Kelowna records more crime than the average Canadian city, but the trend is improving. The Kelowna metro area’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 103.7 in 2025, about 38% above the national 75.0, and it has fallen for three years in a row. Its crime rate was 8,688 incidents per 100,000 people, down 2% but still about 56% above Canada’s 5,585. Most of the gap is property crime and theft rather than serious violence: Kelowna’s homicide rate is close to the national average.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index and incident-based crime tables. Figures are for the Kelowna census metropolitan area (CMA) unless stated; the Kelowna RCMP municipal figure covers the city’s own policing jurisdiction. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Is Kelowna safe compared with other Canadian cities?
Kelowna is in the upper part of the national table. Its CSI of 103.7 ranked 9th highest of Canada’s 41 metro areas in 2025, and its crime rate ranked 5th highest. It is, however, below several other interior and western BC metros: Kamloops (126.2), Chilliwack (134.3) and Nanaimo (106.0).
| Area (2025) | Crime Severity Index | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelowna CMA | 103.7 | -4% | 8,688 |
| Kamloops CMA | 126.2 | -4% | 10,949 |
| Chilliwack CMA | 134.3 | -4% | 11,455 |
| Nanaimo CMA | 106.0 | -1% | 9,648 |
| Vancouver CMA | 83.5 | +1% | 5,672 |
| Victoria CMA | 74.6 | +5% | 5,588 |
| British Columbia | 92.4 | -2% | 6,943 |
| Canada | 75.0 | -5% | 5,585 |
Several smaller BC metros have higher rates than Vancouver or Victoria, and British Columbia as a whole has a CSI of 92.4, well above Ontario (57.2) and Quebec (61.6).
Is crime in Kelowna going up or down?
Down since 2022. Kelowna’s CSI jumped from 100.37 in 2018 to 120.17 in 2019 and peaked at 126.03 in 2022. It has since fallen to 103.68, about 18% below that peak (our arithmetic), though still higher than its 2015 level of 98.60.
Crime Severity Index, Kelowna metro and Canada, 2015–2025
| Year | Kelowna CMA CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 98.60 | 70.39 |
| 2016 | 98.47 | 72.01 |
| 2017 | 95.05 | 73.60 |
| 2018 | 100.37 | 75.60 |
| 2019 | 120.17 | 79.72 |
| 2020 | 114.14 | 73.92 |
| 2021 | 121.25 | 74.87 |
| 2022 | 126.03 | 78.74 |
| 2023 | 119.56 | 81.27 |
| 2024 | 107.49 | 78.84 |
| 2025 | 103.68 | 75.01 |
What does the Kelowna RCMP figure show?
The Kelowna RCMP municipal jurisdiction covers the City of Kelowna itself rather than the whole metro area, which also includes West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland and rural areas. Its CSI was 115.98 in 2025, down from 121.50 in 2024 (about -5%) and from a peak of 148.61 in 2022 (about -22% since then, our arithmetic).
The city figure is higher than the CMA figure because the city holds most of the region’s shops, nightlife, workplaces and visitors, while the rate is divided by residents only. Both measures have improved for three consecutive years.
What kinds of crime are most common in Kelowna?
Comparing Kelowna CMA’s 2025 rates per 100,000 people with Canada’s:
- Violent crime: 1,872 per 100,000 (4,739 incidents), about 30% above the national 1,443.
- Homicide: 4 victims, a rate of 1.58, almost exactly the national 1.61.
- Break-ins: 401 per 100,000 (1,016 incidents), down from 452 in 2024 (about -11%) but still about 1.5 times Canada’s 262.
- Vehicle theft: 184 per 100,000, down from 243 (about -24%) and now below Canada’s 201.
- Shoplifting: 952 per 100,000, almost double the national 502.
The practical message: theft and break-ins are the crimes most likely to affect residents. Secure homes, garages, sheds and vehicles, and don’t leave bikes or gear unlocked.
Why do small metros like Kelowna show bigger swings?
Kelowna’s population is a fraction of Vancouver’s, so a few dozen extra incidents — a run of break-ins, or one prolific offender — can move its rates noticeably. Four homicides in a year is a small count, and the rate can change a lot from one year to the next without any real change in risk. Kelowna also draws many visitors in summer, and crime involving visitors counts against a resident-only population. Statistics Canada itself warns that the CSI is not a universal measure of safety and that smaller areas fluctuate more.
Which parts of Kelowna record more crime?
We have no official neighbourhood figures and do not rank neighbourhoods. As in other cities, reported incidents tend to cluster where people and businesses are concentrated: downtown, the waterfront and nightlife areas, major shopping corridors and transit hubs. Higher counts there mostly reflect footfall.
Is Kelowna safe to live in or visit?
Most people live in and visit Kelowna without being affected by crime, and serious violence is no more common than the national average by homicide rate. But property crime is clearly above average, so practical prevention matters more here than in, say, Victoria or most Ontario cities. Lock cars and remove valuables, use secure bike storage, keep garages closed, and choose busy, well-lit routes at night. Remember that police figures cover only reported crime; in Statistics Canada’s 2019 survey about 29% of victimizations were reported.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Kelowna?
- Check the local police service. Kelowna is policed by the RCMP. Check the Kelowna RCMP detachment’s or the City of Kelowna’s website for any crime map, statistics or open data they publish.
- Use our map. The Canada Crime Map brings official figures together by city.
- Compare two areas. Look at the address you are considering alongside another part of the region, using the same period and crime types.
- Read the limits. Maps show reported incidents placed at an approximate location. They describe events, not the people who live there.
Want this on your phone?
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Kelowna crime FAQ
What is the crime rate in Kelowna?
In 2025 the Kelowna CMA recorded 21,990 police-reported Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic), a rate of 8,688 per 100,000 people, down 2% from 2024.
Is Kelowna one of the most dangerous cities in Canada?
Its CSI of 103.7 ranked 9th highest of 41 metro areas in 2025, so it is in the higher group. But its homicide rate (1.58) is close to the national average, and its index has fallen three years running.
Is Kelowna safer than Kamloops?
On 2025 figures, yes. Kelowna’s CSI was 103.7 against Kamloops’ 126.2, and its crime rate 8,688 against 10,949.
Is car theft common in Kelowna?
Less than it was. The vehicle-theft rate fell from 243 to 184 per 100,000 in 2025, below the national 201. Break-ins remain above average at 401 per 100,000.
Is crime in Kelowna getting better?
Yes. The CMA’s CSI fell from 126.03 in 2022 to 103.68 in 2025, and the Kelowna RCMP municipal CSI fell from 148.61 to 115.98 over the same period.
Related: Most dangerous cities in BC · Safest cities in BC · Is Kamloops safe? · Is Victoria safe? · Break-ins in Canada · Home security tips. Official source: Statistics Canada, The Daily. In an emergency call 911.
