Impact

Crime costs Canadians billions of dollars every year. Organized crime impacts the bottom line for businesses, families and governments.

Financial impact

• About 30 per cent of the 170,000 vehicles stolen in Canada every year are never recovered. That costs insurers and the public $1 billion a year.
• In 2006, Phonebusters reported 23,317 victims of scams with an overall value of loss reported at $96,082,138.28.
• In 2006, there were 7,778 reported cases of identity theft with an overall value of loss reported at $16,283,776.91
• Insurers, businesses and consumers pay for crimes. We’re all victims as the costs of crime get passed from insurance firms, to businesses and then on to consumers, who also have higher premiums for personal insurance.
• Credit card fraud led to losses of $200 million in Canada in 2005. Debit card losses amounted to $70 million.
• Taxpayers pay. The more crime there is, the more it costs taxpayers for law enforcement, justice and correctional services.

Human costs of crime

• You may be physically attacked by criminal gangs and live with the trauma for the rest of your life.
• Criminals sell illegal drugs to young Canadians in schools. These young people may be addicted for long periods or even for their whole lives.
• When an innocent life is lost due to a drive by shooting or illicit drug overdose, it brings emotional pain and turmoil to a family.
• Even a credit or hospital insurance card stolen from your wallet or purse may cost you days of anxiety.