SASKATOON—Although the number of missing person cases in the city decreased by almost 16 per cent, Saskatoon remains among the top five in the country. It stands out for its high number of reports relative to its population size.
Sergeant Aaron Moser presented this report during the Saskatoon board of police commissioners meeting on March 20.
Moser, head of the SPS Missing Persons Task Force, presented the annual missing persons report, noting that from 2015 to 2022 Saskatoon had the second-highest per capita rate of missing person reports related to runaways in Canada.
He oversees investigations of missing persons, filed with the SPS, and also acts as the liaison between areas of the service engaged in solving disappearances. His report sheds light on the ever-changing causes and nuances of missing person cases in the city, highlighting significant aspects.
“As part of our annual reporting process, the [SPS] provides statistics on missing persons in Saskatoon, including the number of reports, the location of where they were reported missing, the number of habitual runaways, and the proactive steps taken to resolve missing persons investigations or to prevent people from going missing,” said Moser.
The report includes statistical information between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024. Last year, the SPS processed 3,590 missing person reports, which was 680 fewer than in 2023 – an overall decrease of about 16 per cent.
Moser noted early in his report that the most significant decrease in SPS history occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when reports dropped to 480. However, despite the recent decrease, 2024 saw the second-highest number of missing person reports in SPS history, with 2021 experiencing a 24 per cent increase.
Moser said that youth incidents made up a big part of the 3,590 missing person reports filed last year. Last year, 1,406 youths were reported missing, 1,294 of them girls.
He also emphasized that despite the general decrease, 2024’s numbers remain concerning: nearly 40 per cent of reported missing persons were under 18, and 74 per cent were reported missing multiple times.
The SPS also noted that youth incidents dropped by 809 reported cases.
“That’s where we saw the most significant reduction in our reporting last year, while adult incidents increased. A habitual missing person is an individual who has been reported missing twice or more during the reporting period. Seventy-four per cent of all reports in 2024 involved persons who had been reported missing two or more times,” said Moser.
“In raw numbers, 2,639 reports were habitual missing persons. Only about 407 people accounted for those 2,639 reports. On average, we're getting about 6 ½ reports per habitual missing person. Of the 2,207 habitual missing youth reports, the vast majority of our youth cases are habitual.”
He added that habitual youth made up about 62 per cent of missing person reports. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying issues contributing to these high numbers, particularly among youths.
"Addictions, mental health struggles and poverty are some of the most significant risk factors identified by families and caregivers. These factors complicate the investigation process and underscore the need for collaboration with local community organizations, shelters, group homes and other services,” said Moser.
Moser was also optimistic about the Missing Youth Saskatoon app, designed to assist social workers in deciding when to report missing youth. The app was introduced in 2021 and has shown promising results. By 2023, missing person reports in group homes decreased by over 40 per cent, although habitual runaways increased by nearly 56 per cent.
Despite the app’s success in improving decision-making and communication in handling these sensitive cases, Moser said the work is far from over. The city still has 19 long-term missing person cases, unchanged from the previous year.
These cases present particular challenges for SPS because they require multi-agency investigations, such as collaboration with the RCMP’s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. DNA submissions have been made in 18 of the 19 long-term cases, demonstrating the SPS’s commitment to solving them.
The report also compared Saskatoon’s data with national trends. From 2015 to 2022, Saskatoon had the second-highest per capita rate of missing person reports related to runaways in Canada. Despite the decrease in 2024, the city remains among the top five reporting agencies in the country.
Moser said a family, a community and a network of professionals are working tirelessly to understand and resolve missing person reports. He emphasized that their task force remains committed to reducing disappearances, supporting those affected, and ensuring that each investigation is pursued to provide closure for families and friends.
