Sudbury sees increase in homicides, sex crimes, firearm offences

Statistics Canada has released its Crime Severity Index (CSI) for 2022, with Sudbury reporting a decrease in overall levels for the second year in a row, but an increase in certain types of crime.

The Crime Severity Index, based on uniform crime reporting, assigns a weighted value to the severity of crime in comparison to the population.

Greater Sudbury Police Service said the city is seeing a decrease of its CSI, with a rating of 2.69 per cent, down 6.2 per cent from 2021.

Police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said there's been a decrease in break and enters, threats and robberies, which has led to the lower overall rate.

However, there's been an increase in other types of crimes.

"Although we've seen a decrease in the overall Crime Severity Index, we did see an increase in the violent crimes," Dunn said.

"This is mainly attributed to the number of homicides, sexual assaults, child pornography offences as well as violent firearm offences."

There were 10 homicides in 2022, up 64 per cent compared to a year earlier. Dunn said that in seven out of 10 cases, the individuals were known to each other and were isolated incidents. There was a 90 per cent clearance rate, meaning nine out 10 homicides have been solved.

The major drivers of the increase are homicides, sexual assault, violent firearms offences and child pornography offences. Violent firearm offences have been increasing across the country for the last eight years.

Sudbury MPP Jamie West said social determinants of health should be addressed to reduce the number of violent crimes.

"We know increased poverty, not having access to food, increases likelihood of crime to happen," West said.

"When you look at statistics like full-time workers going to food banks, seniors going to food banks, if we keep children out of food banks for example, and make sure their parents are making decent wages to pay their bills."

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West said the lack of housing should also be addressed.

"We're seeing more and more people living in the streets and tent cities," he said.

"If we addressed that, I think we would decrease violent crimes across the board and even smaller, petty crimes."

As for the decrease in the CSI, Dunn said a part of it can be attributed to an increase in crime prevention messaging, and an increase in focused patrols, where more officers are designated to high-crime reported areas.