Violent crime rises 6 percent in Vancouver in first half of 2026; assaults, robberies lead increase
Vancouver Police data for January through June shows assaults up 7.1 percent and robberies up 7.8 percent, continuing a trend concentrated in downtown and the Downtown Eastside.
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Vancouver violent crime increased 6 percent in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, driven primarily by surges in assaults and robberies, according to Vancouver Police Department statistics posted August 18.
Reported assaults climbed 7.1 percent, rising from 2,011 in the first half of 2025 to 2,153 in the same period this year. Robberies jumped 7.8 percent, increasing from 232 to 250. Sexual offences rose 2.8 percent, from 354 to 364. The VPD noted that some sexual assault reports may be connected to previously unreported older assaults rather than new incidents.
Downtown Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside continue to bear the concentration of violent crime. In June alone, the central business district recorded 129 assaults, 22 robberies and 16 sexual offences. Strathcona recorded 54 assaults, 10 robberies and five sexual offences in the same month. Police seized 80 offensive weapons across those two neighbourhoods in June.
The data does not show whether the June figures were connected to Vancouver hosting seven FIFA World Cup matches during June and July, when the city deployed up to 1,300 officers on match days. Officers focused on BC Place Stadium, the Granville entertainment district, the FIFA Fan Festival at Hastings Park, and team training sites.
On Granville, where the strip between Davie and Georgia was closed to vehicles during the tournament, police recorded 99 breach of the peace files between June 11 and July 13. Police arrested 42 people for public intoxication and 36 under the Criminal Code. At World Cup venues, 16 foreign nationals were arrested for breach of peace, drinking in public, or both.
A 2025 survey by the VPD found that 31 percent of 176 business owners or managers surveyed had hired security because of crime concerns. Sixty-four percent said staff worried about crime in the area, 30 percent reported staff afraid to come to work, 29 percent lost customers due to crime concerns, and 23 percent had customers afraid to visit.
The facts
How much did violent crime increase in Vancouver in the first half of 2026?
Violent crime in Vancouver rose 6 percent in January through June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, driven primarily by increases in assaults and robberies.
How many assaults were reported in Vancouver in the first half of 2026?
Vancouver recorded 2,153 assaults in the first six months of 2026, up from 2,011 in the same period in 2025.
How many robberies occurred in Vancouver in the first half of 2026?
Robberies in Vancouver increased to 250 in January through June 2026, compared with 232 in the same period in 2025.
What neighbourhoods had the highest violent crime in June 2026?
Downtown Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside recorded the most violent crime in June 2026, with Downtown recording 129 assaults, 22 robberies and 16 sexual offences, and Strathcona recording 54 assaults, 10 robberies and 5 sexual offences.
