Saskatchewan has the highest crime rate of any of the provinces in Canada and its two biggest cities score No. 1 and No. 2 for crime.
But this year there is a reversal. Saskatoon takes the top spot for the first time, while Regina — which has been the crime capital of Canada since 1998 — now slides to second place.
The numbers were up for discussion at the Regina Board of Police Commissioners meeting this morning. The city’s police chief and mayor reflected on the city’s ranking, both pointing out that Regina has led the nation in crime reduction for more than a decade.
The city’s crime rate has dropped 47 per cent since 2004, a remarkable achievement according to Police Chief Troy Hagen.
“Obviously we know we still have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us,” he says. “But what is really important for everyone to keep in context here is that we have tremendous momentum here. We have greater momentum in terms of crime reduction that anywhere else in the country.”
Regina Mayor Michael Fougere says even though the city still has the second highest crime rate per capita in the country, people feel Regina is safe and know that it is getting safer every year.
“That is a message that is important for residents to know,” he says. “Crime continues to be reduced, you have seen the numbers. Our reduction in crime in virtually every category is greater than the rest of Canada.”
Last year in Regina, the crime rate went down four per cent. In Saskatoon, it increased by 10 per cent.
Provincially, the crime rate was the highest in Canada at about twice the national average.