Yes, by Canadian standards Toronto is one of the safer big cities: the Toronto metro area’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 55.0 in 2025, down 7% on 2024 and about 27% below the national figure of 75.0. Its police-reported crime rate was 3,950 incidents per 100,000 people, down 5% and roughly 29% below Canada’s 5,585. Within the City of Toronto itself, the Toronto Police Service recorded a higher CSI of 60.0, but that also fell sharply, by 13%.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index and incident-based crime tables, including CSI for police services in Ontario. Figures are for the Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA) unless stated as Toronto Police Service. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
The figures below are for calendar year 2025, the latest full year Statistics Canada has published. This page is the 2026 edition of our Toronto guide.
Is Toronto safe compared with other Canadian cities?
On the two headline measures, the Toronto CMA sits in the lower part of Canada’s 41 metropolitan areas. Its CSI of 55.0 is among the ten lowest in the country, and it is lower than the national average, Ontario as a whole and every other large metro except Ottawa.
| Area (2025) | Crime Severity Index | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 | Rate change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto (CMA) | 55.0 | −7% | 3,950 | −5% |
| Montréal (CMA) | 61.3 | −5% | 3,641 | −5% |
| Vancouver (CMA) | 83.5 | +1% | 5,672 | +3% |
| Calgary (CMA) | 61.7 | −3% | 5,038 | +5% |
| Edmonton (CMA) | 95.6 | −7% | 7,463 | +2% |
| Ottawa (Ontario part of Ottawa–Gatineau) | 50.6 | −6% | 4,212 | −2% |
| Ontario (province) | 57.2 | −6% | 4,296 | −4% |
| Canada (all police services) | 75.0 | −5% | 5,585 | −2% |
Two measures are worth keeping apart. The crime rate counts every Criminal Code incident (excluding traffic) per 100,000 people, so a stolen bike counts the same as a robbery. The Crime Severity Index weights each offence by how serious it is, so violent crime moves it more. Montréal has a slightly lower crime rate than Toronto (3,641 vs 3,950), but Toronto has the lower CSI. Our guide to the Crime Severity Index explains the method.
Toronto Police vs the Toronto CMA: why are there two numbers?
You will see two different Toronto figures, and both are correct:
- Toronto CMA (55.0) covers the whole metropolitan area: the City of Toronto plus surrounding municipalities such as Mississauga and Brampton, which are policed by other services.
- Toronto Police Service (60.0) covers only the City of Toronto, the dense urban core where many people commute, shop and go out.
It is normal for a central city to score higher than its wider metro area: dense downtown districts draw commuters, shoppers and visitors, but rates are calculated per resident. Both Toronto numbers fell in 2025.
| Police service (2025) | CSI 2020 | CSI 2024 | CSI 2025 | Violent CSI 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Police (City of Toronto) | 58.55 | 68.62 | 59.98 | 81.11 |
| Peel Regional Police (Mississauga, Brampton) | 38.07 | 57.01 | 59.41 | 76.90 |
| York Regional Police | 38.51 | 53.57 | 50.28 | 63.17 |
| Durham Regional Police | 40.85 | 47.19 | 43.18 | 59.20 |
| Halton Regional Police (Oakville, Burlington) | 22.76 | 31.20 | 30.61 | 26.26 |
Source: Statistics Canada, CSI for police services in Ontario. Police service areas do not match CMA boundaries exactly.
Toronto Police’s violent CSI dropped from 99.83 in 2024 to 81.11 in 2025, a fall of about 19% by our arithmetic. Peel, by contrast, has risen five years in a row and is now almost level with the City of Toronto. For a full comparison of the suburbs see safest places to live in the GTA.
Is crime in Toronto going up or down?
Down in 2025, after several years of increases. The Toronto CMA’s CSI climbed from a pandemic low of 45.9 in 2021 to 59.4 in 2024, the highest point in the past decade, then fell to 55.0. That is still about 19% above 2015, so the 2025 drop has reversed only part of the earlier rise.
| Year | Toronto CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 46.2 | 70.4 |
| 2016 | 48.0 | 72.0 |
| 2017 | 50.0 | 73.6 |
| 2018 | 53.9 | 75.6 |
| 2019 | 54.5 | 79.7 |
| 2020 | 46.7 | 73.9 |
| 2021 | 45.9 | 74.9 |
| 2022 | 52.8 | 78.7 |
| 2023 | 59.1 | 81.3 |
| 2024 | 59.4 | 78.8 |
| 2025 | 55.0 | 75.0 |
The violent CSI for the metro area fell from 82.95 to 71.57 (about 14% lower), while the non-violent CSI eased from 50.53 to 48.82. Toronto Police’s own CSI is down 13% from 2024 and is back close to its 2020 level.
What kind of crime is most common in Toronto?
Property crime makes up most incidents, as it does everywhere in Canada. The Toronto CMA recorded 180,184 property incidents and 69,297 violent incidents in 2025.
| Offence | Toronto rate 2025 | Toronto rate 2024 | Canada rate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 3,950 | 4,177 | 5,585 |
| Violent crime | 987 | 1,018 | 1,443 |
| Homicide | 0.91 | 1.90 | 1.61 |
| Robbery | 60 | 73 | 55 |
| Breaking and entering | 169 | 184 | 262 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 238 | 325 | 201 |
| Other theft ($5,000 or under) | 755 | 896 | 534 |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 386 | 328 | 502 |
| Fraud | 417 | n/a | 426 |
Rates are incidents per 100,000 people (homicide: victims per 100,000), Toronto census metropolitan area. n/a = 2024 rate not available in our data set.
A few points stand out:
- Homicide halved. There were 64 homicide victims in the Toronto CMA, a rate of 0.91 per 100,000, down from 1.90 in 2024 and well below the national 1.61.
- Car theft fell sharply but is still above average. 16,711 vehicles were reported stolen, a rate of 238 per 100,000, down 27% from 325. The national rate is 201. See car theft in Canada.
- Break-ins are low. At 169 per 100,000, the breaking-and-entering rate is well under the national 262.
- Shoplifting rose. It went from 328 to 386 per 100,000 (up about 18%), in line with a national trend, though still below Canada’s 502.
- Theft of $5,000 or under is above average at 755 per 100,000 against 534 nationally, although it fell about 16% in the year.
Which parts of Toronto record more crime?
Statistics Canada does not publish neighbourhood figures, and we do not rank neighbourhoods. As in most large cities, police-reported incidents tend to concentrate where the most people are: the downtown core, nightlife and entertainment streets, major shopping centres and transit hubs. High counts in those places largely reflect the number of people passing through, not the risk to someone who lives nearby.
For street-level detail, use the official Toronto Police data described below rather than lists of “worst neighbourhoods”, which are often built on raw counts with no adjustment for population or visitors.
Is Toronto safe to live in, visit and walk around at night?
For most residents and visitors, yes. The overall risk of being a victim of serious violence is low, and Toronto’s homicide rate is below the national average. The more common risks are property-related: vehicle theft, thefts from cars and shops, and fraud (417 per 100,000, close to the national 426).
Sensible habits help: stay on busy, well-lit streets at night, keep phones and bags out of sight on transit, and park in a garage or well-lit area where possible. Our walking home at night tips cover the basics.
How reliable are these Toronto crime figures?
- They count reported incidents, not people. Nationally, only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police in 2019, so real crime is higher than recorded crime, and some offences, such as sexual assault, are reported far less often than others.
- Policing affects the numbers. Enforcement campaigns can raise recorded crime for some offences even when actual crime is unchanged.
- Clearance is below average. The Toronto CMA’s weighted clearance rate (share of crime solved) was 33.73 against 36.64 nationally.
- Statistics Canada cautions that the CSI is not a universal indicator of safety. Read the official 2025 release for the national picture.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Toronto?
- Use the official Toronto Police open data. The Toronto Police Service public safety data portal has maps and downloadable incident data by area and offence type.
- Look at our map. The Canada Crime Map brings official figures together by city, and our Toronto crime map guide explains how to read the police map.
- Compare two areas, not one. Check the address you are considering against another area you know, using the same offence types and the same time period.
- Read the limits. Points on a map are often offset to protect privacy, and busy commercial streets always show more incidents. Visit at different times of day before deciding.
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.
Toronto crime FAQ
What is Toronto’s crime rate?
In 2025 the Toronto CMA recorded 277,388 Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic), a rate of 3,950 per 100,000 people. That is down 5% on 2024 and about 29% below the national rate of 5,585.
Is Toronto more dangerous than Montréal or Vancouver?
Not on the CSI. Toronto’s 55.0 is below Montréal’s 61.3 and Vancouver’s 83.5. Montréal has a slightly lower crime rate (3,641), while Vancouver’s is higher (5,672).
Is crime in Toronto getting worse?
It improved in 2025. The metro CSI fell 7% and Toronto Police’s CSI fell 13%. Over ten years, however, the metro CSI is still about 19% higher than in 2015.
How many homicides were there in Toronto in 2025?
The Toronto CMA recorded 64 homicide victims in 2025, a rate of 0.91 per 100,000, down from 1.90 in 2024.
Is car theft still a problem in Toronto?
It is improving but still above average: 16,711 vehicles were stolen in 2025, a rate of 238 per 100,000, down 27% on 2024 but higher than the national 201.
Related: safest big cities in Canada · safest places to live in the GTA · is Mississauga safe? · crime rate by city · Toronto crime map. In an emergency call 911.