Vancouver police release record-low crime figures nine days before the election

The Vancouver Police Department held a news conference on Thursday, October 8, reporting that the city's overall Crime Severity Index reached its lowest level since Statistics Canada began tracking the measure in 1998. The index, which weighs crimes by how serious they are rather than treating every offence equally, fell 22.3 per cent in Vancouver over the past decade, according to the VPD. The national figure rose 4.2 per cent over the same period. The VPD also reported a record-low non-violent Crime Severity Index for 2025.

The announcement came nine days before Vancouver's October 17 municipal election. Four mayoral candidates said they were concerned that the VPD, a public institution, was releasing favourable long-term crime data during an active campaign. Vancouver Liberals candidate Kareem Allam said 'the role of the bureaucracy is to be impartial, particularly in the midst of an election year.' TEAM candidate Colleen Hardwick said the timing deserved scrutiny. Vote Vancouver candidate Rebecca Bligh said it was fair for voters to ask why the data was released at this point in the campaign.

Chow said the department's goal was to give the public a clearer picture of crime trends. He said: 'What I'm concerned about is the fact of how our data over the last number of months have been misrepresented.' He said the VPD was not releasing the figures because of the election, pointing out that crime statistics are published monthly. He added: 'Vancouver is safer now than it's ever been.' He also acknowledged that some crime categories had moved in the wrong direction in 2026.

The VPD's long-term data shows overall crime rates, property crime and violent crime all declined from 2002 to 2025. However, CTV News reported that violent crime in Vancouver was up 6 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The first quarter of 2026 saw a 12.3 per cent year-over-year increase. The second quarter saw a 1.4 per cent increase. The VPD says the most serious crime categories, including murder, attempted murder, sexual offences and auto theft, are decreasing in 2026.

The Crime Severity Index is a measure published by Statistics Canada. It weighs each type of crime by how serious it is, rather than simply counting every offence the same way. A shoplifting report counts far less than a robbery, for example. This means the index gives a more complete picture of whether the overall weight of crime in a city is rising or falling, compared with a simple total crime count.

Green Party mayoral candidate Pete Fry said Vancouver's crime rates need to be seen in a wider context. 'Crime rates have been trending down across North America,' Fry said. CTV News reported his comments on the VPD announcement on October 8.

Mayor Ken Sim's ABC Vancouver party said the new figures show Vancouver is moving in the right direction. In a statement, the party pointed to funding for 100 additional VPD officers, expanded mental-health response capacity and targeted enforcement programs including Project Barrage and District 5. ABC said no single initiative can account for the long-term crime trends but argued the results show the value of sustained investment in policing.

Rebecca Bligh, the Vote Vancouver candidate for mayor, questioned the timing of the announcement. She said it was fair for voters to ask why the data was being released ahead of election day. She has argued that public safety concerns require a response from municipal, provincial and federal partners working together, rather than relying on policing alone. CTV News reported her comments along with those of other candidates on October 8.

CTV News reported that the Vancouver Police Union, which endorsed Ken Sim for mayor in the 2022 election, has said it will not endorse a mayoral candidate in 2026. In 2022, the union said public safety was the top issue in that election and urged voters to elect Sim and an ABC majority.

Vancouver's municipal election is on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Advance voting has been under way since October 5 and runs until October 15. You can find advance voting locations and hours at /where-to-vote.