EDMONTON — New government figures show rural homicides reaching a near-decade high in 2017 and gun slayings nationwide at the highest rate since 1992. Still, urban homicides outpaced rural homicides, even in the West where homicide rates were highest. In Alberta, there were 92 urban homicides, compared to 26 in rural areas; in Manitoba it was 28 in urban areas, 19 in rural; and British Columbia had 106 urban homicides versus 12 rural homicides. The exceptions were Saskatchewan, with 16 homicides in urban areas and 21 in rural districts, and New Brunswick, with three urban homicides and seven rural homicides. Rates of gun ownership are higher in rural Canada, and historically, most Mounties killed in the line of duty die in rural areas.

Source: National Post November 21, 2018 22:43 UTC