Calgary is safer than Vancouver on Statistics Canada’s main measure: in 2025 the Calgary metro area’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 61.7, while the Vancouver metro area’s was 83.5, about 35% higher. Vancouver also had a higher crime rate (5,672 incidents per 100,000 people against 5,038) and a higher homicide rate. Calgary, however, had more car theft, break-ins and assaults per person.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index and clearance rates (Table 35-10-0026-01) and incidents by violation (Table 35-10-0177-01). Figures are for the Vancouver and Calgary census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Ratios, gaps and rankings that are not in the release are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 19 October 2026.
Key facts
- The Vancouver CMA’s Crime Severity Index was 83.5 in 2025, compared with 61.7 for the Calgary CMA and 75.0 for Canada (Statistics Canada).
- Vancouver’s crime rate was 5,672 incidents per 100,000 in 2025, about 13% higher than Calgary’s 5,038 (our calculation).
- Vancouver’s non-violent CSI (85.4) was about 44% higher than Calgary’s (59.5), the biggest single difference between the two metros (our calculation).
- Calgary’s motor vehicle theft rate (243 per 100,000) was about 2.3 times Vancouver’s (103), and its break-in rate about 25% higher.
- The Vancouver CMA recorded 47 homicide victims in 2025 (1.52 per 100,000); the Calgary CMA recorded 15 (0.82).
- Calgary’s CSI fell 3% in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 2015; Vancouver’s rose about 1%.
Is Calgary safer than Vancouver?
Calgary is safer than Vancouver overall, according to Statistics Canada’s 2025 data: the Calgary CMA’s Crime Severity Index of 61.7 was 21.9 points below Vancouver’s 83.5, and Calgary also had a lower crime rate, a lower homicide rate and lower rates of shoplifting, mischief and drug offences. The Crime Severity Index is a measure of police-reported crime that gives more weight to serious offences; Canada’s 2006 level equals 100.
| Measure (2025) | Vancouver CMA | Calgary CMA | Vancouver vs Calgary | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 83.5 | 61.7 | +35% | 75.0 |
| CSI change vs 2024 | +1% | −3% | — | −5% |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 80.7 | 68.5 | +18% | 97.2 |
| Non-violent Crime Severity Index | 85.4 | 59.5 | +44% | 66.8 |
| Crime rate per 100,000 | 5,672 | 5,038 | +13% | 5,585 |
| Criminal Code incidents (excl. traffic) | 175,143 | 92,551 | — | 2,326,077 |
| Weighted clearance rate | 19.0 | 34.7 | — | 36.6 |
Vancouver vs Calgary column: our calculation from Statistics Canada data. The weighted clearance rate is a severity-weighted measure of the share of crimes solved by police.
Among Canada’s 41 metropolitan areas, Calgary had the 16th-lowest CSI in 2025, while Vancouver had the 14th-highest (our ranking). Both metros are large: the Vancouver CMA has roughly 3.1 million residents and the Calgary CMA roughly 1.8 million, based on the population implied by Statistics Canada’s counts and rates (our calculation). For all 41 metros, see our crime rate in Canada by city table.
How do violent crime and homicide compare?
Violent crime is similar in the two metros, but more serious in Vancouver: the Vancouver CMA recorded 1,090 violent incidents per 100,000 people in 2025 and the Calgary CMA 1,057, a gap of about 3%, while Vancouver’s violent Crime Severity Index of 80.7 was about 18% higher than Calgary’s 68.5 (Statistics Canada; percentages our calculation). Both metros are below the national violent CSI of 97.2.
| Violent offence, rate per 100,000 (2025) | Vancouver CMA | Calgary CMA | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| All violent crime | 1,090 | 1,057 | 1,443 |
| Homicide (victims) | 1.52 | 0.82 | 1.61 |
| Assault level 1 | 346 | 435 | 528 |
| Assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm | 152 | 213 | 214 |
| Sexual assault level 1 | 56 | 49 | 87 |
| Robbery | 55 | 60 | 55 |
| Uttering threats | 188 | 105 | 234 |
Rates are incidents per 100,000 people (homicide: victims per 100,000). Lower value in bold. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01, 2025.
The homicide rate in Vancouver (1.52) was about 1.9 times Calgary’s (0.82) in 2025, our calculation. Calgary, on the other hand, had higher rates of common assault (about 26% higher) and of assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm (about 40% higher). Calgary’s violent CSI fell about 13% in 2025, while Vancouver’s rose about 5%.
Which city has more property crime and car theft?
Property crime is slightly more common in Vancouver: the Vancouver CMA recorded 3,366 property incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about 7% more than Calgary’s 3,135 (Statistics Canada; percentage our calculation). But the mix is very different. Calgary has far more car theft and break-ins, and Vancouver far more mischief and drug offences.
| Offence, rate per 100,000 (2025) | Vancouver CMA | Calgary CMA | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| All property crime | 3,366 | 3,135 | 3,141 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 103 | 243 | 201 |
| Breaking and entering | 249 | 310 | 262 |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 804 | 749 | 502 |
| Fraud | 410 | 401 | 426 |
| Mischief | 541 | 384 | 739 |
| Drug violations | 351 | 91 | 144 |
Lower value in bold. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01, 2025.
- Car theft: Calgary’s motor vehicle theft rate was about 2.3 times Vancouver’s in 2025, although it fell about 13% from 2024. Vancouver’s is about half the national rate. Prevention tips are in our car theft protection guide.
- Break-ins: Calgary’s rate of 310 per 100,000 was about 25% above Vancouver’s 249 and above the national 262; Vancouver’s was slightly below it.
- Drug offences: Vancouver’s rate was about 3.9 times Calgary’s. Police-reported drug offences depend heavily on enforcement and on provincial policy, so this gap is not a direct measure of drug use.
- Shoplifting: both metros are well above the national rate; Calgary’s rate rose about 52% in 2025 and Vancouver’s about 14%.
Is crime going down in Vancouver and Calgary?
Crime severity is going down in Calgary and roughly flat in Vancouver: the Calgary CMA’s CSI fell 3% in 2025 to 61.7, its lowest value since at least 2015, while the Vancouver CMA’s CSI rose about 1% to 83.5 after falling to an eleven-year low of 82.3 in 2024 (Statistics Canada).
| Year | Vancouver CMA CSI | Calgary CMA CSI | Gap (points) | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 94.3 | 79.8 | 14.6 | 70.4 |
| 2017 | 86.7 | 83.9 | 2.8 | 73.6 |
| 2018 | 85.5 | 89.7 | −4.3 | 75.6 |
| 2019 | 95.2 | 94.1 | 1.1 | 79.7 |
| 2021 | 86.9 | 72.8 | 14.1 | 74.9 |
| 2023 | 88.9 | 72.7 | 16.3 | 81.3 |
| 2024 | 82.3 | 63.3 | 19.0 | 78.8 |
| 2025 | 83.5 | 61.7 | 21.9 | 75.0 |
Gap = Vancouver CSI minus Calgary CSI, our calculation (negative = Calgary higher). Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01.
The two cities were almost level between 2017 and 2019, and in 2018 Calgary’s CSI was actually higher than Vancouver’s. Since 2019 Calgary’s index has fallen about 34%, against about 12% for Vancouver, which is why the gap is now the widest in the series (our calculations).
Why does Vancouver have a higher Crime Severity Index?
Statistics Canada does not publish reasons for differences between cities. What the data shows is where the gap comes from: Vancouver’s non-violent CSI is about 44% higher than Calgary’s, driven by higher rates of shoplifting, mischief, drug offences and other non-violent crime, while its violent CSI is about 18% higher, partly because of its higher homicide rate. Calgary’s higher car theft and break-in rates pull the other way but are not enough to close the gap.
Clearance also differs sharply: Vancouver’s weighted clearance rate of 19.0 was the lowest of all 41 metros in 2025, against 34.7 in Calgary. Our guide how many crimes are solved in Canada explains what that measure means. Keep in mind that a metro-wide figure covers very different areas: the City of Vancouver’s own police service had a CSI of 89.3 in 2025, and suburban services such as Coquitlam and Burnaby were much lower.
How to check crime near an address in Vancouver or Calgary
- Vancouver: use the Vancouver Police Department’s GeoDASH map, explained step by step in our Vancouver crime map guide. Suburbs have their own police; see our Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond crime map guides.
- Calgary: start with the Calgary Police Service crime statistics page and our Calgary crime map guide.
- Compare the same offence types over the same months for the area you are considering and an area you already know.
- Visit at different times of day. Areas near nightlife, malls and transit hubs record more incidents than most residential streets.
Our guide how to check crime in your neighbourhood works for any Canadian city.
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Vancouver vs Calgary crime FAQ
Is Calgary safer than Vancouver?
Yes, on Statistics Canada’s 2025 data. Calgary’s Crime Severity Index was 61.7 against Vancouver’s 83.5, and its crime rate was 5,038 per 100,000 against 5,672.
Does Calgary have more car theft than Vancouver?
Yes. Calgary’s motor vehicle theft rate was 243 per 100,000 in 2025, about 2.3 times Vancouver’s 103.
Which city has more violent crime, Vancouver or Calgary?
Their violent crime rates were close in 2025 (1,090 and 1,057 per 100,000), but Vancouver’s violent Crime Severity Index was higher, 80.7 against 68.5, partly because of more homicides.
How many homicides were there in Vancouver and Calgary in 2025?
The Vancouver CMA had 47 homicide victims (1.52 per 100,000) and the Calgary CMA 15 (0.82 per 100,000), according to Statistics Canada.
Is crime rising in Calgary?
Crime severity is falling: Calgary’s CSI dropped 3% in 2025 to 61.7. The crime rate rose 5%, mostly because of more shoplifting, a lower-severity offence.
Related: is Vancouver safe? · is Calgary safe? · Calgary vs Edmonton crime · Toronto vs Montréal vs Vancouver crime · safest big cities in Canada. In an emergency call 911.