Gun and Gang Violence
Firearm-related homicides in Canada have been steadily increasing, reaching a total of 277 in 2020, 16 more than the previous year. Gang-related homicides involving guns are no exception. Since 2013, gang-related homicides in Canada’s largest cities have almost doubled. Of the 743 homicides in 2020, 20% of homicides were linked to organized crime or street gangs.
In November 2017, the federal government announced approximately $327.6 million over five years, starting in 2018–19 in new federal funding to tackle the increase in gun related violence and gang activity in Canada. This initiative will bring together federal, provincial and territorial efforts to support community-level prevention and enforcement efforts, build and leverage unique federal expertise and resources to advance intelligence related to the illegal trafficking of firearms, and invest in border security to interdict illicit goods including guns and drugs. Funding would also be provided to Indigenous organizations to help build capacity through education, outreach and research, addressing the unique needs of Indigenous communities and urban populations. The Initiative will help reduce gun and gang violence so that Canadians can feel safe in their communities.
Summit on Gun and Gang Violence
On March 7, 2018, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada hosted a Summit on Gun and Gang Violence, to engage stakeholders and provide them an opportunity to share challenges, opportunities and best practices in the fight against gun crime and in combatting the deadly effects of guns and gangs in communities across Canada. The Summit was attended in person and via webcast by over 180 experts from law enforcement, Indigenous, youth and community organizations, mayors from large municipalities and representatives from most provinces and territories..
The information shared at the Summit will help identify priority actions needed to collaboratively address gun crime and criminal gang activity and inform the government’s way forward for the Guns and Gangs Program.
- View the event (recorded webcast)
- Read the summary report
Related Links
- New investments to help end gun and gang violence in Canada
- Video from Minister Goodale on the Gun and Gang Violence Summit
- Minister Goodale Urges Joint Action to Combat Criminal Gun and Gang Violence
- Major new federal funding and summit to tackle gun violence and gang activity
- Youth Gang Prevention Fund
- First Nations Organized Crime Initiative
- RCMP - Youth Gangs
- Firearm, drug and tobacco crime
- Organized crime
Resources
- Backgrounder: Criminal Gun and Gang Violence in Canada
- Statistics Canada - Homicide in Canada, 2016
- Youth Gangs in Canada: A Review of Current Topics and Issues
- Research Summary: Programme de suivi intensif de Montréal – Gangs de rue [Montreal Intensive Supervision Program – Street Gangs]
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