Alberta celebrates provincial crime drop, blasts Ottawa’s bail policies

Alberta’s government is celebrating the province leading the way in the decrease of police-reported crime in 2024.

Alberta’s government is celebrating the province leading the way in the decrease of police-reported crime in 2024.

In a Thursday press release, Alberta Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis said the data confirm the province is “on the right track,” noting Alberta’s crime severity index and overall crime rate both dropped by nine per cent in 2024 — more than double the national average of four per cent.

“While there is still more work to do to keep Albertans and their property safe, these results reflect the outstanding efforts of law enforcement officers across the province.”

Despite Canada seeing the volume and severity of police-reported crime decrease nationwide in 2024, according to Statistics Canada, the Conservative party is highlighting that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

“After the first three Liberal terms of reckless soft-on-crime policies, Canadians are less safe, criminals are less afraid, and our streets are less secure,” said the party. “The latest police-reported crime stats for 2024 confirm what Canadians already know: under the Liberals, crime pays, and Canadians pay the price.”

The Conservatives highlighted how specific crime rates have increased since the Liberals took power in 2015.

For example, gun crime has increased by 130 per cent in that timeframe.

Despite Mark Carney acknowledging that illegal guns are coming from the U.S., the Liberal government has continued to focus on limiting legal gun use in Canada, with experts estimating that the Liberal gun buyback program could cost Canadians around $10 billion.

Despite already allocating around $600 million in taxpayer funds, not a single gun has been collected.

The Conservative opposition highlighted that since 2015, violent crime has increased by 55 per cent, homicides rose 29 per cent, and sexual assaults skyrocketed by 76 per cent.

“Despite this rapid rise, the Liberal Minister of Public Safety has refused to commit to repealing the soft-on-crime laws, Bill C-5 and C-75, which have caused it,” said the party.

Ellis raised similar concerns.

“However, these local successes stand in stark contrast to the ongoing inaction from the federal government, whose policies have broken the bail system, allowing violent repeat offenders back on our streets, contributing to a national increase in crime,” he said. “Alberta continues to call on Ottawa to reverse its harmful policy decisions that have made it harder for police to do their jobs and easier for offenders to reoffend.”

The Conservatives also highlighted some recent criminal cases that were notable causes of concern.

One cited example was a 30-year-old who was arrested with cash in hand after trying to buy sex from a 15-year-old girl.

“Despite the clear-cut crime, he was given a conditional discharge with just three months’ house arrest – all because it would delay his citizenship application by four years,” said the Conservatives.

Another example cited was the man who was charged with murdering his wife just three hours after being released on bail while awaiting sentencing for choking someone.