Prince Edward Island Crime Report 2023
In 2023, Prince Edward Island experienced a significant transformation in its criminal landscape. Police-reported crime across the province rose sharply, with the Crime Severity Index climbing sharply compared to the previous year. Violent offences, which account for the most severe incidents tracked by Statistics Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, saw an uptick, while property crime — including break and enter, motor vehicle theft, and fraud — followed a similar trajectory. Prince Edward Island ranked below the Canadian average for overall crime severity. This report examines every major offence category, clearance rates, and multi-year trends to provide residents, researchers, and policymakers with the most complete picture of crime in Prince Edward Island.
Executive Summary
Crime Severity Index
73.9
↑ +19.4% YoY
#3 of 13
Total Crime Rate
6997.8
per 100k10.3% above national average
Violent Crime Rate
1631.4
per 100k↑ +20.1% YoY
Clearance Rate
28.4%
Crime Severity Index Analysis
The Crime Severity Index, developed by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, goes beyond simple crime counts by weighting each offence according to the severity of sentences handed down by criminal courts. Unlike the traditional crime rate, which treats every incident equally, the CSI gives proportionally more weight to serious offences like homicide and sexual assault, providing a more accurate reflection of how crime impacts Prince Edward Island’s communities.
Overall CSI
73.9
↑ +19.4%Violent CSI
79.5
↑ +20.1%Non-violent CSI
72.2
↑ +19.0%National CSI: 81.2 · 9.0% below national average
5-Year CSI Trend
| Year | CSI | Violent | Non-violent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 64.9 | 65.3 | 64.7 |
| 2020 | 58.0 | 57.1 | 58.2 |
| 2021 | 57.1 | 60.6 | 56.2 |
| 2022 | 61.9 | 66.2 | 60.7 |
| 2023 | 73.9 | 79.5 | 72.2 |
Violent Crime Breakdown
Violent crime in Prince Edward Island encompasses offences against the person — from common assault to homicide — as reported to police services under the Criminal Code of Canada. In 2023, the violent crime rate stood at 1631.4 per one hundred thousand residents, above the national benchmark of 1441.8. Prince Edward Island’s homicide rate of 0.6 per one hundred thousand is one of the lowest in the country, while assault-related charges continue to represent the largest share of violent incidents.
| Offence | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Homicide | 0.6 |
| Assault Level 1 | 532.5 |
| Assault Level 2 | 111.7 |
| Assault Level 3 | 5.8 |
| Sexual Assault | 86.4 |
| Robbery | 15.0 |
| Criminal Harassment | 160.6 |
| Uttering Threats | 331.0 |
Property Crime Breakdown
Property crime — including break and enter, motor vehicle theft, shoplifting, and fraud — represents the most frequently reported category of criminal activity in Prince Edward Island. In 2023, property offences occurred at a rate of 3354.4 per one hundred thousand, falling below Canada’s overall property crime rate of 3409.6. Motor vehicle theft and fraud have drawn particular attention from law enforcement across Prince Edward Island in recent years.
| Offence | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Break & Enter | 283.8 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 116.3 |
| Theft Over $5K | 27.6 |
| Theft Under $5K | 1196.2 |
| Fraud | 535.4 |
| Mischief | 1070.7 |
| Arson | 13.2 |
| Shoplifting | 262.5 |
Other Criminal Code Offences
Beyond violent and property offences, Prince Edward Island tracks drug violations, impaired driving, and weapons-related crimes under the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. These offences, while often underreported, provide critical insight into public safety trends and policing priorities across the province.
| Offence | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Drug Violations | 94.4 |
| Impaired Driving | 518.1 |
| Weapons Offences | 34.0 |
Clearance Rates
Clearance rates measure how effectively police services resolve reported incidents. A case is “cleared by charge” when police lay or recommend criminal charges, and “cleared otherwise” when the case is resolved through alternative means — such as diversion programs, departmental discretion, the death of the accused, or diplomatic immunity. In Prince Edward Island, the overall clearance rate provides insight into the capacity and effectiveness of provincial policing.
Total Cleared
3,297
27.1%
Cleared by Charge
2,395
72.6%
Cleared Otherwise
902
27.4%
5-Year Trend Analysis
Understanding crime trends over multiple years is essential for distinguishing short-term fluctuations from lasting shifts. The table below tracks Prince Edward Island’s Crime Severity Index, total crime rate, violent crime rate, and property crime rate from 2019 through 2023, offering policymakers, researchers, and residents a multi-year perspective on public safety in the province.
| Year | CSI | Total Rate | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 64.9 | 6338.6 | 1287.0 | 3208.8 |
| 2020 | 58.0 | 5588.2 | 1274.5 | 2600.0 |
| 2021 | 57.1 | 5407.3 | 1263.2 | 2602.8 |
| 2022 | 61.9 | 5926.0 | 1382.1 | 2883.8 |
| 2023 | 73.9 | 6997.8 | 1631.4 | 3354.4 |
🇨🇦 How Prince Edward Island Compares to Canada
Comparing Prince Edward Island’s crime metrics to the national average provides essential context for understanding whether the province’s public safety challenges are local or reflect broader Canadian trends. Prince Edward Island’s overall Crime Severity Index of 73.9 is below the Canadian average of 81.2, suggesting that the province experiences less severe crime relative to the rest of the country.
Crime Severity Index
Prince Edward Island
73.9
Canada
81.2
Total Crime Rate
Prince Edward Island
6997.8
Canada
6345.8
per 100k
▲ 10.3% above national averageViolent Crime Rate
Prince Edward Island
1631.4
Canada
1441.8
per 100k
▲ 13.2% above national averageMethodology
All data presented in this report is sourced from Statistics Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey, which collects police-reported crime statistics from all police services across Canada.
The Crime Severity Index (CSI) measures the overall severity of crime by assigning weights to each offence based on sentences handed down by courts. A higher CSI indicates more severe crime relative to the base year (2006 = 100).
Crime rates are expressed per 100,000 population to allow fair comparison between jurisdictions of different sizes. Population estimates come from Statistics Canada's census and intercensal programs.
Clearance rates represent the percentage of incidents cleared by police, either through laying a charge ("cleared by charge") or by other means such as departmental discretion, diversion programs, or the death of the accused ("cleared otherwise"). Data coverage and completeness may vary slightly by jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Prince Edward Island's crime rate in 2023?
In 2023, Prince Edward Island recorded a total crime rate of approximately 6997.8 incidents per one hundred thousand population, based on police-reported data compiled through Statistics Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. This figure encompasses all Criminal Code violations — including violent crime, property crime, and other federal statute offences — that were reported to and substantiated by police services across the province. Prince Edward Island’s crime rate places it above the national average, indicating a higher volume of police-reported incidents relative to other Canadian jurisdictions. However, it is important to note that crime rates capture only offences reported to police; unreported crime and victimization survey data may paint a broader picture. For a more nuanced understanding of crime severity rather than just volume, the Crime Severity Index provides additional context.
Is Prince Edward Island safer than the national average?
Yes. Prince Edward Island’s Crime Severity Index of 73.9 is below the national average of 81.2, indicating that the province experiences relatively lower crime severity when each offence is weighted by the seriousness of court-imposed sentences. This means that not only is the volume of crime comparatively lower, but the types of offences reported tend to be less severe than the Canadian norm. Among all 13 provinces and territories tracked, Prince Edward Island ranks #3 for overall safety. It is worth noting that crime severity can vary significantly between urban centres and rural communities within Prince Edward Island, so provincial averages may not reflect conditions in every municipality. Residents seeking neighbourhood-level data should consult local police service annual reports alongside this provincial overview.
What are the most common crimes in Prince Edward Island?
The three most frequently reported offences by rate per one hundred thousand population in Prince Edward Island are Theft Under $5K, Mischief, Fraud, based on police-reported incidents for 2023. These offence categories consistently rank among the highest-volume crimes across most Canadian provinces and territories, reflecting patterns that are largely driven by interpersonal disputes and opportunistic property offences. Assault Level 1 — the least severe category of physical assault under the Criminal Code — typically dominates the violent crime category, while property offences such as theft and mischief account for the bulk of reported incidents overall. The rates cited here are derived from Statistics Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting Survey and represent only those incidents reported to and substantiated by police. Actual victimization rates, including unreported incidents, are likely higher across all categories.
How does Prince Edward Island's Crime Severity Index compare?
Prince Edward Island’s Crime Severity Index stands at 73.9, ranking #3 out of 13 provinces and territories, while the national CSI is 81.2. The Crime Severity Index was developed by Statistics Canada to address a key limitation of traditional crime rates: that a single count of theft carries the same statistical weight as a homicide. By weighting each offence based on average sentences handed down by criminal courts, the CSI provides a severity-adjusted view of the criminal landscape. A CSI above 100 indicates that a jurisdiction’s crime severity exceeds the 2006 national baseline, while a value below 100 suggests an improvement. Prince Edward Island’s CSI should be interpreted alongside the violent and non-violent sub-indices, which reveal whether changes in overall severity are driven by serious person offences or by high-volume property and regulatory crimes.
Has crime gone up or down in Prince Edward Island?
The Crime Severity Index in Prince Edward Island increased by 19.4 per cent compared to the previous year, indicating a rise in the overall severity of police-reported crime. This year-over-year increase may reflect a genuine uptick in more serious offences, changes in police reporting practices, or shifts in population that affect per-capita calculations. It is important to distinguish between crime volume and crime severity: even if the total number of incidents remains stable, an increase in high-severity offences such as homicide, sexual assault, or robbery can push the CSI upward. Researchers and policymakers should examine the violent and non-violent CSI sub-indices separately to identify which offence categories are driving the change. Long-term trend analysis over five or more years provides a more reliable picture than single-year fluctuations.