Ontario has a major homicide problem.

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 Before we get into the final report, I would just like to address the feedback I've received not only from Chad but from my fellow classmates.

It seemed I did not choose the best method to convey what I wanted to with my data. I initially used a line chart to explain my data, hoping it would show that the overall change between the first and final points, however the chart was cluttered and did not clarify that Alberta's overall rate change did not spike as high as the chart showcased. For this reason, I have changed my chart to showcase the percentage change only instead of each rate over the 10 years as well as changed it from a line chart to a bar chart.

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As of 2018, Ontario's major metropolitan areas have seen a significant spike in homicide rates, making it the leading province with multiple major metropolitan areas in increased rates over 10 years according to Statistics Canada.  

In looking at the homicide rates of major metropolitan areas in Canada from the years 2009 to 2019, I initially thought that Vancouver would consistently be at the top of the list, however I found the exact opposite, with Ontario taking the lead by a landslide. Hamilton, Ontario is at the top, seeing a 43% increase in homicide rates from 2009 to 2019. Of the top ten metropolitan areas by population in Canada, four of the six that saw an increase over the decade are in Ontario.

In reference to this article by CTV news, there were two major incidents in 2018, that claimed 12 victims. However, even with these two incidents, there was an immense spike in homicides, with 96 victims in Toronto city alone. And a whopping 51 of them being victims of gun related violence. 

While some metropolitan areas in Ontario have not seen a particularly huge spike, according to this article by CBC, all of Ontario is suffering from a major increase in the circulation of illegal firearms. While the police are trying to get a handle on the situation, the supply is growing faster than they are currently equipped to handle, with guns not only being smuggled in through the border, but also that guns are being purchased legally and then sold on the black market or guns simply made illegally.

Furthermore, despite Covid-19 regulations, this article states that gun violence is just as prominent as before. This article also voices the concerns within the community that the provincial government has done little to actually curb the quick rise in homicide rates and the ever growing gun violence problems even with all the plans and funding that was promised before. Especially now that most funding has been reallocated to handling the pandemic.







Comments

  1. Lakeisha Barrington6 April 2021 at 09:04

    Hi Coco,

    Your report is really interesting. I would have thought that Vancouver had the higher homicide rate, as well. I like how you relate your last paragraph to Covid-19, since it really puts this problem in context to today's world. When I first began reading your last paragraph, I thought "what does the pandemic have to do with the homicide rate in Ontario?" and then you answered my question with your last sentence, which is great. It's a shame that the Ontario police aren't doing more to resolve this problem... I would have liked to see a bit more analysis of either your charts (perhaps a second chart?) or your sources, themselves since your report seems a bit short.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Colin Syms6 April 2021 at 09:51

    Hey Coco,

    I like the flow of your report, reading through it makes a lot of sense. I can agree that maybe a second chart to go further into your data would be good. Other than that, I think your overall explanation and analysis of the topic are quite well put together.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Netanya Castillo6 April 2021 at 11:58

    Hi Coco, I think the presentation of your data is really cool! I like the colours you've used and I think it's a unique way of presenting positive and negative percent change. Your analysis was good and your links all work. Maybe you could add another simple chart to further explain some of the points you made about violence increases. I also like that you addressed a specific area in your headline but maybe you could make the title a bit more news formal. Overall, I think your presentation is clean and your points are very clear! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wilson Wong6 April 2021 at 14:53

    Hello Coco,

    You had some very interesting findings in this report. I am surprised that Ontario has such a huge illegal firearms problem. The only suggestion I have is you should have used a different color to highlight Ontario in your visualization to drive your point home, as they all currently just use a different shade of the same color.

    ReplyDelete

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