# How did the crime severity index change in Ontario?

> Crime severity index decreased in Ontario.

Crime severity index fell from 100.72 Index to 57.17 Index between 1998 and 2025—a decrease of 43.55 index points, or 43.2%. It reached an observed low of 49.93 Index in 2014 before ending at 57.17 Index in 2025.

## Answer scope

- Geography: Ontario (ON)
- 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: 100.72 Index
- Latest · 2025: 57.17 Index
- Overall change: -43.55 index points (43.2% decrease)

## Exact observations

| Period | Series | Source display value | Value as charted | Chart unit |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| 1998 | Crime severity index | 100.72 Index | 100.72 | Index |
| 1999 | Crime severity index | 92.31 Index | 92.31 | Index |
| 2000 | Crime severity index | 89.04 Index | 89.04 | Index |
| 2001 | Crime severity index | 86.54 Index | 86.54 | Index |
| 2002 | Crime severity index | 84.54 Index | 84.54 | Index |
| 2003 | Crime severity index | 83.15 Index | 83.15 | Index |
| 2004 | Crime severity index | 78.2 Index | 78.2 | Index |
| 2005 | Crime severity index | 76.96 Index | 76.96 | Index |
| 2006 | Crime severity index | 78.57 Index | 78.57 | Index |
| 2007 | Crime severity index | 74.5 Index | 74.5 | Index |
| 2008 | Crime severity index | 70.94 Index | 70.94 | Index |
| 2009 | Crime severity index | 69.3 Index | 69.3 | Index |
| 2010 | Crime severity index | 65.58 Index | 65.58 | Index |
| 2011 | Crime severity index | 61.17 Index | 61.17 | Index |
| 2012 | Crime severity index | 59.04 Index | 59.04 | Index |
| 2013 | Crime severity index | 52.58 Index | 52.58 | Index |
| 2014 | Crime severity index | 49.93 Index | 49.93 | Index |
| 2015 | Crime severity index | 51.05 Index | 51.05 | Index |
| 2016 | Crime severity index | 53.29 Index | 53.29 | Index |
| 2017 | Crime severity index | 56.32 Index | 56.32 | Index |
| 2018 | Crime severity index | 60.32 Index | 60.32 | Index |
| 2019 | Crime severity index | 60.87 Index | 60.87 | Index |
| 2020 | Crime severity index | 55.41 Index | 55.41 | Index |
| 2021 | Crime severity index | 56.04 Index | 56.04 | Index |
| 2022 | Crime severity index | 58.77 Index | 58.77 | Index |
| 2023 | Crime severity index | 61.51 Index | 61.51 | Index |
| 2024 | Crime severity index | 60.95 Index | 60.95 | Index |
| 2025 | Crime severity index | 57.17 Index | 57.17 | 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=on&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 Ontario?” Ontario. Source updated 2026-07-22. <https://www.canadaindata.ca/?place=on&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.