Break and Enter Statistics in Canada
Criminal Code — Section 348
Break and Enter in Canada: the numbers
Police-reported incidents, Statistics Canada table 35-10-0177, 2015 to 2025.
109,753
Incidents reported by police, 2025
263.5
Rate per 100,000 people
-41%
Change in rate since 2015
16%
Incidents cleared by a charge
Rate per 100,000 people, by year
Rate by province and territory, 2025
- 1.Nunavut1,056.7
- 2.Northwest Territories1,022.9
- 3.Saskatchewan548.5
- 4.Manitoba500.7
- 5.Yukon490.9
- 6.Alberta412.0
- 7.New Brunswick395.6
- 8.Newfoundland and Labrador313.5
- 9.British Columbia281.4
- 10.Prince Edward Island246.9
- 11.Quebec205.9
- 12.Nova Scotia204.5
- 13.Ontario189.3
Highest rates among metro areas, 2025
- 1.Moncton550.8
- 2.Winnipeg502.5
- 3.Lethbridge489.7
- 4.Kamloops472.4
- 5.Saskatoon452.9
- 6.Red Deer435.0
- 7.Chilliwack415.8
- 8.Edmonton415.6
- 9.Kelowna403.4
- 10.Regina338.0
What the law says
Break and enter occurs when a person breaks and enters a place with intent to commit an indictable offence, actually commits an indictable offence inside, or breaks out of a place after committing an indictable offence. "Breaking" includes opening anything that is closed — even an unlocked door — and "place" means a dwelling-house, a building or structure (or part), a railway vehicle, vessel, aircraft or trailer, or a pen for fur-bearing animals — not an ordinary car.
Penalties
Classification
Dwelling house: indictable only. Other places: hybrid — on summary conviction, up to 2 years less a day and/or a $5,000 fine.
Maximum Penalty
Dwelling house: maximum life imprisonment. Non-dwelling: maximum 10 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many break and enter incidents are reported in Canada?
Police in Canada reported 109,753 incidents in 2025, a rate of 263.5 per 100,000 people (Statistics Canada).
Is break and enter going up in Canada?
No. The police-reported rate fell 41% from 2015 to 2025.
Which province has the highest break and enter rate?
Nunavut had the highest rate in 2025: 1,056.7 per 100,000 people.
How often does break and enter lead to charges?
In 2025, 16% of reported incidents were cleared by a charge, and 17,309 people were charged (16,243 adults, 1,066 youth).
Related Offences
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