When armed intruders attacked a sleeping family of four with guns and a hammer in Toronto’s Bridle Path neighbourhood last week, the incident stood out for its brutality. But home invasions themselves no longer stand out so much for their rarity.
In the first nine months of 2026, Toronto recorded 112 home-invasion robberies, according to police data, surpassing the 103 reported throughout the entire year of 2025.
That already makes 2026 the second-worst year for home-invasion robberies in the period covered by the data, even if no more occur this year. Only 2024 recorded more, with 160 incidents, averaging more than three per week.
The Toronto Police Service data show a sharp but uneven increase in the 12-year reported period— from 2014 to 2026. Toronto recorded 57 home-invasion robberies in 2021, followed by 63 in 2022 and 81 in 2023.
The number nearly doubled to 160 in 2024 before falling to 103 last year. The 112 incidents reported through September are almost twice the 2021 total, with three months unaccounted for.
Family Pleads for Greater Safety
The latest attack occurred around 4 a.m. on Oct. 29, when three suspects armed with handguns and a hammer broke into the home of businessman David Morton, CEO of the MAC Group.
Four people were hospitalized. Police said two remained there with life-altering injuries as of Oct. 29.
In an Oct. 30 statement, Morton said his wife and daughters were recovering.
“What should have been the safety and security of our own home became a terrifying and life-threatening experience,” he said.
“While we are focused on recovery and supporting one another as a family, we are also deeply concerned about the increasing violence associated with home invasions and the safety of families throughout Toronto.”
Police are searching for three suspects who fled in a dark-coloured SUV.
Calls for Tougher Laws
Conservative justice critic Arpan Khanna has urged the federal government to support his party’s bills that would increase penalties for violent home invasions and strengthen homeowners’ legal protections when defending themselves.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser says his government has already introduced tougher bail and sentencing laws earlier this year.
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