Ottawa wards with the highest and lowest crime rates

Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. is seen in this undated photo. (CTV News Ottawa)

Two downtown wards had the highest crime rates in Ottawa last year, while two rural wards had the lowest crime rates.

The Ottawa Police Service issued its 2021 Annual Report ahead of Monday's Ottawa Police Services Board meeting, along with the crime trends report looking at crimes in all 23 wards across the city of Ottawa.

There were approximately 36,260 reported Criminal Code of Canada offences in Ottawa in 2021, up eight per cent from 2020. Police reported 7,116 violent crimes and 29,146 non-violent crimes in Ottawa last year.

Ottawa's crime rate, looking at crimes per 100,000 people, was 3,510.7 in 2021, up 6.8 per cent from 2020.

The ward-by-ward statistics show Somerset had the highest crime rate in Ottawa in 2021 at 15,496.3 crimes per 100,000 population, followed by Rideau Vanier (11,165.9 crimes/100,000 people) and Capital ward (4,413.5 crimes/100,000 people).  

The 2020-2021 Crime Trends report shows there were 6,448 reported crimes in Somerset ward in 2021, up from 5,261 crimes reported in 2020.   Police say there were 842 violent crimes and 5,606 non-violent crimes in Somerset in 2021.

There were 5,593 crimes reported in Rideau Vanier in 2021, down from 5,783 crimes in 2020.  In Capital ward, there were 1,712 crimes in 2021, up from 1,541 crimes in 2020.

West Carleton-March had the lowest crime rate in Ottawa last year at 945.9 crimes per 100,000 population, down from 988.3 in 2020.  There were 250 reported crimes in the ward last year, down from 259 crimes in 2020.

Rideau Goulbourn had 1,179 crimes per 100,000 population, followed by Stittsville at 1,538 crimes per 100,000 population.

Somerset had the highest increase in the crime rate per 100,000 people in 2021, with a 22.7 per cent increase. Barrhaven's crime rate increased 20.7 per cent last year.

Innes had the largest decrease in the crime rate in 2021, at 8.8 per cent.  Kanata South had the second largest decrease in the crime rate, at 6.7 per cent. West Carleton-March saw a 4.3 per cent drop in the crime rate, Rideau-Vanier witnessed a 3.6 per cent decline, while Orleans reported a 3.2 per cent drop in the crime rate last year.

Highest crime rates in Ottawa (per 100,000 residents)

1. Somerset - 15,496.3 crimes/100,000 population
2. Rideau Vanier - 11,165.9 crimes/100,000 population
3. Capital – 4,413.5 crimes/100,000 population
4. Rideau-Rockcliffe – 4,241.5 crimes/100,000 population
5. Alta Vista – 4,084.6 crimes/100,000 population

Lowest crime rates in Ottawa (per 100,000 residents)

1. West Carleton – March – 945.9 crimes/100,000 population
2. Rideau Goulbourn – 1,179 crimes/100,000 population
3. Stittsville – 1,538 crimes/100,000 population
4. Kanata South – 1,547.9 crimes/100,000 population
5. Osgoode – 1,582 crimes/100,000 population