Thunder Bay is the most dangerous city in Ontario by police-reported crime: its metro area had a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 114.1 in 2025, up 3%, and about twice Ontario’s provincial 57.2. Its crime rate rose 18% to 8,373 incidents per 100,000 people, the highest of Ontario’s 15 metro areas. Brantford (72.1), Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (66.8) and London (66.0) follow, a long way behind.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index by census metropolitan area (Table 35-10-0026-01), incidents by violation (Table 35-10-0177-01) and CSI for police services in Ontario (Table 35-10-0188-01). Figures are for the whole census metropolitan area unless stated. Ratios and percentages not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Which Ontario cities have the most crime?
Ontario has 15 census metropolitan areas (counting the Ontario part of Ottawa–Gatineau). The table ranks them by their 2025 Crime Severity Index, which weights each offence by seriousness.
| Rank | Metro area (CMA) | CSI 2025 | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100k | Rate change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder Bay | 114.1 | +3% | 8,373 | +18% |
| 2 | Brantford | 72.1 | +8% | 5,381 | +10% |
| 3 | Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo | 66.8 | -9% | 5,083 | -5% |
| 4 | London | 66.0 | +8% | 5,059 | +7% |
| 5 | Greater Sudbury | 64.9 | -2% | 4,706 | +3% |
| 6 | Belleville–Quinte West | 63.1 | -3% | 4,920 | -1% |
| 7 | Kingston | 61.5 | +1% | 5,005 | +2% |
| 8 | Guelph | 57.8 | +2% | 4,288 | +3% |
| 9 | Peterborough | 57.3 | -6% | 5,385 | +1% |
| 10 | Windsor | 55.4 | -12% | 4,203 | -10% |
| 11 | Toronto | 55.0 | -7% | 3,950 | -5% |
| 12 | Hamilton | 54.8 | -7% | 4,076 | -4% |
| 13 | St. Catharines–Niagara | 53.8 | -9% | 4,139 | -2% |
| 14 | Ottawa (Ont. part) | 50.6 | -6% | 4,212 | -2% |
| 15 | Barrie | 46.9 | -3% | 3,777 | -4% |
| – | Ontario (province) | 57.2 | -6% | 4,296 | -4% |
| – | Canada | 75.0 | -5% | 5,585 | -2% |
Thunder Bay is the only Ontario metro with a CSI above the national 75.0. It is also the fourth-highest metro area in Canada, behind Chilliwack, Kamloops and Red Deer. Every other Ontario metro sits below the national average.
Why does Thunder Bay rank so high?
Thunder Bay’s figures are high across several types of crime, and especially for violent crime. Its violent Crime Severity Index was 195.14 in 2025, about twice the national 97.19, although down from 210.83 in 2024.
- Homicide: 8 victims, a rate of 6.06 per 100,000, about 3.8 times the national 1.61.
- Robbery: 190.96 per 100,000, about 3.5 times the national 55.05 (down from 241.62).
- Serious assault (level 2, with a weapon or causing bodily harm): 443.3 per 100,000, about twice the national 214.19.
- Shoplifting: 2,725.74 per 100,000, up from 1,277.27 in 2024, more than double in a year.
The rise in shoplifting helps explain why the crime rate jumped 18% while violent severity eased. Thunder Bay’s CSI has climbed from 80.09 in 2015 to 114.13 in 2025, about 42% higher (our arithmetic). Thunder Bay is also a regional centre for a large part of northwestern Ontario, and, as with other smaller metros, its index can move sharply from one year to the next.
Is crime rising in other Ontario cities?
Five Ontario metros recorded a higher CSI in 2025: Brantford (+8%), London (+8%), Thunder Bay (+3%), Guelph (+2%) and Kingston (+1%). The other ten fell, led by Windsor (-12%) and Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo and St. Catharines–Niagara (both -9%).
A few details stand out:
- Brantford had a motor vehicle theft rate of 304.71 per 100,000, the fifth highest of any metro in Canada. Its CSI is still about 7% below its 2015 level of 77.66.
- London recorded drug violations at 347.62 per 100,000, up from 71.46 in 2024, and shoplifting at 1,032.28. London Police’s own CSI rose to 73.00 from 65.84.
- Greater Sudbury recorded 8 homicides (4.05 per 100,000, up from 1.02) and its shoplifting rate roughly doubled to 1,166.64, even as its overall CSI fell 2% and its violent crime rate fell from 1,484.44 to 1,176.75.
- Windsor‘s CSI of 55.39 is more than a third below its 2018 peak of 85.90.
How do Ontario police services compare?
Statistics Canada also publishes the CSI for individual police services, which follow municipal boundaries rather than metro areas. The large services in our data rank like this:
| Police service | CSI 2024 | CSI 2025 | Violent CSI 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Police | 65.84 | 73.00 | 88.82 |
| Windsor Police | 79.83 | 71.52 | 93.51 |
| Waterloo Region | 73.13 | 66.82 | – |
| Hamilton Police | 66.70 | 62.21 | 82.64 |
| Toronto Police (city) | 68.62 | 59.98 | 81.11 |
| Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton) | 57.01 | 59.41 | 76.90 |
| Niagara Region | 58.94 | 53.84 | – |
| Ottawa Police | 55.97 | 52.23 | 62.63 |
| York Region | 53.57 | 50.28 | 63.17 |
| Durham Region | 47.19 | 43.18 | 59.20 |
| Halton Region | 31.20 | 30.61 | 26.26 |
Two points matter here. First, the City of Toronto’s service (59.98) is higher than the Toronto CMA (55.0), which includes lower-crime suburbs. Its CSI fell 13% in 2025. Second, Peel Region’s CSI has risen every year since 2021, from 37.38 to 59.41 in 2025, and was 38.07 in 2020. A dash means the figure is not in our data.
Does “dangerous” mean unsafe to live or visit?
No. These figures describe crime reported to police, averaged over a whole metro area. Statistics Canada says the CSI is not a universal indicator of safety. In 2019 only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police, and reporting can vary from place to place.
Within any city, crime tends to concentrate around busy downtown, nightlife, shopping and transit areas. Police data counts incidents; it does not describe the people who live in an area, and it should not be used to label neighbourhoods or communities.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Ontario?
- Use the official police map or open data, for example Toronto Police (data.tps.ca), Ottawa Police (data.ottawapolice.ca), Hamilton Police (hamiltonpolice.on.ca) or Peel Police (peelpolice.ca).
- Check our Canada crime map for city-level figures as they are added.
- Compare two areas the same way: same period, same crime types, rates rather than totals.
- Read the limits. Map points are generalized and unreported crime is not shown.
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.
Most dangerous cities in Ontario FAQ
What is the most dangerous city in Ontario?
Thunder Bay, with a CSI of 114.1 and a crime rate of 8,373 per 100,000 in 2025. It is the only Ontario metro above the national CSI of 75.0.
Is Toronto dangerous compared with the rest of Ontario?
No. The Toronto CMA’s CSI of 55.0 is below Ontario’s 57.2 and ranks 11th of 15 Ontario metros. The City of Toronto’s police service recorded 59.98, down 13%.
Is London, Ontario getting more dangerous?
Its CSI rose 8% to 66.0 in 2025 after falling from 2021 to 2024. It remains below the national 75.0.
Which Ontario city has the highest crime rate?
Thunder Bay (8,373 per 100,000). Peterborough (5,385) and Brantford (5,381) are next.
What is the safest city in Ontario?
Barrie, with a CSI of 46.9, the lowest of any metro area in Canada. See safest cities in Ontario.
Related: is Thunder Bay safe?, is London, Ontario safe?, is Toronto safe?, most dangerous cities in Canada, safest places in the GTA, Toronto crime rate by neighbourhood. In an emergency call 911.
