Quebec City is one of the safest large cities in Canada. The Québec metro area’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 55.0 in 2025, well below the national 75.0, and its crime rate of 3,493 incidents per 100,000 people was about 37% below Canada’s 5,585. The index edged down 1% in 2025. It has risen since 2020, but from a very low base, and it remains among the ten lowest of Canada’s 41 metro areas.
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 Québec census metropolitan area (CMA), which includes Québec City, Lévis and surrounding municipalities. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Is Quebec City safe compared with other Canadian cities?
Yes. Its CSI of 55.0 tied with Toronto and placed it among the ten lowest metro areas in Canada in 2025. On the crime rate, the Québec CMA ranked fourth-lowest of 41 metros, behind only Saguenay (2,973), Sherbrooke (3,134) and Trois-Rivières (3,417) — all of them also in Quebec. The province as a whole has one of the lowest crime rates in Canada (3,673 per 100,000).
| Area (2025) | Crime Severity Index | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Québec CMA | 55.0 | -1% | 3,493 |
| Montréal CMA | 61.3 | -5% | 3,641 |
| Gatineau CMA (Que. part) | 60.6 | -2% | 3,700 |
| Sherbrooke CMA | 50.3 | -7% | 3,134 |
| Saguenay CMA | 49.3 | -13% | 2,973 |
| Quebec (province) | 61.6 | -5% | 3,673 |
| Canada | 75.0 | -5% | 5,585 |
Is crime in Quebec City going up or down?
It was almost flat in 2025 (down 1%), after several years of increases. The Québec CMA’s CSI was 41.72 in 2020, its lowest point in the decade, and rose each year to 55.54 in 2024 before dipping to 54.97 in 2025. Compared with 2015 (42.19), the index is about 30% higher (our arithmetic).
Crime Severity Index, Québec metro and Canada, 2015–2025
| Year | Québec CMA CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 42.19 | 70.39 |
| 2016 | 45.09 | 72.01 |
| 2017 | 48.18 | 73.60 |
| 2018 | 44.05 | 75.60 |
| 2019 | 43.66 | 79.72 |
| 2020 | 41.72 | 73.92 |
| 2021 | 42.77 | 74.87 |
| 2022 | 47.45 | 78.74 |
| 2023 | 53.82 | 81.27 |
| 2024 | 55.54 | 78.84 |
| 2025 | 54.97 | 75.01 |
Even after that rise, Quebec City’s index in 2025 was about 27% below the national figure (our arithmetic). In 2025 the violent CSI edged up from 79.86 to 81.02 (about +1%), while the non-violent CSI fell from 46.30 to 45.03 (about -3%).
What kinds of crime are most common in Quebec City?
The Québec CMA recorded 30,946 Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) in 2025. Comparing rates per 100,000 people with Canada:
- Violent crime: 1,312 per 100,000 (11,622 incidents), about 9% below the national 1,443.
- Homicide: 4 victims, a rate of 0.45, among the lowest of any large metro and well below Canada’s 1.61.
- Robbery: 20 per 100,000, about a third of the Canadian rate of 55.
- Break-ins: 205 per 100,000, below Canada’s 262.
- Vehicle theft: 83 per 100,000, down from 96 in 2024 (about -14%) and well under half the national 201.
- Shoplifting: 174 per 100,000, about a third of the national 502.
- Fraud: 432 per 100,000, about the same as Canada’s 426.
One feature stands out: violent incidents make up a larger share of Quebec City’s total (about 38%, against about 26% nationally, our arithmetic). That is not because violent crime is unusually high — its rate is below average — but because property crime is unusually low. Nationally, about half of police-reported violent crime is level 1 (common) assault or uttering threats (528 and 234 per 100,000 out of 1,443, our arithmetic), rather than the most serious offences.
Is Quebec City safe for tourists?
Quebec City is a major tourist destination, and its figures give little reason for concern. Robbery, car theft and shoplifting rates are all well below the Canadian averages, and the homicide count is very low. Ordinary precautions are enough: watch bags and phones in crowded spots such as festivals and the busiest streets of Old Québec, lock your car and keep valuables out of sight, and take care on icy streets in winter, which is a more likely hazard for visitors than crime.
Which parts of Quebec City record more crime?
We do not have official neighbourhood statistics and we do not rank neighbourhoods. As in other cities, reported incidents tend to cluster where footfall is highest — the downtown and tourist districts, nightlife streets, major shopping centres and transit hubs. More incidents in those areas mostly reflect more people.
How does the data handle a smaller metro area?
The Québec CMA is large enough that its numbers are fairly stable, but some categories are small: four homicides, for example, can easily become two or eight the following year. Look at several years of the CSI rather than one, and remember that police figures cover only reported crime. In Statistics Canada’s 2019 victimization survey, about 29% of victimizations were reported to police.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Quebec City?
- Check the local police service. Québec City is served by the Service de police de la Ville de Québec, and Lévis has its own police service. Check the relevant service’s website for crime maps, statistics or open data.
- Use our map. The Canada Crime Map brings official figures together by city.
- Compare two areas. Look at the address you are considering next to another part of the region, using the same period and crime types.
- Read the limits. Maps show reported incidents, usually at an approximate location. They describe events, not the people who live there.
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Quebec City crime FAQ
What is the crime rate in Quebec City?
In 2025 the Québec CMA recorded 3,493 police-reported Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) per 100,000 people, down 3% from 2024 and about 37% below the Canadian rate.
Is Quebec City safer than Montreal?
Yes, on 2025 figures. The Québec CMA’s CSI was 55.0 against Montréal’s 61.3, and its crime rate 3,493 against 3,641. Its homicide rate (0.45) was also lower than Montréal’s (1.12).
Is Quebec City one of the safest cities in Canada?
Yes. Its CSI tied with Toronto’s at 55.0, among the ten lowest of 41 metro areas, and its crime rate was the fourth-lowest.
Is crime rising in Quebec City?
The CSI rose from 41.72 in 2020 to 55.54 in 2024, then dipped slightly to 54.97 in 2025. It remains well below the national 75.01.
Is car theft a problem in Quebec City?
Not by national standards. The 2025 vehicle-theft rate was 83 per 100,000, down from 96, compared with 201 for Canada.
Related: Safest cities in Quebec · Is Montreal safe? · Is Gatineau safe? · Safest cities in Canada · Safety tips for tourists. Official source: Statistics Canada, The Daily. In an emergency call 911.
