Northern Sask. crime rate highest of northern regions: StatsCan

The crime rate in northern Saskatchewan is higher than northern areas anywhere else in Canada, Statistics Canada says.

According to a report the federal statistics agency published Tuesday, there were 54,978 crimes reportedper 100,000 people in northern Saskatchewan.

That's six times as high as the rate in southern Saskatchewan (9,114). The report notes that the population in the north is much smaller than the south.

The statistics cover police-reported crimes in 2013the most recent year for which comparable numbers were available.

The report notes that mischief and disturbing the peace were the most commonly reported offences in the north, accounting for 36 per cent of all police-reported crime in the northern areas of provinces.

Canada-wide, the crime rate per 100,000 population was 4,749 in southern areas, and 11,674 in the north.

In Saskatchewan's case, "north" includes communities north of Prince Albert, including La Ronge, La Loche, and a number of northern villages and First Nations.

Highest among northern regions