Victoria indicatorsPolice-reported crime in the City of Victoria
161.2 severity index
Statistics Canada index: crimes weighted by seriousness, set to 100 in 2006.
No target found. Who could set one: Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board, with the City, and the Province of B.C.. B.C. 92.4. Targets and comparisons
Source: Statistics Canada. We read it on Nov 11, 2026.
Over time
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- 161.2 index (Canada 2006 = 100)
M municipal election: Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- City of Victoria 161.2
- British Columbia 92.4
- Esquimalt (from 2020) 41.0
M municipal election: Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- 161.2 index (Canada 2006 = 100)
M municipal election: Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- City of Victoria 161.2
- British Columbia 92.4
- Esquimalt (from 2020) 41.0
M municipal election: Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- 161.2 index (Canada 2006 = 100)
M municipal election: Nov 19, 2011; Nov 15, 2014; Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 17, 2005; May 12, 2009; May 14, 2013; May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Jan 23, 2006; Oct 14, 2008; May 2, 2011; Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025Local elections before 2011 are not marked.
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- City of Victoria 161.2
- British Columbia 92.4
- Esquimalt (from 2020) 41.0
M municipal election: Nov 19, 2011; Nov 15, 2014; Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 17, 2005; May 12, 2009; May 14, 2013; May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Jan 23, 2006; Oct 14, 2008; May 2, 2011; Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025Local elections before 2011 are not marked.
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- 161.2 index (Canada 2006 = 100)
M municipal election: Nov 19, 2011; Nov 15, 2014; Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 17, 2005; May 12, 2009; May 14, 2013; May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Jun 28, 2004; Jan 23, 2006; Oct 14, 2008; May 2, 2011; Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025Local elections before 2011 are not marked.
Crime Severity Index: City of Victoria compared with B.C.
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- City of Victoria 161.2
- British Columbia 92.4
- Esquimalt (from 2020) 41.0
M municipal election: Nov 19, 2011; Nov 15, 2014; Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 17, 2005; May 12, 2009; May 14, 2013; May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Jun 28, 2004; Jan 23, 2006; Oct 14, 2008; May 2, 2011; Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025Local elections before 2011 are not marked.
More charts (1)
City of Victoria: violent and non-violent crime
2025 Index (Canada 2006 = 100), by year
- Violent crime 172.5
- Non-violent crime 158.0
M municipal election: Nov 19, 2011; Nov 15, 2014; Oct 20, 2018; Oct 15, 2022P provincial election: May 17, 2005; May 12, 2009; May 14, 2013; May 9, 2017; Oct 24, 2020; Oct 19, 2024F federal election: Jun 28, 2004; Jan 23, 2006; Oct 14, 2008; May 2, 2011; Oct 19, 2015; Oct 21, 2019; Sep 20, 2021; Apr 28, 2025Local elections before 2011 are not marked.
Targets and comparisons
No target found
No target for this Crime Severity Index found in the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General 2026/27 to 2028/29 Service Plan (February 2026) or the Victoria Police Department’s strategic plan page, as of November 12, 2026. Who could set one: the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board, with the City, and the Province of B.C.
Documents checked: Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General 2026/27 to 2028/29 Service Plan (February 2026); Victoria Police Department strategic plan page (viewed November 12, 2026).
The British Columbia line is shown for comparison. It is not a goal.
Show the numbers as a table
| Period | City of Victoria | British Columbia | Esquimalt (from 2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 161.2 | 92.4 | 41.0 |
| 2024 | 152.2 | 93.9 | 45.0 |
| 2023 | 170.6 | 104.6 | 42.9 |
| 2022 | 154.4 | 100.3 | 43.8 |
| 2021 | 153.5 | 96.4 | 47.5 |
| 2020 | 162.6 | 97.0 | 41.8 |
| 2019 | 128.6 | 104.0 | – |
| 2018 | 117.2 | 88.7 | – |
| 2017 | 111.0 | 87.1 | – |
| 2016 | 116.6 | 91.7 | – |
| 2015 | 135.2 | 92.7 | – |
| 2014 | 112.0 | 90.2 | – |
| 2013 | 101.2 | 87.7 | – |
| 2012 | 125.3 | 94.5 | – |
| 2011 | 132.9 | 96.7 | – |
| 2010 | 159.5 | 104.1 | – |
| 2009 | 163.2 | 111.8 | – |
| 2008 | 177.3 | 121.8 | – |
| 2007 | 193.1 | 132.4 | – |
| 2006 | 211.4 | 139.8 | – |
| 2005 | 201.8 | 146.3 | – |
| 2004 | 221.7 | 153.4 | – |
| 2003 | 226.0 | 154.7 | – |
| Period | Violent crime | Non-violent crime |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 172.5 | 158.0 |
| 2024 | 162.2 | 149.4 |
| 2023 | 145.4 | 182.0 |
| 2022 | 161.2 | 152.9 |
| 2021 | 181.0 | 143.8 |
| 2020 | 148.3 | 167.4 |
| 2019 | 105.9 | 136.5 |
| 2018 | 122.4 | 115.0 |
| 2017 | 117.2 | 108.5 |
| 2016 | 115.6 | 116.7 |
| 2015 | 144.5 | 131.6 |
| 2014 | 108.5 | 113.1 |
| 2013 | 105.4 | 99.5 |
| 2012 | 130.7 | 123.0 |
| 2011 | 150.2 | 126.4 |
| 2010 | 187.0 | 149.0 |
| 2009 | 178.8 | 157.2 |
| 2008 | 168.0 | 180.9 |
| 2007 | 157.4 | 206.8 |
| 2006 | 167.0 | 228.4 |
| 2005 | 145.4 | 223.6 |
| 2004 | 174.7 | 239.8 |
| 2003 | 194.7 | 238.0 |
How it compares
Statistics Canada, 2025, index (Canada 2006 = 100). Comparisons are not goals.
Who decides
Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board. Oversees the Victoria Police Department, appoints its chief constable and prepares its budget. Police Act, s. 26
Show the 3 other bodies and the laws
| Body | What it decides | Law or bylaw | Last decision | Next decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board | Oversees the Victoria Police Department, appoints its chief constable and prepares its budget. | Police Act, s. 26 Police Act, s. 27 | Provisional budget due to the councils by November 30, 2026 (Police Act, s. 27) | |
| Victoria and Esquimalt councils | Approve the police board’s budget. If they reject an item, either side can ask the Province to decide. | Police Act, s. 27 Police Act, s. 27 (3) | ||
| Province of B.C. | Sets standards for policing. | Police Act, s. 40 | ||
| Government of Canada and Parliament | Makes criminal law. | Criminal Code (Part XVI, release before trial; Part XXIII, sentencing) |
Councils: last general local election October 17, 2026; next on October 19, 2030, the third Saturday of October set by the Local Government Act, s. 52. Province: last general election October 19, 2024; next set for October 21, 2028 unless called earlier (Constitution Act, s. 23). Canada: last general election April 28, 2025; next set for October 15, 2029 unless called earlier (Canada Elections Act, s. 56.1).
Each row says what a body decides and links to the law, order or bylaw that gives it that role. It does not say who caused a change: markets, households and other governments also move these numbers. Who decides what, for every measure · How we choose
What this number does not show
- From 2020 on, this figure covers the City of Victoria only. Statistics Canada's note: starting in January 2020, the Victoria Police Department began reporting crime in Esquimalt so that Esquimalt could be counted separately; before that, Esquimalt's incidents were included in Victoria's figures. Years before 2020 are therefore not directly comparable (marked on the chart). Earlier versions of this site described the whole series as Victoria and Esquimalt; that was wrong for 2020 onward.
One more limit
- The index is set so that Canada in 2006 equals 100. It weights each crime by how serious it is, so a few serious crimes count more than many minor ones.
Not measured yet in safety: response times: fire and bylaw, police response times, crime that is never reported and more. See all 17 gaps
In plain words
Up 5.9% in a year. Down 0.9% since 2020. * 2020 was a pandemic year; 2019 is not used because: the series changed in 2020 (Esquimalt counted separately from 2020), so 2019 is not comparable.
Statistics Canada’s Crime Severity Index for crime reported to the Victoria Police Department in the City of Victoria (Esquimalt has been counted separately since 2020). It combines how much crime is reported to police with how serious it is; Canada in 2006 = 100.
How we decide “Worse”
The change is 5.9% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.
A lower number means less, or less serious, police-reported crime. 161.2 in 2025 compared with 152.2 in 2024 (+5.9%, Statistics Canada's published change). B.C. as a whole: 92.4 in 2025 (was 93.9). Victoria's figure is about 1.7 times B.C.'s. Violent crime index: 172.5 (was 162.2). Non-violent crime index: 158.0 (was 149.4). Esquimalt, policed by the same department but counted separately: 41.0 (was 45.0).
Outcome measures read Better, Worse or About the same; published government targets read Ahead of, On or Behind target; value-judgement measures read Rising, Falling or Steady in a neutral colour. A change smaller than the agency's own margin of error, or otherwise smaller than 5% of the earlier value, is About the same (or Steady). No change is calculated across a marked break in a series. The rule.
All notes on this number
Why it matters. It is the closest published figure to the City itself. It does not measure unreported crime or how safe people feel.
- From 2020 on, this figure covers the City of Victoria only. Statistics Canada's note: starting in January 2020, the Victoria Police Department began reporting crime in Esquimalt so that Esquimalt could be counted separately; before that, Esquimalt's incidents were included in Victoria's figures. Years before 2020 are therefore not directly comparable (marked on the chart). Earlier versions of this site described the whole series as Victoria and Esquimalt; that was wrong for 2020 onward.
- The index is set so that Canada in 2006 equals 100. It weights each crime by how serious it is, so a few serious crimes count more than many minor ones.
- Downtown Victoria is a regional centre for work, shopping, nightlife and services. Crime counts include incidents involving people who live elsewhere, but the index is calculated against the City's resident population only, which raises it compared with largely residential areas.
- The index counts only crime reported to or found by police. Changes in reporting or police practices can move it.
- The Greater Victoria (metropolitan) index on the Police-reported crime page is a different, wider area and is shown for context.
- The chart starts in 2003, the year the Victoria Police Department began policing Esquimalt: the population it serves rises from 77,382 in 2002 to 94,312 in 2003 in Statistics Canada table 35-10-0077-01. Earlier years covered the City only and are not shown.
Which places
Area: City of Victoria
The City of Victoria municipality only, all neighbourhoods.
Included
- All City of Victoria neighbourhoods, including Downtown, James Bay, Fairfield, Fernwood, Oaklands, Hillside/Quadra, North Park, Burnside, Victoria West, Rockland, Jubilee and Gonzales
Not included
- Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, Langford and every other municipality in the region
Official definition
Shown for comparison
- Comparison area: All of B.C. The whole province of British Columbia.
How the agency describes it: City of Victoria (Victoria Police Department, Victoria municipal police service; Esquimalt counted separately since 2020).
How we got it
This number is published by the agency as shown; it is not calculated here. The script reads it from the agency’s own file.
Licence and credits
Published under an open licence: anyone may reuse it with credit. About licences.
- Published by
- Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (police services in British Columbia), table 35-10-0063-01
- Updated by agency
- Annually (published in July); latest release Jul 22, 2026
- Retrieved
- Nov 11, 2026, 6:29 PM B.C. time
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0063-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Inputs and results
What this pays for, or what goes into it
Inputs are money, staff or decisions; results are what services delivered. One does not prove the other moved. Kinds of measure
What goes into this
Spot a mistake?
Email [email protected]. Fixes are listed in the corrections log.