York region is still one of the safest places in Canada

York Region continues to be among the safest communities in Canada, with the lowest crime rate in 2006 among comparable police services nation-wide.

Statistics Canada has said it, and York Regional Police are proclaiming it.

York had the lowest rate of crimes against persons, crimes against property and total Criminal Code offences amongst its national and provincial comparators, which include Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal nationally and Toronto, Durham, Peel and Halton provincially.

The statistical analysis, based on the 2006 National and Provincial Crime Statistical Report by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, a division of Statistics Canada, was presented to the York Regional Police Services Board last Wednesday.

York police report they have maintained the highest clearance rate nationally among comparable police services for the last five years and provincially among comparable police services for the last two years for crimes against persons, property and total Criminal Code offences.

"This is not a good news story, this is a great news story," said Police Services Board Chairman Danny Wheeler, who congratulated Chief Armand La Barge and all the men and women of York Regional Police.

"These numbers are a direct reflection of the strides we have made in law enforcement, crime prevention, community safety initiatives and in building bridges between all our communities in York Region," said La Barge. "The support from our Police Services Board for our five-year Staffing Plan, which has resulted in the addition of 378 officers and 175 civilians since 2003, is also being reflected in these numbers and in the continuing safety of our community."

The national and provincial comparison is compiled using data from police services in Canada based on the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) survey. The aggregate methodology of data collection differs from the incidentbased methodology upon which the York Regional Police Annual Statistical Report is based.

In April, the statistical report was released, showing the overall incident-based crime rate (excluding traffic violations) decreased for the third consecutive year, dropping 5.1 per cent in 2006 from 2005. The incidentbased clearance rate increased by 3.8 per cent in 2006. In comparison, the CCJC data, using the aggregate method of data compilation reported a decrease in the crime rate of 3.3 per cent and an increase in the clearance rate of 2.1 per cent by virtue of the different reporting methods.