Violent crime up in Winnipeg in 2016

WINNIPEG — There was an eight percent increase in violent crimes in Winnipeg in 2016.

Police released their statistics Monday, and they show both violent crime and property crime in 2016 up eight per cent over 2015.

In a news release police called violent crime a “continuing and worrying trend, in large part due to the activity of gangs, and the drug trade occurring in the city.”

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The report was released on the same day Statistics Canada shared national data on crime.

While Winnipeg is not the murder capital of Canada, its violent crime rate is the highest in the country.

The violent crime severity index includes crimes against a person, as opposed to property crimes.

Winnipeg’s rate sits at 150, which is higher than Edmonton (103) and more than double cities like Toronto (70) and Calgary (61).

Thunder Bay is the murder capital of Canada with a homicide rate of 6.64, followed by Edmonton (3.39 ), Regina (3.23 ), and Winnipeg (3.14).