Murders dropped sharply in several major Canadian cities last year, data show

Homicides fell by about half last year in Toronto and Winnipeg, police data show, part of a remarkable downturn in lethal violence across Canada that experts say politicians must consider as they push stiffer sentences for violent offenders.

In 2025, several shocking killings prompted promises by politicians to deter violence by amending the Criminal Code. In April, a mass vehicle attack killed 11 people in Vancouver. In August, an eight-year-old Toronto boy was killed in his bed by a stray bullet.

However, despite an overall rise in violent crime over the past decade, 2025 saw a sharp decline in homicides in several major cities, police forces told The Globe and Mail, after a downward trend in homicides that started a few years ago. Some experts say today’s levels may be heading back toward lows last seen in the early 2010s.