Montreal is rounding out 2008 with the fewest homicides the city has ever seen since police started keeping statistics.

So far, 29 people have been killed in Montreal this year — the fewest since the island-wide police force was formed in 1972. Last year, there were 42 homicides in the city.

'We are in a time of peace instead of a time of war.'— Clement Rose, police commander

Police credit their work cracking down on motorcycle and street gangs and building better ties with the community.

"We are in a time of peace instead of a time of war on our territory," said Clement Rose, commander of the Montreal police major crimes division.

"[There are] no wars with the Rock Machine and the Hells Angels, as we have had in past years. There are also no wars between street gangs. There are conflicts between individuals, but there aren't street gang wars."

Montreal's homicide numbers have been declining for several years.

Last year, Montreal had a lower homicide rate than any other major Canadian city, including Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.

Montreal also compares well to American cities of similar sizes. Phoenix, Arizona, had more than 200 homicides last year, and Philadelphia reported nearly 400.

Older adults less likely to break law: professor

Ambulance technicians take Montreal's 29th homicide victim of the year to hospital after a shooting in St-Michel on Dec. 23. (CBC)

Criminologists point to another major reason for the decline: Quebec's aging population.

Maurice Cusson, a criminology professor at the University of Montreal, said older adults form a more stable population and are less likely to break the law.

"The group of young people who are most susceptible to committing crime are between 15 and 25 years of age. [They] are less numerous right now and therefore we have a reduction in criminality," said Cusson.

Jim Anderson, a police technology professor at John Abbott College, added that old-fashioned police work has a limited effect on homicide statistics.

"I don't think [it's] attributed to police presence or police activity. Most murders are within family members and friends and neighbours. There is very little chance for police to do any preventative work," said Anderson, a former police officer.

According to Statistics Canada, the country's overall homicide rate has been declining since the mid-1970s.

The trend continued in 2007, with 594 homicides across the country, 12 fewer than the previous year.