British Columbia is safe for most residents, but it has more police-reported crime than the national average: BC’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 92.4 in 2025, down 2% from 2024 but about 23% above Canada’s 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. The gap comes mostly from property crime. BC’s violent crime severity (98.0) is almost the same as the national 97.2, and the province’s safest communities, such as Oak Bay and North Vancouver District, have some of the lowest crime severity in Canada.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Tables 35-10-0026-01, 35-10-0063-01 and 35-10-0184-01, checked on 26 October 2026. Comparisons, ratios and population estimates that are not in the release are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 26 October 2026.
Key facts
- British Columbia’s Crime Severity Index was 92.4 in 2025, down 2% from 93.9 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, released 22 July 2026).
- BC had the 3rd highest CSI of the 10 provinces, after Saskatchewan (146.6) and Manitoba (130.0) (our ranking from Statistics Canada data).
- BC’s crime rate was 6,943 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, unchanged from 2024 and about 24% above Canada’s 5,585.
- BC’s violent Crime Severity Index was 98.0, within 1% of the national 97.2; its non-violent index (90.9) was about 36% above Canada’s 66.8.
- Shoplifting in BC rose 12% to 733 incidents per 100,000, about 46% above the national rate (our calculation).
- BC recorded 103 homicide victims in 2025, a rate of 1.81 per 100,000 (Canada: 1.61).
Is BC dangerous compared with other provinces?
British Columbia is not the most dangerous province, but it ranks in the upper half: its 2025 Crime Severity Index of 92.4 was the 3rd highest of the 10 provinces and its crime rate of 6,943 per 100,000 was the 5th highest. Saskatchewan and Manitoba are far higher, and Alberta (90.6) is almost level with BC. Ontario and Quebec record much less police-reported crime per resident.
The Crime Severity Index is a Statistics Canada measure that weights each offence by its seriousness, with Canada in 2006 set at 100. The crime rate is the number of Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) per 100,000 people. Our Crime Severity Index explainer shows how the two differ.
| Province (2025) | Crime Severity Index | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | 146.6 | −5% | 11,938 |
| Manitoba | 130.0 | −9% | 9,812 |
| British Columbia | 92.4 | −2% | 6,943 |
| Alberta | 90.6 | −7% | 7,390 |
| New Brunswick | 90.4 | +6% | 6,200 |
| Quebec | 61.6 | −5% | 3,673 |
| Ontario | 57.2 | −6% | 4,296 |
| Canada | 75.0 | −5% | 5,585 |
BC’s crime severity is about 23% above the national level and about 62% above Ontario’s (our calculation). For a full two-province comparison, see Alberta vs BC crime, and for every province and territory, the crime rate by province guide.
Why is BC’s crime rate higher than the national average?
BC’s crime rate is higher than the national average mainly because of non-violent crime: in 2025 its non-violent Crime Severity Index was 90.9, about 36% above Canada’s 66.8, while its violent index (98.0) was almost the same as the national 97.2. Property crime, shoplifting and mischief drive the difference.
| Offence | BC rate per 100,000 (2025) | BC rate (2024) | Canada rate (2025) | BC vs Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 6,943 | 6,920 | 5,585 | +24% |
| Violent crime | 1,531 | 1,520 | 1,443 | +6% |
| Property crime | 3,839 | 3,844 | 3,141 | +22% |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 733 | 652 | 502 | +46% |
| Breaking and entering | 280 | 291 | 262 | +7% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 138 | 156 | 201 | −31% |
| Homicide (victims) | 1.81 | 1.66 | 1.61 | +12% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01 (British Columbia) and the 2025 release for Canada. The last column is our calculation.
- Car theft is low. BC’s motor vehicle theft rate of 138 per 100,000 fell 12% and is about 31% below the national rate, and about 57% below Alberta’s 317. See car theft in Canada.
- Shoplifting is high. 41,764 incidents in 2025, up from 36,988. More on the national trend in shoplifting in Canada.
- Break-ins are near average at 280 per 100,000 (down 4%), well below Alberta’s 410.
BC’s weighted clearance rate, the severity-weighted share of crimes solved by police, was 23.01 in 2025, well below Canada’s 36.64 (Statistics Canada). See how many crimes are solved in Canada.
Is crime in BC going up or down?
Crime severity in British Columbia is going down: BC’s Crime Severity Index fell from 104.6 in 2023 to 92.4 in 2025, a drop of about 12%, and the 2025 value is the lowest since 2018 (88.7), according to Statistics Canada. Over ten years the picture is flat, because the 2015 value was 92.7.
| Year | BC Crime Severity Index | BC violent CSI | BC non-violent CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 92.7 | 81.6 | 96.5 | 70.4 |
| 2017 | 87.1 | 74.4 | 91.4 | 73.6 |
| 2019 | 104.0 | 91.5 | 108.2 | 79.7 |
| 2021 | 96.4 | 95.4 | 97.7 | 74.9 |
| 2023 | 104.6 | 97.7 | 108.2 | 81.3 |
| 2024 | 93.9 | 95.9 | 93.9 | 78.8 |
| 2025 | 92.4 | 98.0 | 90.9 | 75.0 |
The two parts of the index moved in opposite directions. BC’s violent CSI rose about 20% between 2015 and 2025 (81.6 to 98.0), while the non-violent CSI fell about 6% (96.5 to 90.9) (our calculation from Table 35-10-0063-01).
What are the safest places to live in BC?
The safest places to live in BC on the official measure are suburban police areas around Victoria and Vancouver: Oak Bay had a Crime Severity Index of 25.9 in 2025, North Vancouver District 35.7, Comox 36.8, Saanich 40.0 and Port Moody 43.3, all far below the provincial 92.4 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01).
| Area (2025) | Type | Crime Severity Index |
|---|---|---|
| Oak Bay | municipal police | 25.9 |
| North Vancouver District | RCMP, municipal | 35.7 |
| Comox | RCMP, municipal | 36.8 |
| Saanich | municipal police | 40.0 |
| Port Moody | municipal police | 43.3 |
| Coquitlam | RCMP, municipal | 57.1 |
| Victoria (CMA) | metro area | 74.6 |
| Vancouver (CMA) | metro area | 83.5 |
| British Columbia | province | 92.4 |
Our full ranking of 60 communities is in safest towns in BC, and the metro-level view is in safest cities in BC.
Which parts of BC have the most crime?
The highest crime severity in BC is in some smaller interior and northern cities: in 2025 the RCMP municipal areas of Quesnel (253.7), Williams Lake (220.4), Dawson Creek (215.2) and Prince George (193.8) had Crime Severity Index values more than twice the provincial 92.4 (Statistics Canada). Among the 41 metropolitan areas in Canada, Chilliwack (134.3) and Kamloops (126.2) had the two highest values.
| BC metro area (CMA) | Crime Severity Index 2025 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Chilliwack | 134.3 | 11,455 |
| Kamloops | 126.2 | 10,949 |
| Nanaimo | 106.0 | 9,648 |
| Kelowna | 103.7 | 8,688 |
| Abbotsford–Mission | 95.5 | 6,717 |
| Vancouver | 83.5 | 5,672 |
| Victoria | 74.6 | 5,588 |
The central cores of large cities also score higher than their metro areas: the Victoria Police service area had a CSI of 161.2 and Richmond RCMP 151.8, compared with 74.6 for the Victoria CMA and 83.5 for the Vancouver CMA. These areas draw many commuters, shoppers and visitors, so per-resident figures overstate the risk for people who live there. See most dangerous cities in BC and is Prince George safe?
Is Vancouver safe compared with the rest of BC?
Vancouver is safer than BC as a whole on the official measures: the Vancouver CMA’s 2025 Crime Severity Index of 83.5 was about 10% below the provincial 92.4, and its crime rate of 5,672 per 100,000 was about 18% below BC’s 6,943 (our calculation). The Vancouver metro area has about 54% of BC’s population but recorded about 44% of the province’s Criminal Code incidents. Read is Vancouver safe? and our Vancouver crime map guide.
Is BC a safe place to move to?
BC is a reasonable place to move for most people, provided you compare specific communities rather than the province as a whole: crime severity in BC ranges from 25.9 in Oak Bay to more than 190 in some northern cities. The main risks for residents are property crimes such as theft, shoplifting and mischief; violent crime is close to the national level.
- Compare the community, not the province. Use our Canada crime map and the city guides for Victoria and Kelowna.
- Check the local police map. Vancouver Police publish GeoDASH; many RCMP detachments and cities publish their own maps or reports.
- Look at property crime. Ask about bike storage, parking and building security; property crime is where BC differs most from the national average.
- Visit at different times. Downtown cores and transit hubs record more incidents than residential streets.
If you are deciding between the two western provinces, our is Alberta safe? guide uses the same approach.
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BC crime FAQ
Is BC dangerous?
No, but BC has more police-reported crime than the national average. Its 2025 Crime Severity Index was 92.4, compared with 75.0 for Canada, and most of the difference is property crime.
What is the crime rate in BC?
British Columbia recorded 395,594 Criminal Code incidents in 2025, a rate of 6,943 per 100,000 people, unchanged from 2024 and about 24% above Canada’s 5,585.
Is BC safer than Alberta?
The two are close. In 2025 BC’s Crime Severity Index (92.4) was slightly higher than Alberta’s (90.6), but Alberta’s crime rate (7,390) was higher than BC’s (6,943).
What is the safest city in BC?
Among metro areas, Victoria had the lowest Crime Severity Index in BC in 2025 (74.6). Among municipal police service areas with 10,000 or more residents, Oak Bay was lowest at 25.9.
How many homicides were there in BC in 2025?
British Columbia recorded 103 homicide victims in 2025, a rate of 1.81 per 100,000, up from 94 victims (1.66) in 2024.
Related: most dangerous cities in BC · safest cities in BC · Alberta vs BC crime · crime rate in Canada by city · is Nanaimo safe? · how to check crime in your neighbourhood. In an emergency call 911.