Statistics Canada says the country’s rate of police-reported drug crime has increased for the first time in more than a decade, marking a 13 per cent jump between 2023 and 2024. The new data shows the rise was driven by higher numbers of possession and trafficking charges involving cannabis, cocaine and opioids other than heroin.

Despite the recent uptick, the national rate remains well below its historical peak. The 2024 figure stood at 128 incidents per 100,000 people – down 61 per cent from a high of 330 in 2011.

The Northwest Territories recorded the highest rate of drug crime last year at 2,591 incidents per 100,000 residents, more than four times the rate in Yukon and over ten times higher than in British Columbia. Vancouver saw the largest increase among major Canadian cities, with a 35 per cent rise in reported drug offences.

StatCan’s report notes that possession offences, which once made up roughly three-quarters of all drug-related crimes, have dropped by more than 40 per cent over the past decade. The overall decline in drug crime since 2014 has been largely attributed to the legalization of cannabis in 2018. The number of cannabis-related offences fell from about 70,000 in 2014 to fewer than 9,000 in 2024.

Experts say the trend underscores shifting enforcement priorities and evolving drug policies across provinces, as police resources increasingly focus on trafficking and synthetic opioid offences.