I’ve always enjoyed living on the farm.
It isn’t too far from town and it’s always been safe and quiet.
That hasn’t been every farm family’s experience on the Prairies. My family has been lucky, compared to some other rural areas across the country and even other farms in the area.
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Farms on the other side of town have had equipment, tools and trucks stolen from yards and fields.
Rural crime is a talking point in coffee shops and online and is a key focus for agriculture organizations.
One Statistics Canada snapshot, which was released in April and looked at data from police-reported crime in 2023, stated that reported incidents in rural Canada were 34 per cent higher than in urban areas. It’s a continuation of a decade-long trend, the agency noted.
There were some caveats, the biggest being the divide between northern Canada and southern Canada. Most of rural Canada’s crime disparity can be attributed to that north-south divide, Statistics Canada noted. Rural crime in northern areas was three times higher than rural crime in the south.
However, there have also been plenty of stories and news reports from local farmers. They’ve heard about it from their neighbours or in industry group meetings, been victims themselves or seen yard camera footage circulated online of thefts in progress, with thieves sometimes armed and dangerously close to the farm’s residents.
Glacier FarmMedia’s publications have reported on rural crime before, and it can be seen in other news organizations as well. Interviewed farmers talk about their fear, a feeling of powerlessness and a lack of resources available to fight the issue.
In mid-June, Global News reported that a man near Barrhead, Alta., had suffered a broken leg after he says he interupted a farm theft in progress. Mike Stuber said he went over to check out suspicious activity on a neighbour’s yard in the morning, only to be shot at and run over.
Recent statistics haven’t significantly budged from the numbers five and seven years ago, showing that effective change is yet to occur.
After so many years of recognizing the issue, why is a solution so far out of reach?
Farmers have suggested bail reform, increased policing resources and better response times. There is only so much an indiviudal rural citizen can do to protect their assets.
I hope smart change happens soon. Citizens have a right to feel safe in their home and farmyard, whether they’re five minutes, 50 minutes or more from the closest police detachment.
