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Gun Violence in Canada: Shootings and Firearm Crime (2025 Data)
Canadian police recorded 2,267 incidents of discharging a firearm with intent in 2025, the first drop in years. See where firearm crime is highest, the 10-year trend and the law.
Crime Canada newsroomPublished
Gun violence in Canada fell in 2025, the latest police-reported data from Statistics Canada, released in summer 2026. Police recorded 2,267 incidents of discharging a firearm with intent (5.44 per 100,000 people), down from a decade high of 2,685 (6.51 per 100,000) in 2024. All firearm offences together (discharging, pointing and using a firearm in an offence) fell to 4,790 incidents, or 11.5 per 100,000, from 5,513 (13.36 per 100,000) in 2024.
Even after that drop, the 2025 rate of shootings is about twice what it was in 2015 (2.58 per 100,000). Rates are highest in the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and Manitoba, and among large city regions in Moncton, Fredericton and Toronto.
How many shootings were there in Canada in 2025?
Statistics Canada does not publish a single count called "shootings." The closest measure is the police-reported offence of discharging a firearm with intent. In 2025, police across Canada recorded 2,267 such incidents, a rate of 5.44 per 100,000 people.
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That is 418 fewer incidents than in 2024, and the rate fell by about 16%. It was the first decline in this offence since 2018 and brought the rate back to roughly where it stood between 2021 (5.37) and 2022 (5.66).
Statistics Canada groups three firearm offences together in its data. In 2025:
- Discharging a firearm with intent: 2,267 incidents (5.44 per 100,000)
- Pointing a firearm: 1,870 incidents (4.49 per 100,000)
- Using a firearm in the commission of an offence: 653 incidents (1.57 per 100,000)
Together they add up to 4,790 incidents, or 11.5 per 100,000. That is less than 1% of the 601,139 violent Criminal Code incidents police recorded in 2025.
An important limit: these counts are not the full picture of gun violence. Statistics Canada counts each incident by its most serious offence, so a shooting that kills or wounds someone is generally recorded as a homicide, attempted murder or assault rather than as a firearm offence. Armed robberies are counted as robberies. The figures here are best read as a measure of shootings, threats and gun use that did not lead to a more serious charge category.
Is gun violence in Canada increasing?
Over 10 years, yes; over the last year, no. Firearm offences rose every year from 2015 to 2024, then fell in 2025.
Police-reported firearm offences in Canada, 2015 to 2025 (rates per 100,000 people; incidents in brackets):
| Year | All firearm offences | Discharge firearm with intent | Pointing a firearm | Using firearm in an offence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 6.6 (2,358) | 2.58 (920) | 2.86 (1,021) | 1.17 (417) |
| 2016 | 7.02 (2,534) | 3.07 (1,107) | 2.74 (988) | 1.22 (439) |
| 2017 | 7.57 (2,766) | 3.16 (1,155) | 2.99 (1,092) | 1.42 (519) |
| 2018 | 7.72 (2,861) | 3.1 (1,151) | 3.27 (1,214) | 1.34 (496) |
| 2019 | 9.42 (3,544) | 4.02 (1,511) | 3.84 (1,443) | 1.57 (590) |
| 2020 | 11.01 (4,187) | 4.93 (1,874) | 4.44 (1,690) | 1.64 (623) |
| 2021 | 11.66 (4,457) | 5.37 (2,055) | 4.52 (1,727) | 1.77 (675) |
| 2022 | 12.47 (4,854) | 5.66 (2,203) | 4.93 (1,920) | 1.88 (731) |
| 2023 | 12.95 (5,191) | 5.92 (2,371) | 5.01 (2,008) | 2.03 (812) |
| 2024 | 13.36 (5,513) | 6.51 (2,685) | 5.11 (2,109) | 1.74 (719) |
| 2025 | 11.5 (4,790) | 5.44 (2,267) | 4.49 (1,870) | 1.57 (653) |
A few points stand out:
- The rate of discharging a firearm with intent more than doubled between 2015 (2.58) and its 2024 peak (6.51).
- The biggest jumps came in 2019 and 2020, when the overall firearm offence rate went from 7.72 to 11.01 in two years.
- In 2025, every one of the three firearm offences fell. The overall rate (11.5) is the lowest since 2020, but still about 74% above 2015.
- Firearm offences grew much faster than violent crime overall. The total violent crime rate went from 1,070.26 per 100,000 in 2015 to 1,443.25 in 2025, a rise of about 35%.
One good year does not make a trend. It will take more years of data to know whether 2025 marks a turning point.
Which province has the highest rate of gun crime?
Measured by rate, the territories and the Prairie provinces have the highest levels of firearm crime. Ontario has the largest number of incidents because it has the most people, but its rate is below the national average.
Police-reported firearm offences by province and territory, 2025 (rates per 100,000 people, highest first):
| Province or territory | Discharge firearm with intent: rate (incidents) | All firearm offences: rate (incidents) | Change in all-offence rate from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Territories | 30.47 (14) | 91.4 (42) | +65.5% |
| Saskatchewan | 25.34 (321) | 51.54 (653) | -0.8% |
| Nunavut | 23.91 (10) | 62.16 (26) | -4.7% |
| Manitoba | 19.28 (291) | 34.78 (525) | -12.8% |
| Yukon | 14.5 (7) | 49.71 (24) | +31.4% |
| New Brunswick | 8.62 (75) | 17.71 (154) | +29.9% |
| Alberta | 6.04 (304) | 16.22 (816) | -18.9% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 5.46 (30) | 14.55 (80) | +10.5% |
| Ontario | 5.08 (826) | 8.49 (1,381) | -20.0% |
| Nova Scotia | 3.02 (33) | 9.97 (109) | -8.5% |
| Quebec | 2.76 (250) | 6.58 (596) | -28.3% |
| British Columbia | 1.83 (104) | 6.6 (376) | +3.4% |
| Prince Edward Island | 0.55 (1) | 3.83 (7) | -23.6% |
Saskatchewan has the highest rate of shootings among the provinces: 25.34 per 100,000 in 2025, about five times Ontario's rate (5.08), even though Ontario recorded more incidents (826 versus 321). Manitoba follows at 19.28.
The territories have very high rates, but they are based on small numbers. The Northwest Territories' rate of 91.4 for all firearm offences reflects 42 incidents, and its 65.5% jump from 2024 could reverse just as quickly. A handful of incidents can move a territorial rate a long way, so it is better to look at several years than at one.
New Brunswick is the province to watch. Its rate of discharging a firearm with intent rose about 61% in 2025 to 8.62 per 100,000 (75 incidents), the highest outside the West and the North.
Which province has the lowest gun crime rate?
Prince Edward Island had the lowest rates in 2025: one incident of discharging a firearm with intent and seven firearm offences in total (3.83 per 100,000). Among larger provinces, British Columbia (1.83 per 100,000 for shootings) and Quebec (2.76) had the lowest shooting rates. Quebec also had the largest drop in its overall firearm offence rate, down 28.3%.
Which Canadian city has the most shootings?
By number, the Toronto census metropolitan area (Toronto and its suburbs) recorded the most incidents of discharging a firearm with intent in 2025: 580, about a quarter of the national total. By rate, smaller Atlantic city regions came first.
Census metropolitan areas (CMAs) cover a central city and its surrounding suburbs and towns, so these figures are not the same as a city police service's numbers. Discharge of a firearm with intent by CMA, 2025, top 10 by rate per 100,000 people:
| Rank | Census metropolitan area | Rate per 100,000 | Incidents | Change in rate from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moncton, N.B. | 9.82 | 20 | +386.1% |
| 2 | Fredericton, N.B. | 8.82 | 12 | +5.8% |
| 3 | Toronto, Ont. | 8.26 | 580 | -19.0% |
| 4 | Regina, Sask. | 7.59 | 22 | -38.4% |
| 5 | Windsor, Ont. | 7.36 | 36 | +37.3% |
| 6 | Abbotsford-Mission, B.C. | 6.27 | 14 | +128.8% |
| 7 | Saguenay, Que. | 6.22 | 11 | -8.8% |
| 8 | London, Ont. | 5.83 | 37 | +425.2% |
| 9 | St. John's, N.L. | 5.54 | 13 | -38.9% |
| 10 | Red Deer, Alta. | 5.2 | 6 | +96.2% |
Many of these city regions recorded fewer than 25 incidents, which is why their year-over-year changes are so large. Moncton's rate rose 386.1% on 20 incidents; London's rose 425.2% on 37. Toronto stands out because its high rate is built on a large number of incidents, which makes it a steadier signal.
Four CMAs recorded no incidents of discharging a firearm with intent in 2025: Kamloops, Victoria, Belleville-Quinte West and Barrie.
All firearm offences by city region
When pointing a firearm and using a firearm in an offence are included, the 2025 ranking changes. The highest rates of all firearm offences among CMAs were in Moncton (24.06 per 100,000; 49 incidents), Abbotsford-Mission (17.48; 39), Fredericton (16.9; 23), Red Deer (15.6; 18), Saskatoon (15.4; 59), Regina (14.83; 43), St. John's (14.07; 33), Windsor (13.5; 66), Edmonton (13.13; 223) and Chilliwack (12.95; 17).
The lowest were Victoria (1.12; 5 incidents), Guelph (1.87; 3) and Barrie (2.33; 7).
How do Canada's largest cities compare?
All firearm offences in the largest CMAs, 2025 (rate per 100,000; incidents; change in rate from 2024):
- Toronto: 11.38 (799), -20.3%
- Edmonton: 13.13 (223), +11.0%
- Winnipeg: 8.43 (78), -11.7%
- Ottawa-Gatineau: 8.07 (136), -4.9%
- Calgary: 5.88 (108), -37.5%
- Montréal: 5.27 (245), -39.6%
- Vancouver: 4.18 (129), +10.0%
Montréal and Calgary saw the steepest declines among big cities. Edmonton and Vancouver moved the other way, though Vancouver's rate remains among the lowest of any large city region.
Notice that Winnipeg (8.43), Saskatoon (15.4) and Regina (14.83) have far lower rates than their provinces as a whole (34.78 for Manitoba, 51.54 for Saskatchewan). Much of the firearm crime in the Prairies is recorded outside the big city regions, in smaller towns, rural areas and northern communities.
Gun crime in several cities is closely linked to organized crime and street gangs. For more on that, see our look at gang activity in Canadian cities.
How many gun homicides are there in Canada?
The figures in this article do not include homicides. When a shooting causes a death, police record it as a homicide, and that is counted separately. We have not included firearm homicide counts here, so we do not give a number. For police-reported homicide rates by city and province, see our homicide rate rankings for Canada.
What does the law say about gun violence in Canada?
Firearm offences are set out in the Criminal Code. The three offences counted in this article broadly line up with these sections:
- Discharging a firearm with intent (section 244): firing a gun at someone with intent to wound, maim, disfigure or endanger life, or to prevent arrest. It is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. A separate offence, reckless discharge of a firearm (section 244.2), covers firing at or into a place, such as a home, while reckless about whether anyone is there.
- Using a firearm while committing an offence (section 85): using a gun while committing another indictable offence. Any sentence for this offence must be served consecutively to (on top of) the sentence for the other offence.
- Pointing a firearm (section 87): pointing a gun, loaded or not, at another person without lawful excuse. It can be prosecuted as a summary or indictable offence, with a maximum of five years in prison on indictment.
Sentences can also include firearm prohibition orders. Penalties depend on the facts of each case, the type of firearm and the person's record, and the rules on minimum sentences have changed in recent years. Anyone in this situation should get advice from a criminal lawyer about their own case.
Does police-reported data capture all gun violence?
No. These numbers only include incidents that came to the attention of police and that police recorded as criminal. Some shootings, especially where no one is hurt, are never reported. Threats with a gun inside a home or within a gang may also go unreported. The counts also leave out shootings recorded under more serious offences such as homicide, attempted murder or robbery, as explained above.
About the data
All figures come from Statistics Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, table 35-10-0177, which collects crimes reported by police services across Canada. The latest year is 2025, released in summer 2026. Rates are per 100,000 people, which lets us compare places of different sizes; we rank places by rate, not by count.
"All firearm offences" refers to Statistics Canada's category "firearms, use of, discharge, pointing," which combines discharging a firearm with intent, using a firearm in the commission of an offence and pointing a firearm. Provincial figures cover the whole province or territory. City figures are for census metropolitan areas (city regions of 100,000 or more people, including suburbs), not individual police services. Percentage changes from 2024 are changes in the rate. Places with small populations, including the territories and smaller CMAs, can swing widely from one year to the next.
To look up firearm offences and other crime numbers for your own city or region, visit statistics.crimecanada.ca.
People facing a firearm charge, and victims of gun violence, can request a free, confidential first consultation through Crime Canada with an independent criminal lawyer at /free-consultation/.
Frequently asked questions
How many shootings were there in Canada in 2025?
Police in Canada recorded 2,267 incidents of discharging a firearm with intent in 2025, a rate of 5.44 per 100,000 people, according to Statistics Canada's latest police-reported data. That was down from 2,685 incidents (6.51 per 100,000) in 2024, a drop of about 16% in the rate. Shootings that kill or injure someone are generally counted as homicides or assaults instead, so they are not in this figure.
Is gun violence in Canada increasing?
It rose for years, then fell in 2025. Police-reported firearm offences climbed from 6.6 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 13.36 in 2024, then dropped to 11.5 (4,790 incidents) in 2025. The rate of discharging a firearm with intent fell from 6.51 to 5.44 per 100,000, but it is still about twice the 2015 rate of 2.58.
Which province has the highest gun crime rate in Canada?
Among provinces, Saskatchewan had the highest rate in 2025: 25.34 incidents of discharging a firearm with intent per 100,000 people (321 incidents) and 51.54 per 100,000 for all firearm offences. Manitoba was next. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut had even higher rates, but they are based on small numbers and can change sharply from year to year.
Which Canadian city has the most shootings?
The Toronto census metropolitan area recorded the most incidents of discharging a firearm with intent in 2025: 580, about a quarter of Canada's total, at 8.26 per 100,000 people. By rate, Moncton (9.82 per 100,000; 20 incidents) and Fredericton (8.82; 12 incidents) ranked higher, though their small numbers make their rates swing more from year to year.
Which province has the lowest gun crime rate?
Prince Edward Island had the lowest rates in 2025, with one incident of discharging a firearm with intent and seven firearm offences in total, or 3.83 per 100,000 people. Among larger provinces, British Columbia had the lowest shooting rate at 1.83 per 100,000 (104 incidents), followed by Quebec at 2.76 per 100,000 (250 incidents).
What is the penalty for discharging a firearm with intent in Canada?
Discharging a firearm with intent under section 244 of the Criminal Code is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Using a firearm while committing another offence (section 85) requires a sentence served on top of the other sentence. Actual penalties depend on the facts, the firearm and the person's record, so anyone charged should speak with a criminal lawyer.
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