Crime CanadaPolice appeals
Explore the data
Rankings and reports
Territory · Canada
A vast territory in northern Canada comprised of forests, tundra, and the Arctic archipelago. It boasts strong Indigenous cultures and a resource-driven economy.
Updated Data year 2025Source: Statistics Canada, police-reported crimeFrançais
Police-reported incidents
25,062
−6.6% vs previous year
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01, 2025
How to read thisCrime Severity Index
485.9
−7.5% vs previous year
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01, 2025
How to read thisViolent Crime Severity Index
556.3
−3.2% vs previous year
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01, 2025
How to read thisCrime Severity Index, Canada
75.0
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01, 2025
How to read thisAll violations: Criminal Code, traffic and other federal laws.
| Year | Incidents |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 16,875 |
| 1999 | 10,921 |
| 2000 | 12,311 |
| 2001 | 13,425 |
| 2002 | 14,733 |
| 2003 | 17,182 |
| 2004 | 19,508 |
| 2005 | 20,169 |
| 2006 | 18,877 |
| 2007 | 20,252 |
| 2008 | 20,963 |
| 2009 | 19,973 |
| 2010 | 22,325 |
| 2011 | 22,751 |
| 2012 | 22,367 |
| 2013 | 21,252 |
| 2014 | 20,476 |
| 2015 | 20,893 |
| 2016 | 19,342 |
| 2017 | 19,993 |
| 2018 | 20,449 |
| 2019 | 24,977 |
| 2020 | 27,318 |
| 2021 | 26,753 |
| 2022 | 26,493 |
| 2023 | 27,159 |
| 2024 | 26,841 |
| 2025 | 25,062 |
Weighted by the seriousness of each offence. Canada in 2006 = 100.
| Year | Northwest Territories | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 267.5 | 118.8 |
| 1999 | 255.4 | 111.2 |
| 2000 | 251.9 | 106.7 |
| 2001 | 260.4 | 105.3 |
| 2002 | 297.2 | 104.1 |
| 2003 | 339.4 | 106.8 |
| 2004 | 353.4 | 104.1 |
| 2005 | 343.4 | 101.3 |
| 2006 | 316.0 | 100 |
| 2007 | 335.8 | 95.3 |
| 2008 | 342.9 | 90.6 |
| 2009 | 326.2 | 87.8 |
| 2010 | 348.1 | 82.9 |
| 2011 | 342.0 | 77.6 |
| 2012 | 338.1 | 75.5 |
| 2013 | 315.0 | 68.9 |
| 2014 | 290.2 | 66.9 |
| 2015 | 321.9 | 70.4 |
| 2016 | 297.5 | 72.0 |
| 2017 | 311.1 | 73.6 |
| 2018 | 328.6 | 75.6 |
| 2019 | 394.5 | 79.7 |
| 2020 | 422.1 | 73.9 |
| 2021 | 412.5 | 74.9 |
| 2022 | 450.5 | 78.8 |
| 2023 | 481.4 | 81.2 |
| 2024 | 525.3 | 78.8 |
| 2025 | 485.9 | 75.0 |
| Offence | Incidents |
|---|---|
| Mischief | 10,243 |
| Disturb the peace | 2,944 |
| Assault, level 1 | 2,892 |
| Fail to comply with order | 1,051 |
| Theft $5,000 or under | 962 |
| Operation while impaired (alcohol) | 849 |
| Uttering threats | 824 |
| Cocaine, trafficking | 794 |
| Assault, level 2, weapon or bodily harm | 680 |
| Breaking and entering | 467 |
Share of Criminal Code incidents, excluding traffic.
| Type | Incidents | % |
|---|---|---|
| Property crime | 12,575 | 55.2 |
| Violent crime | 5,344 | 23.5 |
| Other Criminal Code | 4,843 | 21.3 |
One report per year for Northwest Territories: Crime Severity Index trends, violent and property crime, clearance rates and the comparison with Canada, from Statistics Canada.
Talk to a criminal defence lawyer before you speak to police. Tell us what happened and an independent lawyer will contact you. The first consultation is free and confidential.
Prefer to call? +1 778 900 3008
Crime Canada is not a law firm. We pass your request to an independent criminal defence lawyer, who contacts you directly. General information, not legal advice. How this works
The Northwest Territories is a territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately 1,144,000 km2 and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of the three territories in Northern Canada. Yellowknife has been the territorial capital since 1967.
Population 41,070 · 0 metro areas, 41 municipalities · Wikipedia · Official website
41 locations
Regional police services and rural detachments in Northwest Territories →
Crime statistics
News and alerts
Statistics Canada's severity-weighted clearance rate: solving serious crimes counts more than solving minor ones, so it can differ from the plain share of incidents cleared.
Percentage of reports deemed baseless or false. Lower rates indicate more reliable reporting and thorough follow-up.
Balance between formal charges and diversionary programs for youth offenders.
Police-reported hate crime incidents in Northwest Territories
Hate crime trend (2014–2025)
Click on chart to view sub-categories for that year
By Motivation
Statistics Canada publishes only the total for this area, not the motivations. The breakdown by motivation is available for provinces and for Canada.
In 2025, police in Northwest Territories reported 5 hate crimes. That is 54.5% fewer than in 2024.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0066-01. How we use this data
Impaired driving incidents in Northwest Territories
(2,163.2 per 100,000)Impaired driving trend (1998–2025)
Click on chart to view breakdown for that year
By Type
188
Total Charged
185
Adults Charged
3
Youth Charged
In 2025, police in Northwest Territories reported 994 impaired driving incidents. That is 14.1% fewer than in 2024. The most common type was Impaired by alcohol (849 incidents). The rate was 2,163.2 per 100,000 people. 188 people were charged: 185 adults and 3 youth.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
$127,000
Median Income
8.6%
Unemployment
35.6
Median Age
-1.7%
Growth (2016–2021)
$127,000
Median Household Income
7.2%
Low Income Prevalence (LIM-AT)
64.6%
Employment Rate
8.6%
Unemployment Rate
$352,000
Avg. Dwelling Value
$1,356
Avg. Monthly Rent
The median after-tax household income was $127,000, and the unemployment rate was 8.6%.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. How we use this data
2,298
Adults Charged
+2.0% YoY92
Youth Charged
-2.1% YoY3.8%
Youth Share
2,390
Total Charged
Adult rate: 6388.5 per 100,000
Youth rate: 2668.2 per 100,000
2025
Adults: 2,298
Youth: 92
Dual-axis: each line has its own scale · Click to view year details
Adult Δ (1998–2025)
-31.6%
Youth Δ (1998–2025)
-89.0%
In 2025, police in Northwest Territories charged 2,298 adults and 92 youth. Youth were 3.8% of the people charged. Since 1998, charges against youth changed by -89.0% and charges against adults by -31.6%.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
114
▲ 7.5% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
248.1
Breakdown
Related items are counted by Statistics Canada under violent crime or federal statutes, not in the weapons total.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
1,090
▼ 6.3% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
2372.1
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
12,575
▼ 6.5% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
27366.7
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
5,344
▼ 0.8% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
11630.0
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
325
▲ 10.9% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
707.3
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Content warning: This section contains data about sexual offences
Total Incidents
316
▼ 7.9% vs 2024
SA L1 Rate / 100K
687.7
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Incidents
470
▼ 10.6% vs 2024
Rate per 100K
1022.9
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
Total Incidents
2,084
▼ 10.2% vs 2024
Drug Rate / 100K
2372.1
Breakdown
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01. How we use this data
