Osgoode and Manotick Area Crime Trends Rise Slightly in 2021

By Charlie Senack, Manotick Messenger

Crime levels in Manotick, Richmond, and nearby villages are slightly on the rise, according to new data provided by Ottawa Police. 

The report on City of Ottawa crime trends was released at the Ottawa Police Service Board meeting on Monday, June 27. 

Osgoode Ward

In Osgoode ward, crime was up 14.9 per cent in 2021, with an 18 per cent increase in violent crime. 

There were 91 crimes against a person committed in the ward, a 21.3 per cent increase compared to 2020. Crimes against property were up 19.2 per cent with 366 incidents reported. 

Excluding traffic, their were 481 Criminal Code of Canada offences in 2021, an 18.2 per cent increase. 

Assaults against a person were up 12.8 per cent, with 44 incidents reported. Sexual violations however were down 40 per cent with six incidents reported. Criminal harassment was up 500 per cent, but only six cases were reported in 2021 compared to one in 2020. There were 91 total crimes reported against a person, which was a 21.3 increase compared to 2020. 

Arson in the ward was down 63 per cent with three incidents reported in Osgoode. Break and enters were up48 per cent with 49 incidents reported. Their were 120 incidents of theft under $5,000, and 11 over that amount. Mischief was down 23 per cent with 66 incidents, but fraud was up 14 per cent with 99 incidents. 

Feeling of safety in the ward was listed at 95 per cent during the day and 90 per cent after dark, both above the city ward average. 

Rideau-Goulburn

In Rideau-Goulbourn the crime rate was only slightly higher with a 4.7 per cent increase, and violent crime was up 13.5 per cent. 

Crimes against a person were up 18.3 per cent with 97 incidents reported. Crimes against property were up 9.9 per cent with 300 incidents reported. In total there were 419 Criminal Code of Canada offences (excluding traffic), a 9.1 per cent increase compared to 2020. 

Sexual violations were up 72.7 per cent with 19 incidents reported in 2021, compared to 11 in 2020.  Their were 97 total crimes committed against a person, resulting in an 18.3 per cent jump last year. 

Arson cases were down 57 per cent with only three incidents reported in 2021. Break and enter was up 50 per cent with 42 incidents reported. Theft of a motor vehicle was up 222 per cent with 29 incidents in 2021, compared to nine in 2020. There were 79 cases of theft under $5,000 and 14 for above $5,000. Total crimes against property were up 9.9 per cent with 300 reported. 

There were no Drug and Substance Act offences reported in Rideau-Goulbourn in 2020 or 2021. 

Feeling of safety in the ward sits at 96 per cent during the day and 87 per cent after dark. 

Gloucester-South Nepean

In the neighboring ward of Gloucester-South Nepean, key most crime trends are still rising, but not by as much. 

key crime trends in ward 22 (including traffic offences) were up 17.4 per cent in 2021. That included a 23.8 per cent rise in crimes against a person, with 187 crimes reported that year. Crimes against property rose 18.5 per cent with 840 reported in 2021, compared to 709 in 2020. 

Crimes against a person rose 23.8 per cent in Gloucester-South Nepean in 2021, with 187 reported. That included a 39.9 per cent increase in assaults, rising to 89 in 2021 compared to 65 in 2020. 

Crimes against property were up 18.5 per cent in ward 22 last year, with 840 reported. There were three crimes of arson reported compared to only one in 2020, which shows a 300 per cent increase. Break and enters were however down 24 per cent with 41 in 2021 compared to 54 in 2020. Eight crimes of theft over $5,000 were reported along with 384 for under $5,000. 

Other Criminal Code of Canada crimes were down 3.1 per cent in 2021, with 63 reported that year compared to 65 in 2020. Indecent acts however rose 300 per cent going from two crimes in 2020 to eight in 2021. 

Criminal Code traffic offences stayed the same with 24 reported in both 2020 and 2021. 

Calls for service were up 4.4 per cent with 7,217 calls coming in from ward 22 in 2021. 

Feeling of safety in the ward sits at 95 per cent during the day and 81 per cent after dark

In Ottawa demand for service rose seven per cent in 2021, meaning a total of 357,000 requests for service came in to Ottawa Police. 

The level of crime reported in Ottawa climbed by eight per cent last year, meaning the city saw 36,260 reported Criminal Code of Canada offences, which exclude traffic offences. 

Violent crimes such as assaults, sexual violations and threats, rose by seven per cent in 2021. A total of 891 sexual violations were reported. 

Mental health incidents reported to police went up by 17 per cent, with 8,000 incidents responded to last year. 

For property-related offences, they  jumped by five per cent last year. Much of those were thefts which were also on the rise.

In 2021 Ottawa Police recorded a record-breaking 82 shootings, and 80 crime guns were seized to address street violence in the capital. 

While Barrhaven ward reported the biggest crime jump, Innes ward saw an 8.8 per cent decrease.