Small cities ask Stats Can to halt ‘detrimental’ crime severity index

Mayors of small cities from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia are calling on Statistics Canada to halt the release of its annual Crime Severity Index until consultations are held with smaller communities and Indigenous leaders.

“This report that’s published by Statistics Canada is detrimental to other communities, First Nations communities, and to many others,” said Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers, who was surrounded by leaders from 11 different communities from across Western Canada at a gathering in Saskatoon on Thursday.

The index, released annually in July, measures changes in the level of severity of crime in Canada from year to year. It is complementary to the crime rate, which measures only the volume of crime reported to police per 100,000 people.

Included in the annual reports from Statistics Canada are communities with populations over 10,000. North Battleford was on top of the crime rankings in the most recent index, leading some to dub it the most dangerous city in Canada.

The gathering in Saskatoon also brought together members of the RCMP, First Nations leaders, representatives from Statistics Canada and academics.

Aalbers said the rankings have significantly damaged the reputations of many small cities, which has made it difficult for them to grow. He said the rankings do “significant economic damage,” leading to stagnant population numbers, issues attracting business, and a rise in both division and fear.

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“The (index) perpetrates the very trends it reports on,” Aalbers said.

“When you see the numbers presented by Statistics Canada, it’s very unnerving. We’ve had examples where we can’t even attract junior hockey players to our communities because their parents were concerned by that.”

In order to change things, Aalbers said cities need to work with Statistics Canada, chiefs of police and the ministries of justice and public safety to help them understand what impacts the index has and the ways the data is interpreted by the media and general public.

“People look at that list and that’s the information,” he said. “We had one example where a doctor from his foreign country did his research and the first and only question he had was, ‘Is the crime really that bad in your city?’ ”

“We want real change,” said North Battleford Mayor David Gillan. “The current model as we see it is ineffective and only has (done) tremendous harms to our community.

Aalbers said the two representatives from Statistics Canada were receptive to what the communities had to stay about the index, although the representatives were not made available for comment.

“I think they heard the message very clearly,” Aalbers added. “We now have to move the needle, and that’s what this group is prepared to do.”

All the leaders involved said they were united. A working group was formed after the meeting, which will be led by the City of Thompson, Man.

“We will be working on some strategies moving forward to ensure our message is presented clearly to Ottawa and the responsible parties at the federal level, and then move forward from there,” Aalbers explained. “We’re going to work collaboratively together to make this move forward.”