Homicides down, but overall crime rose in Montreal in 2023: police

Montreal police say crime in the city was up in 2023, largely driven by offences such as assaults, robberies and car thefts.

The 2023 annual report published Monday found that Criminal Code infractions were up 12 per cent from 2022 and were 24.5 per cent higher than the average of the previous five years.

Police Chief Fady Dagher says the increase comes largely from assaults and other crimes against persons, as well as from property crimes, including car thefts.

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Dagher notes that homicides were down, and that violent assaults involving guns were also trending lower than in previous years.

There were 353 hate crimes and 171 hateful incidents in 2023, which Dagher described as a record.

Dagher said the police’s strategy in the coming years will include taking a more proactive approach to crime prevention as well as building trust with the community through outreach.