In 2009, Manitoba reported the highest homicide rate among provinces for the third straight year in a row, states a new report from Statistics Canada.
The report, meanwhile, shows police-reported crime dropped in 2009 in Canada.
Winnipeg police responded to the report's finding Tuesday afternoon.
"When we are referred to as number one in certain crimes, it is frustrating," said Const. Jason Michalyshen, a spokesperson for Winnipeg police.
Across the province, violent crime such as murder, assaults and robbery, increased by 10 per cent in 2009, compared to the previous year, according to the report. Among the provinces, only Saskatchewan beat out Manitoba for high crime rates.
Clinton Pasche and his family just moved into a home on Pritchard Avenue in Winnipeg.
He said he's not surprised to hear Winnipeg ranks among the worst cities for violent crime. The family said more needs to be done to reach youth, including having more youth centres and activities.
The province said it believes the key is to make targeting gang crime a priority.
"We've been putting historic new resources into police officers, more prosecutors (and) putting investments into stronger laws, both in Ottawa and here in the province," said Gord Mackintosh, the province's minister of family services.
It's a strategy police support, as officers stress their work is only one piece of the justice system.
"That revolving door that we talk about…typically we are arresting the same individuals time and time again," said Michalyshen.
Anita Reynolds' brother Matthew, 18, was shot and killed at a house party in December 2009. Her brother's best friend was also killed.
Reynolds said she doesn't know what the solution is to tackle the problem of violent crime, but she hopes the glaring numbers from the recently released crime report lead to changes.
Following seven months, her family has finally raised enough money to bury Matthew.
"Finally, he can rest in peace," said Anita Reynolds.
Nationally, rates for a number of violent crimes decreased in 2009, including for serious assaults, sexual assaults and robberies. National rates for homicides stayed about the same.
So far this year, the number of homicides is actually down in Winnipeg with 10 people killed, compared to 16 people by this same time last year.
For the rest of Manitoba, homicide numbers are up in 2010 with 16 people killed so far, compared to 11 in 2009 during the same time period.
Police said homicides are difficult crimes to prevent because most of the time, they involve people that know each other.
One crime that has decreased in Manitoba is car theft, which dropped by 25 per cent. Police credit the auto-theft suppression strategy and the work of officers, along with MPI's immobilizer program.
- with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley
