Regina had the highest homicide rate per capita in Canada for 2015, according to the latest numbers released by Statistics Canada Wednesday.
Statistics Canada numbers showed at eight homicides last year, Regina’s homicide rate was 3.30 homicides per 100,000 population. This was the highest rate among 33 census metropolitan areas.
Saskatoon has the second highest homicide rate with 3.22 victims per 100,000 or 10 homicides throughout the year. Edmonton came in third with 39 homicides or 2.87 victims per 100,000 people.
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Out of all the provinces, Saskatchewan reported the highest homicide rate among provinces with 3.79 victims per 100,000 people. Manitoba was the second highest with 3.63 homicides per 100,000.
In 2015, the population in Saskatchewan was 1.1 million people, and in Manitoba was 1.3 million. In Alberta, the population was 4.2 million people.
According to Statistics Canada, there were 604 homicides across Canada reported by police in 2015, 83 more than the previous year. The homicide rate increased by 15 per cent up to 1.68 victims per 100,000 population.
Statistics Canada said in 2015, 148 of the 604 homicide victims, or 25 per cent, were aboriginal. Last year, aboriginal people accounted for five per cent of the Canadian population.
This year in Regina, there have been six homicides to date.