Halton Region is continuing its run as the safest large municipality in Canada.

This is according to Statistics Canada, which lists Halton as having the lowest crime severity index of all Canadian municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more, for the 14th straight year.

The crime severity index lets Canadians track changes in the severity of police-reported crime from year to year.

It measures not only changes in volume of a particular crime, but also the relative seriousness of that crime in comparison with other crimes.

The report, titled Police-Reported Crime Statistics in Canada, 2018, provides a detailed overview of crime statistics as reported by police services across the country.

According to the data, released this month, Halton Region:

Had the lowest violent and non-violent crime severity index when compared with Ontario’s “Big 12” police services

Had the lowest overall crime rate, violent crime rate, and property crime rate among Ontario’s Big 12”police services

Had the highest weighted clearance rate (55.6 per cent) of the same Big 12 and has maintained the lowest value for this index for five straight years (2014-2018)

The “Big 12” comprises police services from Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Ottawa, Hamilton, Peel, London, Niagara, Sudbury, Toronto and Windsor.

Halton regional police Chief Stephen Tanner called the report “a testament to the work of our front-line officers and staff and to the support of the residents we serve.”

“The one crime severity index result that I am extremely proud of is the fact that, since 2014, we have had the highest clearance rate based on the crime severity index. Distilled down, this means that our officers (front-line and investigators) are consistently solving serious crimes,” he said.

Halton Regional Police Service board chair and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said the police service’s goal is to provide the very safest environment possible so each of Halton’s citizens are able to live, work, play and retire while feeling the safest they can possibly be.