According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, Thunder Bay, Ont., has the highest homicide rate in Canada once more.
The annual report on homicide trends was released on Dec. 2 and is based on data from 2024. It shows that the northwestern Ontario city’s homicide rate increased from 5.41 to 6.08 per 100,000 residents that year, followed closely by Chilliwack, B. C., (4.75) and Winnipeg (4.66).
In 2020, Thunder Bay experienced its fifth straight year of holding the title for the country’s highest homicide rate. Although it ranked second in Canada in 2021, it regained the top position in both 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.”
While the national homicide rate saw a four percent decline in 2024, Thunder Bay’s figures have remained steady.
A spokesperson for the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) informed via email that there were 53 homicides reported in Thunder Bay between 2020 and 2025.
This city recorded seven homicides along with 295 sudden deaths in 2025, compared to eight homicides and 300 sudden deaths in the previous year. The most recent sudden death occurred on Christmas Day on Regent Street in the northern part of town.
The City of Thunder Bay is currently working on a new community safety and well-being plan designed to tackle neighborhood safety issues. Throughout 2025, it held numerous public engagement sessions along with an online survey to collect input.
The police service also initiated several new safety programs over the past year, including a pilot project for housing safety that involves special constables patrolling social housing complexes.
Additionally, they received provincial funding last fall for new forensic technologies such as a bullet recovery program and Li DAR software that assists officers in reconstructing crime scenes.
The funds also support a mental health and addictions initiative called the Integrated Mobile Police Assessment Crisis Team aimed at redirecting non-emergency calls away from police or hospitals toward more suitable support services.
<p. Last month, members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Board approved their operational budget request for 2026 totaling around $64 million. This amount needs approval from city council as part of municipal budgeting but represents an increase of just over nine percent compared to last year.
The TBPS is suggesting capital budgets around $3.2 million for 2026 and $4.8 million for 2027.
Meanwhile, there’s currently a citizen satisfaction survey available online so people can share their thoughts about TBPS services through their website.
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