Chilliwack, B.C. has the highest crime rate in Canada: its census metropolitan area recorded 11,455 police-reported Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about 2.1 times the national rate of 5,585, according to Statistics Canada. Kamloops (10,949) and Red Deer (10,592) follow. Among provinces, Saskatchewan has the highest rate (11,938); among all jurisdictions, Nunavut (57,617).
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), incidents and rates by census metropolitan area (Table 35-10-0177-01) and Crime Severity Index (Table 35-10-0026-01). Rankings, ratios and percentages that are not in the release are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 7 October 2026.
Key facts
- Chilliwack had Canada’s highest metro crime rate in 2025: 11,455 incidents per 100,000 people, up 3% (Statistics Canada, released 22 July 2026).
- Four of the five metro areas with the highest crime rates in 2025 were in British Columbia: Chilliwack, Kamloops, Nanaimo and Kelowna (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
- Canada’s crime rate was 5,585 per 100,000 in 2025, down 2% from 2024.
- Saguenay, Que. had the lowest metro crime rate, 2,973 per 100,000; Chilliwack’s rate was about 3.9 times higher (our calculation).
- Thunder Bay’s crime rate rose 18% in 2025, the largest increase among the 15 highest-rate metro areas.
- Saskatchewan had the highest provincial crime rate, 11,938 per 100,000, and Nunavut the highest of any province or territory, 57,617.
Which city has the highest crime rate in Canada?
Chilliwack is the Canadian city with the highest crime rate, at 11,455 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025 for the Chilliwack census metropolitan area (CMA). A census metropolitan area is Statistics Canada’s term for a city and its surrounding commuting region, so the figure covers the whole metro, not only the city centre.
The table ranks the 15 CMAs with the highest crime rates. We add each one’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) rank among all 41 CMAs, because the two measures do not always agree. Our full table of every metro is in crime rate in Canada by city.
| Rank by crime rate | Metro area (CMA) | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) | Change vs 2024 | Times the national rate | CSI 2025 (rank of 41) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chilliwack, B.C. | 11,455 | +3% | 2.05 | 134.3 (1) |
| 2 | Kamloops, B.C. | 10,949 | +3% | 1.96 | 126.2 (2) |
| 3 | Red Deer, Alta. | 10,592 | −1% | 1.90 | 114.4 (3) |
| 4 | Nanaimo, B.C. | 9,648 | +3% | 1.73 | 106.0 (7) |
| 5 | Kelowna, B.C. | 8,688 | −2% | 1.56 | 103.7 (9) |
| 6 | Thunder Bay, Ont. | 8,373 | +18% | 1.50 | 114.1 (4) |
| 7 | Lethbridge, Alta. | 8,335 | +8% | 1.49 | 107.7 (6) |
| 8 | Winnipeg, Man. | 7,899 | 0% | 1.41 | 113.4 (5) |
| 9 | Moncton, N.B. | 7,561 | +6% | 1.35 | 105.6 (8) |
| 10 | Saskatoon, Sask. | 7,532 | −5% | 1.35 | 98.9 (10) |
| 11 | Edmonton, Alta. | 7,463 | +2% | 1.34 | 95.6 (11) |
| 12 | Abbotsford–Mission, B.C. | 6,717 | +4% | 1.20 | 95.5 (12) |
| 13 | Regina, Sask. | 6,543 | −12% | 1.17 | 87.4 (13) |
| 14 | St. John’s, N.L. | 6,163 | −8% | 1.10 | 79.2 (16) |
| 15 | Halifax, N.S. | 6,094 | +2% | 1.09 | 68.6 (21) |
| – | Canada | 5,585 | −2% | 1.00 | 75.0 |
Crime rate = Criminal Code incidents excluding traffic, per 100,000 people. “Times the national rate” and CSI ranks are our calculation from Statistics Canada Tables 35-10-0177-01 and 35-10-0026-01.
Eighteen of Canada’s 41 metro areas had a crime rate above the national 5,585 in 2025 (our count), and the top 13 were all in Western Canada apart from Thunder Bay and Moncton.
What is the difference between crime rate and crime severity?
The crime rate counts every police-reported Criminal Code incident per 100,000 people, while the Crime Severity Index weights each incident by how serious it is, so a homicide counts far more than a shoplifting. A city with many minor thefts can have a high crime rate but a moderate CSI. Our Crime Severity Index explainer walks through the method.
The 2025 data show the gap clearly:
- Halifax ranks 15th of 41 by crime rate (6,094) but only 21st by CSI (68.6), below the national 75.0. Its shoplifting rate, 1,440 per 100,000, was almost three times the national 502.
- Nanaimo and Kelowna rank 4th and 5th by crime rate but 7th and 9th by CSI.
- Thunder Bay and Winnipeg work the other way: 6th and 8th by crime rate but 4th and 5th by CSI, because violent crime weighs heavily in their index.
For the ranking by severity, see most dangerous cities in Canada. Neither measure is a complete safety score, as Statistics Canada itself notes.
Why does British Columbia have so many high-crime-rate cities?
British Columbia had four of the five highest metro crime rates in Canada in 2025: Chilliwack (11,455), Kamloops (10,949), Nanaimo (9,648) and Kelowna (8,688). These are mid-sized metros where property crime, mischief and theft make up a large share of incidents. Kamloops, for example, recorded a mischief rate of 2,366 per 100,000, more than three times the national 739.
The province as a whole had a crime rate of 6,943, unchanged from 2024. Vancouver, the province’s largest metro, had a much lower rate of 5,672. Our most dangerous cities in BC ranking and Kamloops crime rate guide go deeper.
Which cities have the highest violent crime rate?
Chilliwack also had Canada’s highest metro violent crime rate in 2025, at 2,723 violent incidents per 100,000 people, about 1.9 times the national 1,443 (our calculation).
| Metro area (CMA) | Violent crime per 100,000 (2025) | Total crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Chilliwack | 2,723 | 11,455 |
| Thunder Bay | 2,249 | 8,373 |
| Kamloops | 2,224 | 10,949 |
| Red Deer | 2,154 | 10,592 |
| Lethbridge | 2,108 | 8,335 |
| Nanaimo | 2,100 | 9,648 |
| Canada | 1,443 | 5,585 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01.
Thunder Bay’s total rate jumped 18% in 2025 mainly because shoplifting more than doubled, from 1,277 to 2,726 per 100,000. Read more in our guide is Thunder Bay safe?
Which province has the highest crime rate?
Saskatchewan has the highest crime rate of any Canadian province, at 11,938 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 5% but more than twice the national 5,585. Manitoba (9,812) and Alberta (7,390) follow, and Quebec has the lowest (3,673).
The three territories are far higher: Nunavut 57,617, Northwest Territories 49,536 and Yukon 19,234. Small populations make these rates swing from year to year and hard to compare with the provinces; see crime in Yukon, NWT and Nunavut and the full crime rate by province table.
Saskatchewan’s provincial rate is higher than any single metro area’s, and higher than both Saskatoon (7,532) and Regina (6,543). That means the rest of the province, outside its two metros, has an even higher rate on average (our calculation), so high crime rates are not only an urban issue.
Which Canadian city has the lowest crime rate?
Saguenay, Que. has the lowest crime rate of Canada’s 41 metro areas, at 2,973 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 13%. Sherbrooke (3,134), Trois-Rivières (3,417), Québec (3,493) and Montréal (3,641) come next, so the five lowest-rate metros are all in Quebec. Barrie (3,777) has the lowest rate outside Quebec. See safest cities in Canada.
How can I check crime where I live?
- Start with the metro figures above to see how your area compares with the national 5,585.
- Open your local police map or open data portal for street-level incidents.
- Compare rates, not counts, and the same crime types over the same period.
- Use our Canada crime map to see official figures for every metro area side by side.
Want this on your phone?
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.
Highest crime rate in Canada FAQ
What city has the highest crime rate in Canada?
Chilliwack, B.C., with 11,455 police-reported incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about twice the national rate of 5,585.
Is the crime rate the same as the Crime Severity Index?
No. The crime rate counts all incidents equally; the Crime Severity Index weights them by seriousness. Chilliwack leads on both in 2025, with a CSI of 134.3.
What province has the highest crime rate in Canada?
Saskatchewan, at 11,938 incidents per 100,000 in 2025. Including the territories, Nunavut is highest at 57,617.
What is Canada’s crime rate in 2025?
Canada recorded 5,585 police-reported Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 2% from 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
Which large city has the highest crime rate?
Among Canada’s six largest metro areas, Edmonton had the highest crime rate in 2025, at 7,463 per 100,000, followed by Vancouver at 5,672.
Related: violent crime in Canada by city · Red Deer crime rate · Winnipeg crime rate · shoplifting in Canada · crime rate in Canada · Prince Albert crime rate. In an emergency call 911.
