Police say Ottawa’s overall crime rate rose by four per cent in 2024, driven by an increase in non-violent crime rates.
According to the
OPS’ 2024 annual report
, there were 4,610 police-reported offences per 100,000 residents last year. In 2023, that number was 4,430 offences per 100,000 residents.
The crime severity index also rose to 55.4 in 2024 from 54.5 in 2023, a two-per- cent increase.
According to police, the index is used to measure crime reported to police and reflects the relative seriousness of each offence.
Violent crime rates remained relatively steady in 2024 with 746 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 748 cases per 100,000 people in 2023. There were 8,192 reported violent crime cases in 2024, a one-per-cent increase since 2023.
Police attributed this to an increase in sexual assault, assault and deaths.
There were 21 homicides with 26 victims in 2024. Sixteen of those cases have been solved, police said.
The police also reported that shootings dropped from 73 to 53 in 2024, a 27-per-cent decrease. More than 100 “crime guns” were also seized last year.
Meanwhile, non-violent crime rates rose to 3,864 cases per 100,000 people in 2024, a five-per-cent increase since 2023. There were 42,416 reported non-violent crime cases in 2024, a six per cent increase since 2023 (39,931 reported cases).
Police said this reflected an increase in property crime, mainly theft and fraud.
Motor vehicle thefts dropped by 21 per cent, the OPS reported.
Ottawa also saw a minor increase in motor vehicle collisions, but the number of traffic fatalities have decreased.
According to the report, there were 19,780 motor vehicle collisions in 2024, a one per cent increase from the previous year. There were 18 traffic fatalities last year, down from 27 in 2023.
“These figures reflect the realities of a growing, dynamic city — and the dedication of the officers and staff working to keep it safe,” said OPS Chief Eric Stubbs in the report.
Hate crimes still ‘significantly underreported,’ say police
The 2024 annual report also suggests that while hate crimes have decreased in 2024, many were still significantly underreported.
The OPS defines hate crimes as “criminal acts motivated by hate or bias against individuals or groups based on factors such as race, national or ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, and other characteristics.”
Around 467 incidents were reported in 2024, including 351 criminal offences and 116 hate-motivated incidents. This is a four-per-cent decrease from 2023, which saw 487 reported incidents.
Among the charges laid in 2024, 54 people faced a total of 190 counts of criminal offences. One person was charged under the Criminal Code for public incitement of hatred.
Seven warnings were also issued under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
“The crimes investigated in 2024 were often severe, with incidents ranging from mischief to property and threats, to assault and assault causing bodily harm,” the report read.
The most affected communities in Ottawa included:
- Jewish: 113 incidents
- LGBTQ2S+: 54 incidents
- Black: 54 incidents
- Muslim: 18 incidents
- Chinese: 18 incidents
However, the police noted that hate crimes are also significantly underreported.
A 2022 report by the federal justice ministry
suggests victims are often afraid of further victimization or retaliation if they report hate crimes to the police.
Victims who identify as a person of colour are often worried their cases may not be taken seriously by police. Additionally, victims who identify as part of the LGBTQ2S+ community are afraid of stigmatization due to homophobia and transphobia.
“The Ottawa Police Service continues to encourage anyone who has experienced a hate-related incident to report it, ensuring that each case is investigated and that the community remains vigilant against hate in all its forms,” the report read.
Police service grows, and so do policing costs
The report states there were 2,261 members in the OPS in 2024, including 1,615 sworn members and 646 civilian members. Most of those employees do community policing (43 per cent), while another bulk of the police force do intelligence work (33 per cent).
The numbers also include 129 new recruits, which police said is part of the force’s “ongoing focus on expanding the workforce with individuals who bring diverse perspectives and skills.” Thirty of those new recruits were women, including three women of colour. Fourty-six of those new recruits were also men of colour, and nine recruits identified as 2SLGBTQIAA+.
Six “experienced officers” were also hired in 2024, police said.
Policing costs also grew. In 2024, the OPS spent about $373 million in policing but ended the year with a $2.4-million surplus. In 2023, the OPS spent $352.1 million.
The report suggests the increase in events, protests and demonstrations made up the bulk of the OPS budget with around $9.4 million spent.
Overtime costs to cover for various stafff vacancies totalled around $7.8 million.
Non-discretionary operational spending and revenue shortfalls accounted for about $4.8 million in spending, the report noted.
But Ottawa police said much of the budgetary shortfalls and pressures were offset by federal and provincial funding. In total, the OPS received $11.9 million in federal funding and $3.7 million in provincial funding last year.
The report also said costs were offset from savings in salary and wages from vacancies during the year ($5.8 million), revenue ($3.6 million) and debt savings ($1.1 million).
