Saskatchewan's homicide rate last year was twice that of Canada as a whole — and gang-related killings are a factor here, Statistics Canada says.

According to StatsCan's 2011 Homicide in Canada report, released Tuesday, the homicide rate across Canada was 1.73 per 100,000 people in Canada, compared to 3.59 per 100,000 in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan had the second-highest homicide rate of the provinces, while Manitoba (4.24 per 100,000) was No. 1.

Last year, Saskatchewan recorded 38 homicides, compared to 34 in 2010.

Of the cities, Regina's seven homicides (8 in 2010) put it in fifth place, while Saskatoon was eighth with six homicides (10 in 2010). Winnipeg, with 22 homicides and a rate of 5.08 per 100,000, topped the city list.

Police consider 95 of the 554 Canadian homicides in 2011 to be gang-related.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta had the highest rates of gang-related homicides among the provinces, while Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton reported the highest rates among the cities.