# How did the crime severity index change in British Columbia?

> Crime severity index decreased in British Columbia.

Crime severity index fell from 166.91 Index to 92.37 Index between 1998 and 2025—a decrease of 74.54 index points, or 44.7%. It reached an observed low of 87.06 Index in 2017 before ending at 92.37 Index in 2025.

## Answer scope

- Geography: British Columbia (BC)
- Period: 1998 to 2025
- Frequency: Annual
- Source updated: 2026-07-22
- Measure: Crime severity index
- Index base: Canada, 2006 = 100
- Measure basis: Police-reported crime weighted by court sentences

## Key figures

- Start · 1998: 166.91 Index
- Latest · 2025: 92.37 Index
- Overall change: -74.54 index points (44.7% decrease)

## Exact observations

| Period | Series | Source display value | Value as charted | Chart unit |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| 1998 | Crime severity index | 166.91 Index | 166.91 | Index |
| 1999 | Crime severity index | 155.76 Index | 155.76 | Index |
| 2000 | Crime severity index | 144.65 Index | 144.65 | Index |
| 2001 | Crime severity index | 146.64 Index | 146.64 | Index |
| 2002 | Crime severity index | 148.1 Index | 148.1 | Index |
| 2003 | Crime severity index | 154.69 Index | 154.69 | Index |
| 2004 | Crime severity index | 153.38 Index | 153.38 | Index |
| 2005 | Crime severity index | 146.31 Index | 146.31 | Index |
| 2006 | Crime severity index | 139.79 Index | 139.79 | Index |
| 2007 | Crime severity index | 132.42 Index | 132.42 | Index |
| 2008 | Crime severity index | 121.81 Index | 121.81 | Index |
| 2009 | Crime severity index | 111.85 Index | 111.85 | Index |
| 2010 | Crime severity index | 104.13 Index | 104.13 | Index |
| 2011 | Crime severity index | 96.7 Index | 96.7 | Index |
| 2012 | Crime severity index | 94.53 Index | 94.53 | Index |
| 2013 | Crime severity index | 87.71 Index | 87.71 | Index |
| 2014 | Crime severity index | 90.18 Index | 90.18 | Index |
| 2015 | Crime severity index | 92.65 Index | 92.65 | Index |
| 2016 | Crime severity index | 91.69 Index | 91.69 | Index |
| 2017 | Crime severity index | 87.06 Index | 87.06 | Index |
| 2018 | Crime severity index | 88.65 Index | 88.65 | Index |
| 2019 | Crime severity index | 103.95 Index | 103.95 | Index |
| 2020 | Crime severity index | 97.02 Index | 97.02 | Index |
| 2021 | Crime severity index | 96.44 Index | 96.44 | Index |
| 2022 | Crime severity index | 100.32 Index | 100.32 | Index |
| 2023 | Crime severity index | 104.57 Index | 104.57 | Index |
| 2024 | Crime severity index | 93.9 Index | 93.9 | Index |
| 2025 | Crime severity index | 92.37 Index | 92.37 | Index |

## How to read this measure

The Crime Severity Index is not an indicator of overall safety. 2019 is the first full year under revised reporting standards; compare earlier years with caution. Revised 2021 and 2022 data use updated crime weights. The previous year may be revised at each release. Northwest Territories includes Nunavut in 1998; they are separate from 1999.

## How this answer was calculated

The headline compares the first and last observations shown. Overall change is the last index value minus the first and is reported in index points; relative change is (last ÷ first − 1) × 100. Intermediate observations remain visible in the chart and exact values. This is descriptive and does not identify causes.

## Source and provenance

- Official source: [Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01](<https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3510002601>)
- Table title: Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, Canada, provinces, territories and Census Metropolitan Areas
- Dataset identifier: 35100026
- Canonical human-readable answer: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/?place=bc&analysis=statcan-35100026-trend&subject=35>
- Province and territory comparison: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/comparisons/statcan-35100026-trend>
- Interpretation policy: this answer describes the selected observations; it does not infer causation.
- Source acknowledgement: Adapted from Statistics Canada, Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, Canada, provinces, territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 2026-07-22. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

## Evidence version

- Snapshot generated: 2026-09-05
- Snapshot SHA-256: `c9882d908d7b8a0374fe7c7c93106506b8d47520df5814c21d767e74984d45cb`
- Evidence changelog: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/data-changelog.json>
- This answer URL represents the latest deployed evidence. Record the digest when reproducibility matters.

## Suggested citation

Canada in Data. “How did the crime severity index change in British Columbia?” British Columbia. Source updated 2026-07-22. <https://www.canadaindata.ca/?place=bc&analysis=statcan-35100026-trend&subject=35>

Canada in Data is an independent public-interest project and is not Statistics Canada. Verify consequential uses against the linked official table.