Ontario's Crime Severity Index was 57.2 in 2025, 6% lower than in 2024 but 12% higher than in 2015. Its police-reported crime rate fell 4% to 4,296 incidents per 100,000 people, which is still 20% above the 2015 level.
Across Canada, Statistics Canada reports that motor vehicle theft fell 16% and breaking and entering fell 11% in 2025, while shoplifting of $5,000 or under rose 11% for a fifth straight year. Fraud fell 4% but remains 61% higher than in 2015. Statistics Canada notes that only about half of break-ins and vehicle thefts are reported to police.
For Ontario sites, the pattern in recent briefings is familiar: daytime retail theft, after-hours commercial break-ins targeting specific equipment, and fraud that exploits trusted processes such as vehicle financing. Each calls for a different control, which is why one-size-fits-all security rarely works.
What site managers can do
- Retail: focus on entrances and high-value categories at peak hours, with clear staff safety rules.
- Commercial units: remove or secure high-value equipment visible from outside, and verify alarms quickly.
- Dealerships: tighten identity and hand-off checks, as well as overnight lot security.
- Keep consistent incident logs so trends can be shown to police, landlords and insurers.
Sources
- Statistics Canada, Table 3: Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by province or territory, 2025
- Statistics Canada, The Daily: Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2025
Figures are quoted from the official sources above. Reported crime understates actual crime, and year-to-year changes can reflect reporting changes.