Black Canadians overrepresented in law courts: StatsCan

Black Canadians are disproportionally represented in Canadian courts, accounting for 6.2 per cent of accused individuals despite making up 3.7 per cent of the adult population, according to Statistics Canada.

The data is shared in a new Statistics Canada report that found there were 100,450 Black accused persons in adult criminal courts between 2016 to 2017 and 2022 to 2023. 

The number of Black accused persons in adult criminal court has also increased from 5.7 per cent of all accused in 2016 and 2017 to 7.1 per cent in 2022 and 2023. 

In both Nova Scotia and Ontario, the proportion of Black accused individuals was more than double their representation in the adult population.

Cases involving a Black accused individual resulted in a guilty verdict 42 per cent of the time, the data found. 

During the same timeframe, it took nearly two months longer for court cases involving Black accused persons to be completed in adult criminal courts compared to those who were not Black. 

In 2023, Canada, Mexico, and the United States signed the North American Partnership for Equity and Racial Justice to commit to taking steps to combat systemic racism and discrimination in national laws.