Urban And Rural Firearm Deaths In Canada

• Firearm homicides and suicides occur in all areas of the country, including rural areas. Between 1991 and 1995, in areas with less than 100,000 population, 35% of all homicides were committed with firearms. Sixty-two percent of the firearms involved in gun homicides in these areas were non-restricted rifles and shotguns (Weapons and Violent Crime Juristat, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics).
• Similarly, 35% of all homicides in areas with a population 1 million or greater involved firearms. In these areas, 74% of the firearm homicides involved handguns and 11% involved rifles and shotguns.
• A study on domestic homicide involving firearms ( Dansys Consulting Inc, 1991) revealed that almost half (49%) of domestic homicides occurred in rural areas (less than 10,000), even though rural residences account for only 23% of the population (1991 Census data).
• In Northern Ontario, 58% of all suicides were committed with firearms, compared to only 18% in the city of Toronto. Similar results were found when examining areas of Manitoba and British Columbia that have different levels of urbanization. Upon testing, it was determined that higher levels of gun ownership are associated with higher levels of firearm suicides and higher levels of all suicides, and that the higher proportion of firearm suicides in rural communities is likely due to higher levels of gun ownership (Moyer and Carrington, 1991).

Table 1.
Number of Homicides by Type of Weapon and Census Metropolitan Area, 1991 to 1995

Firearms Research Unit
Canada Firearms Centre
June 1998