In downtown Hamilton last week, a majority of residents expressed varying degrees of unease when asked about the city’s safety. Surprisingly, when informed by a reporter that crime rates in Hamilton have consistently remained below both provincial and national averages for the past five years, these individuals were taken aback. This information is based on data published by Statistics Canada in July.
The statistics reveal that Hamilton’s crime severity index, encompassing all Criminal Code violations, drug offenses, and Federal Statutes violations, consistently sits below provincial and national averages. Additionally, the city has witnessed a continuous decline in the homicide rate over the past three years, remaining below provincial and federal levels since 2021.
Despite the positive trend in crime statistics, there exists a noticeable disparity between public perceptions and factual data, as highlighted by Hamilton Police Service Chief Frank Bergen. While the crime severity index shows improvement, the general sentiment of safety among residents does not align with these statistics. At community meetings, such as the one in November, and another in May where concerns about downtown safety were raised, police shared data indicating that the average “crime harm” rate in the city is similar in both downtown areas and elsewhere.
Community advocate Evelyn Myrie, reflecting on recent high-profile crimes like the tragic deaths of Belinda Sarkodie and Harsimrat Randhawa, suggested that the bold nature of such incidents may contribute to people’s feelings of insecurity. Factors such as social disorder, encompassing issues like open drug use, homelessness, public experiences, and external influences like social media, could also be influencing the perception gap.
On the contrary, hate crimes have been on the rise in Hamilton, surpassing previous years’ numbers, with the highest reported incidents in 2025 compared to the last decade. Additionally, there has been an increase in youth involvement in violent crimes, particularly among individuals aged 12 to 17. This trend, as noted by police analysts, has seen a rise in the number of young people participating in crimes, with a notable spike in violent offenses.
The escalation in youth involvement in violent crime has been attributed to multiple factors, including incidents involving bear spray attacks, the charging of children as young as 11 for offenses, and the increased participation of young individuals in high-profile criminal activities like smash-and-grab robberies. Police emphasize that this issue extends beyond Hamilton and is a broader societal challenge, possibly influenced by economic disparities, gang recruitment, and social media dynamics.