The severity of crime in Calgary declined for the second year in a row in 2025, reaching a near historic low, but data shows despite the downward trend, non-violent crime rates have risen.

According to Statistics Canada’s annual report on the crime severity index — which tracks the seriousness of crime across the country — Calgary’s score fell by three per cent to 61.7. 

That’s well below the national average of 75.01, and the provincial average of 90.6, which just saw a drop to its lowest level in more than 10 years. 

Calgary’s index is also near the lowest it’s ever been, which was 61.1 in 2014.

It’s also the lowest crime severity rate of the four major Alberta cities for which Statistics Canada collected data. Edmonton’s score was 95.6, while Lethbridge and Red Deer had scores of 107.7 and 114.4, respectively.

But despite the reduction in crime severity, the crime rate (measured in terms of incidents per 100,000 people) rose by five per cent in the city last year.

“I don’t think that we can take away an overly rosy picture — be complacent in that regard,” said Deputy Chief Asif Rashid with the Calgary Police Service’s Bureau of Organizational Performance.

Statistics Canada reported that instances of violent crimes in the city, such as homicides and robberies, saw a decrease of 13 per cent last year, while non-violent offenses rose by three per cent.

Rashid said CPS data also reflects this, and officers are responding to more instances of non-violent crime, like shoplifting, property crime and fraud.

“While we’ve made significant progress in violent crimes, the average Calgarian experiencing this petty crime is still vulnerable to victimization and requires that police response that is commensurate with their perception of safety,” Rashid said.

Crime severity vs. crime rates

Doug King, a professor of justice studies at Mount Royal University, said at first glance it might seem unusual to see a decline in crime severity while crime rates increase, but the difference has to do with the types of crimes being committed and how they’re weighted.

The index is calculated by assigning all police-reported crimes a weight based on their severity, which is determined by actual sentences handed down by the courts. More serious crimes are assigned higher weights, while less serious ones are weighted lower. 

“The crimes that went up were crimes that didn’t measure highly on the crime severity index, that were shoplifting and theft under $5,000. Everything else was going down,” King said.

The difference between statistical safety and personal safety is also important, said Ravi Inder Kaur, a sociology professor at Bow Valley College.

“When the visibility of crime is right in front of you, whether you are a person who takes the bus or LRT in Calgary … the crimes are very much visible there. But the statistical numbers are telling me that I should not worry,” she said.

Kaur also said it’s important to remember that the data police and Statistics Canada collect are based on reported numbers, and might not capture the full extent of crime severity or rates.

“We still do not know what was not being reported and what has not gone through the whole process of the judicial review and everything we have in Calgary here,” she said.

Kaur added domestic violence victims and newcomers are often among those more hesitant to report crimes.

“Whenever I discuss crime, I always say that we are just touching the tip of the iceberg, you know. There’s a lot to uncover and unpack here,” she said.