Canada's crime rate surges back after 12 years

According to Statistics Canada reports, more than 1.9 million Criminal Code incidents excluding traffic offences were reported by police last year, which is 70,000 more than those reported in 2014.

National rates of police-reported crime increased for most Criminal Code violations, including homicide, attempted murder, firearms offences, robbery and sexual assault.

Rates for all types of property crimes including fraud, possession of stolen property, identity fraud, theft, and breaking and entering also increased from the previous year.

The national crime severity index also rose five per cent in 2015.

In Alberta, the higher severity index was primarily the result of more incidents of breaking and entering.

Regions of New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories also experienced a high severity index related to break ins.

Experts believe the declining economic situation is the chief cause of the rise in property crime in Alberta.

It's not just the property crimes that have seen an upsurge, more than 600 homicide cases were also reported.

Irwin Waller, a criminology professor at the University of Ottawa said, "These statistics are a reminder that we should be doing more to pull these rates even further down.”

Waller points out that the solution is in providing more outreach programs and services for youth, which will minimise the gang building tendencies. Parents should motivate their troubled children in participating in these programs and services.

He further added, "It has very little to do with policing.''

In Canada, Winnipeg and Edmonton have begun focusing more resources on at-risk youth. "But the amounts of money that have been put in are nowhere near what's needed,” said Waller.

Reporting by Asha Bajaj