EDMONTON — Edmonton was fourth in total homicides among Canadian cities for the second consecutive year in 2013.
A Statistics Canada study shows Edmonton had 27 homicides last year, six fewer than 2012.
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Toronto had the most homicides with 79; Montreal was second with 43; and Vancouver was third with 42.
There were a total of 505 homicides in Canada in 2013, 38 fewer than the previous year. The homicide rate fell eight per cent from 2012 to 1.44 victims per 100,000 population, the lowest since 1966. The decrease was largely the result of Quebec having 40 fewer homicides.
Alberta had the third-highest homicide rate among provinces by population size, at 2.04 per 100,000 population. Manitoba had the highest at 3.87 per 100,000.
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The number of firearm-related homicides dropped in 2013 across the country but there were 31 more fatal stabbings than the previous year. Stabbings accounted for 40 per cent of all homicides in Canada.
Gang-related homicides dropped for the first time in three years with 85 in 2013, compared to 96 the year prior. Kelowna and Regina had the highest rates of gang-related homicides.
The study found that victims were killed by someone they knew in nearly nine out of 10 solved homicides.
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