Saskatchewan's Crime Severity Index is nearly double the national average according to 2025 data released this week by Statistics Canada [1].
The figures highlight a persistent public safety crisis in the province, particularly within northern communities where violent crimes drive the index upward [4]. While the index shows a slight decline compared to 2024, Saskatchewan remains the province with the highest crime severity in Canada [3].
Statistics Canada reported that the province's Crime Severity Index value stands at 115.2 [1]. For comparison, the national average is 60.0 [1]. This gap indicates that the nature of crimes committed in Saskatchewan is significantly more severe than those in other parts of the country.
Local law enforcement data reveals the geographic spread of these issues. An RCMP spokesperson said over 70 percent of qualifying RCMP detachment areas in the province are high in crime [2]. Specifically, 60 of 84 RCMP detachment areas were classified as high-crime zones [1].
Regina Chief of Police Lorilee Davies and other officials said that the severity of offences, rather than just the volume of reports, is the primary driver of these numbers [1]. Northern Saskatchewan communities are among the highest in Canada for crime severity [4].
"Saskatchewan's crime severity index is almost double the national figure," Statistics Canada said in a report [1]. Despite the drop from the previous year, the disparity between Saskatchewan and the rest of the country remains stark [3].
“"Saskatchewan's crime severity index is almost double the national figure."”
The Crime Severity Index (CSI) measures the seriousness of crimes, weighing violent and serious offences more heavily than less serious ones. The fact that Saskatchewan's CSI is nearly double the national average suggests that the province is struggling not just with the frequency of crime, but with a higher prevalence of severe, violent incidents. The concentration of high-crime ratings in over 70% of RCMP detachment areas indicates a systemic issue that extends beyond urban centers into rural and northern regions.
