shift to an increase in homicides and sexual assaults. Despite increases over the 2020 crime rates in almost all report categories, Regina's overall crime rate decreased by 24 percent over the past decade.

Violent crimes increased at the CMA level, with Regina ranking fifth in the overall Crime Severity Index (CSI), according to the CCJS report. The CSI measures the volume and severity of crimes reported by police in Canada.

Violent crimes increased across the country in 2021, with the violent crime severity index rising by 5 percent.

According to the report, the increase was driven by higher rates of sexual assault, harassment, threats, and homicide.

In 2021, Canada recorded the highest rate of sexual assaults since 1996. Overall, there were 34,242 sexual assaults reported by police in Canada last year, approximately 90 incidents per 100,000.

The report noted that "pandemic-related lockdown conditions, especially in the first year of the pandemic, may have exacerbated underreporting of sexual assaults."

"Conversely, subsequent easing of restrictions may have increased police reporting, either by victims or by individuals or services affiliated with third parties." Regina CMA had a rate of 85 sexual assaults per 100,000, an increase of seven percent from 2020 and 32 percent from 2011.

While Regina's overall CSI decreased by 11 percent from 2011, the violent CSI index increased by 16 percent over the same time period.