Manitoba sees massive increase in firearm-related crimes: report

New numbers are showing Manitoba saw a triple-digit increase in firearm-related crimes over ten years.

The numbers coming from StatsCan show Manitoba saw a 103 per cent increase in firearm-related violent crimes since 2014.

“What we generally see is that firearms are generally involved in the most serious crimes,” said Adam Cotter, an analyst at the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics.

“In some ways it’s a reflection of what we’ve been seeing in trends in violent crime overall. Whether or not a firearm is involved or not.”

Winnipeg also had the third-highest rate of firearm-related violent crimes in 2022, according to StatsCan, but the numbers aren’t all negative.

“In Manitoba compared to 2021, Winnipeg recorded an 11 per cent decrease in firearm-related violent crime,” said Cotter.

Criminal Justice Professor Michael Weinrath says it’s not only Winnipeg seeing increases in crimes involving firearms.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen across the country and certainly significantly in Manitoba, is the influx of firearms over from the United States,” explained Weinrath.

Tim Barron, an ex-gang member says in order to reduce crime, youth need to be targeted to prevent more people from being recruited into committing crimes.

“We need more programming with people with lived experience. Men and women with lived experience creating these programs for them, that’s what I believe will help them the most,” said Barron.

Barron is now part of Four Sacred Hearts, a group that travels around the province, connecting with young people in a bid to divert them away from crime.

One of the people the group has touched is Loren Laquette, who served time for attempted murder. Laquette, who now also tries to set a better example for people younger than him says young people just need a community.

“That’s all I wanted growing up, it was belonging and understanding from people,” said Laquette.