Calgary homicide rate stable

The homicide rate in Calgary remains relatively stable, according to numbers released on Tuesday.

The city experienced 14 homicides in 2011, down from 15 homicides in 2010, according to Statistics Canada. So far this year, 16 people have been slain in the city.

That bucks the national trend. Across Canada, the homicide rate has risen seven percent.

The number of homicides in the country rose to 598 in 2011, 44 more than the previous year, marking the first increase in three years.

The Canadian murder weapon of choice is now the blade, Statistics Canada said.

"The rate of firearm homicides per 100,000 population has generally been declining since the mid-1970s and, in 2011, reached its lowest point in almost 50 years."

Overall, the homicide rate was 1.73 per 100,000 population in 2011, seven per cent higher than in 2010.