Oak Bay was the safest town in British Columbia by crime severity in 2025: the Oak Bay Police Department area recorded a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 25.9, about 72% below B.C.’s 92.4 and 65% below Canada’s 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Coldstream (33.8), North Vancouver District (35.7), Comox (36.8) and North Saanich (37.3) complete the top five among 60 B.C. police areas serving 10,000 people or more.
Data: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01 (Crime Severity Index, police services in British Columbia) and Table 35-10-0184-01 (incidents and rates by violation, police services in British Columbia), 2025 data released 22 July 2026 and checked on 24 October 2026. Figures are for the municipality each police service or RCMP municipal detachment covers, not for census metropolitan areas. Populations, rankings and percentage comparisons are our calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 24 October 2026.
Key facts
- Oak Bay had the lowest Crime Severity Index of 60 B.C. police areas serving 10,000+ people in 2025: 25.90, up from 23.42 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01).
- Oak Bay also had the lowest crime rate in that group: 2,502 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about 64% below the B.C. rate of 6,943 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
- North Vancouver District (35.69) and Saanich (39.95) had the lowest CSI of the B.C. municipalities with more than 100,000 people in 2025.
- 23 of the 60 B.C. police areas had a 2025 CSI below the national 75.0, and 34 were below the provincial 92.37 (our calculation).
- B.C.’s provincial CSI fell 2% in 2025 to 92.37; 34 of the 60 police areas recorded a lower CSI than in 2024 (our calculation).
What is the safest town in B.C.?
Oak Bay, a municipality of about 18,600 people next to Victoria, was the safest town in B.C. in 2025 by the Crime Severity Index, at 25.90. The Crime Severity Index is a Statistics Canada measure that weights each police-reported offence by how serious it is (Canada 2006 = 100), so a low value means less crime and less serious crime. Our Crime Severity Index explainer covers the method.
Oak Bay recorded 466 police-reported Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) in 2025 and no homicides. Its break-and-enter rate (85.9 per 100,000) was about 69% below the B.C. rate of 279.89, and its motor vehicle theft rate (32.2) was about 77% below the provincial 137.67 (our calculation). Oak Bay’s CSI stayed between 23.4 and 40.5 every year from 2015 to 2025, far below the provincial figure.
Which B.C. towns have the lowest crime severity?
The 15 B.C. police areas with the lowest Crime Severity Index in 2025 were all at least 38% below the provincial 92.37, led by Oak Bay, Coldstream and North Vancouver District. The table covers municipal police departments and RCMP municipal detachments with at least 10,000 residents.
| Rank | Community (police service) | CSI 2025 | CSI 2024 | Change | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) | Population (2025, approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Bay (municipal police) | 25.90 | 23.42 | +11% | 2,502 | 18,600 |
| 2 | Coldstream (RCMP) | 33.81 | 35.49 | -5% | 2,996 | 11,400 |
| 3 | North Vancouver District (RCMP) | 35.69 | 34.81 | +3% | 3,392 | 100,800 |
| 4 | Comox (RCMP) | 36.75 | 38.27 | -4% | 3,526 | 15,900 |
| 5 | North Saanich (RCMP) | 37.27 | 33.53 | +11% | 3,065 | 13,000 |
| 6 | Saanich (municipal police) | 39.95 | 37.01 | +8% | 3,101 | 126,000 |
| 7 | Central Saanich (municipal police) | 40.21 | 29.44 | +37% | 2,843 | 18,200 |
| 8 | Esquimalt (Victoria Police, Esquimalt Division) | 40.99 | 45.00 | -9% | 3,490 | 19,500 |
| 9 | Summerland (RCMP) | 42.80 | 51.99 | -18% | 3,500 | 12,300 |
| 10 | Port Moody (municipal police) | 43.29 | 45.54 | -5% | 3,137 | 38,300 |
| 11 | Colwood (RCMP) | 49.50 | 49.13 | +1% | 5,997 | 22,800 |
| 12 | Port Coquitlam (RCMP) | 50.83 | 57.84 | -12% | 4,258 | 67,700 |
| 13 | West Vancouver (municipal police) | 52.74 | 57.06 | -8% | 4,122 | 51,300 |
| 14 | View Royal (RCMP) | 53.28 | 53.63 | -1% | 4,736 | 12,800 |
| 15 | Coquitlam (RCMP) | 57.12 | 56.55 | +1% | 4,604 | 173,700 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Tables 35-10-0063-01 and 35-10-0184-01. Crime rate = all Criminal Code violations excluding traffic. Population is our calculation (incidents ÷ rate × 100,000). Surrey is excluded because its 2025 figures are split between the outgoing RCMP and the new Surrey Police Service.
Seven of the 15 lowest-CSI areas are on southern Vancouver Island around Victoria, and five are on Metro Vancouver’s North Shore or in the Tri-Cities.
What is the safest city in B.C. with more than 100,000 people?
North Vancouver District had the lowest Crime Severity Index of B.C.’s large municipalities in 2025, at 35.69, about 61% below the provincial 92.37 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data). Saanich (39.95) was second, followed by Coquitlam (57.12), Delta (59.20), Burnaby (68.70) and Langley Township (71.71).
North Vancouver District’s CSI stayed below 47 every year from 2015 to 2025. Saanich, the largest municipality in the Victoria area, had a crime rate of 3,101 per 100,000 in 2025, less than a third of the rate recorded by the Victoria Police Department for the City of Victoria (10,455). For more on the Tri-Cities, see is Coquitlam safe?; for Burnaby, see the Burnaby crime map guide.
| Municipality (100,000+ people) | CSI 2025 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| North Vancouver District | 35.69 | 3,392 |
| Saanich | 39.95 | 3,101 |
| Coquitlam | 57.12 | 4,604 |
| Delta | 59.20 | 3,657 |
| Burnaby | 68.70 | 5,926 |
| Langley Township | 71.71 | 5,182 |
| Maple Ridge | 89.25 | 7,230 |
| Vancouver (city) | 89.28 | 5,978 |
| Abbotsford | 94.61 | 5,788 |
| Nanaimo | 113.61 | 10,438 |
| Kelowna | 115.98 | 10,141 |
| Kamloops | 134.03 | 11,777 |
| Chilliwack | 134.37 | 11,821 |
| Richmond | 151.82 | 5,733 |
| Victoria (city) | 161.18 | 10,455 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Tables 35-10-0063-01 and 35-10-0184-01; our calculation of population. Six of B.C.’s 15 municipalities with 100,000+ people had a CSI below the national 75.0 in 2025.
How do B.C. towns compare with the province and Canada?
B.C.’s provincial Crime Severity Index was 92.37 in 2025, above Canada’s 75.0, and its crime rate was 6,943 per 100,000 against 5,585 nationally (Statistics Canada). That makes B.C. one of the higher-crime provinces, as our crime rate by province guide shows, but the range inside B.C. is very wide.
- Below the national CSI: 23 of 60 police areas (our calculation).
- Below the B.C. CSI: 34 of 60.
- Below a CSI of 50: 11 of 60, all in the Victoria area, Metro Vancouver’s North Shore and Tri-Cities, the Okanagan (Coldstream, Summerland) or the Comox Valley.
- Median CSI of the 60 areas: about 83, between Nelson (82.60) and New Westminster (83.90), below the provincial figure.
- Highest CSI: several northern and interior communities, including Quesnel (253.71) and Williams Lake (220.36). Our guide to the most dangerous cities in B.C. covers that end of the table.
The comparison with Alberta is close: B.C.’s CSI (92.37) was slightly above Alberta’s (90.62) in 2025, as explained in Alberta vs B.C. crime.
Is crime going down in B.C. towns?
B.C.’s Crime Severity Index fell 2% in 2025, from 93.90 to 92.37, and 34 of the 60 police areas serving 10,000+ people recorded a lower CSI than in 2024 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data). The other 26 rose.
Among the 15 safest areas, the largest drops were in Summerland (-18%), Port Coquitlam (-12%) and Esquimalt (-9%). The largest increase was in Central Saanich (+37%), from a very low 29.44 to 40.21; in small towns a few serious incidents can move the index a lot, so one year is not a trend.
How was this ranking made?
This ranking uses Statistics Canada’s 2025 Crime Severity Index for every B.C. municipal police department and RCMP municipal detachment with 2025 data, limited to areas with about 10,000 residents or more. Population is our calculation: the number of incidents divided by the crime rate per 100,000.
- Police service, not metro area. Each figure covers one municipality. Census metropolitan area (CMA) figures, such as Victoria CMA (74.6), cover a whole region; our safest cities in B.C. guide compares those.
- Rural RCMP areas excluded. RCMP “provincial” detachments police unincorporated areas and are a different territory.
- First Nations police services and areas under 10,000 people are not ranked.
- Surrey excluded for 2025, because its figures are split between two police services during the transition.
- Reported crime only. In 2019 only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police (General Social Survey).
How do I check crime near an address in B.C.?
- Start with the town’s figures in the tables above and compare them with the provincial CSI of 92.37.
- Use the local police map where one exists, for example VPD GeoDASH in our Vancouver crime map guide, the Victoria crime map or the Richmond crime map.
- Follow our step-by-step guide to checking crime in your neighbourhood, or use the Canada crime map.
Moving to a smaller B.C. town?
Safety App Canada puts official crime data on a live map, plans walking routes that avoid high-risk areas and sends one-tap SOS alerts to the people you trust. Coming soon to Android and iPhone.
Safest towns in B.C. FAQ
What is the safest town in B.C.?
Oak Bay had the lowest Crime Severity Index of B.C.’s police areas serving 10,000+ people in 2025, at 25.90, and the lowest crime rate, at 2,502 incidents per 100,000.
What is the safest city in B.C.?
Among B.C. municipalities with more than 100,000 people, North Vancouver District had the lowest 2025 CSI (35.69), followed by Saanich (39.95). Among metro areas, Victoria is lowest at 74.6.
Which B.C. town has the lowest crime rate?
Oak Bay had the lowest crime rate of the 60 ranked areas in 2025, at 2,502 incidents per 100,000 people, followed by Central Saanich (2,843) and Coldstream (2,996).
Is North Vancouver safe?
The District of North Vancouver is one of the safest large municipalities in B.C., with a 2025 CSI of 35.69 (see is North Vancouver safe?). The City of North Vancouver, policed separately, recorded 79.47.
Is Saanich safer than Victoria?
Yes, on the official measures. Saanich’s 2025 CSI of 39.95 was about a quarter of the Victoria Police Department’s 161.18 for the City of Victoria (our calculation).
Related: Safest cities in B.C. · Most dangerous cities in B.C. · Safest towns in Alberta · Safest towns in Ontario · Safest cities in Canada · Crime rate in Canada by city · is BC safe? · is Prince George safe? · is Penticton safe? · is Vernon safe? · is Saanich safe? · is Langley safe?. In an emergency call 911.