Ottawa Police recorded 51,146 criminal offences in 2025, and about one in three (32.7%) were in just two downtown wards, Rideau-Vanier and Somerset. Rural and suburban wards such as West Carleton-March (327 offences), Osgoode and Rideau-Jock recorded the fewest, and 13 of Ottawa’s 24 wards saw fewer offences than in 2024, according to Ottawa Police Service open data.
Data: Ottawa Police Service, Criminal Offences Open Data (calendar year 2025, data set last updated 30 June 2026), counted by us on 7 October 2026; Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026). Shares and percentage changes are our calculation from Ottawa Police Service data. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ottawa Police Service. Updated 7 October 2026.
This guide breaks down crime in Ottawa by ward, neighbourhood and offence type for 2025, the latest full year in the police open data. For the city-wide picture, see is Ottawa safe?; for live maps, see our Ottawa crime map guide.
Key facts
- The Ottawa Police Service recorded 51,146 criminal offences in 2025, about 1.1% more than the 50,588 recorded in 2024 (Ottawa Police Service open data, our calculation).
- Rideau-Vanier (8,693) and Somerset (8,015) together accounted for 32.7% of all offences in 2025 (our calculation).
- West Carleton-March recorded 327 offences in 2025, the fewest of Ottawa’s 24 wards and 0.6% of the city total.
- 13 of 24 wards recorded fewer offences in 2025 than in 2024; the largest drop was Barrhaven East (−15.5%).
- Motor vehicle theft fell 13.8% (1,668 to 1,437) and break and enter fell 9.8% (2,600 to 2,346) in 2025.
- The Ottawa census metropolitan area (CMA) had a Crime Severity Index of 50.6 in 2025, the fourth-lowest of 41 Canadian metros (Statistics Canada, 22 July 2026).
What does “crime by neighbourhood” mean in Ottawa data?
Ottawa crime by neighbourhood is a count of offences reported to the Ottawa Police Service, grouped by the ward, neighbourhood and police division where each offence occurred. The open data set lists each offence with its year, offence category, ward and neighbourhood, and locations are generalised to the nearest intersection to protect privacy.
An offence count is the number of records, not a rate. A ward with more residents, more shops or a busy nightlife area will usually record more offences, so counts show where police activity is concentrated, not how likely any one resident is to be a victim. The Ottawa Police data set does not include population figures, so this guide does not calculate per-person rates by ward. Ottawa’s 24 wards are electoral areas; neighbourhood names follow the police data set.
Which Ottawa wards have the most and least crime?
Rideau-Vanier recorded the most offences of any Ottawa ward in 2025 (8,693), followed by Somerset (8,015), while West Carleton-March recorded the fewest (327). Both downtown wards contain the city core, including Centretown, the ByWard Market and Lowertown, where shopping, nightlife, government offices and visitors are concentrated.
| Ward | Offences 2024 | Offences 2025 | Change 2024–2025 | Share of city total 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward 5 – West Carleton-March | 351 | 327 | −6.8% | 0.6% |
| Ward 20 – Osgoode | 561 | 578 | +3.0% | 1.1% |
| Ward 21 – Rideau-Jock | 557 | 622 | +11.7% | 1.2% |
| Ward 22 – Riverside South-Findlay Creek | 735 | 682 | −7.2% | 1.3% |
| Ward 24 – Barrhaven East | 824 | 696 | −15.5% | 1.4% |
| Ward 2 – Orléans West-Innes | 890 | 845 | −5.1% | 1.7% |
| Ward 1 – Orléans East-Cumberland | 937 | 859 | −8.3% | 1.7% |
| Ward 6 – Stittsville | 944 | 889 | −5.8% | 1.7% |
| Ward 4 – Kanata North | 1,154 | 1,054 | −8.7% | 2.1% |
| Ward 23 – Kanata South | 1,373 | 1,222 | −11.0% | 2.4% |
| Ward 19 – Orléans South-Navan | 1,668 | 1,519 | −8.9% | 3.0% |
| Ward 3 – Barrhaven West | 1,652 | 1,633 | −1.2% | 3.2% |
| Ward 9 – Knoxdale-Merivale | 1,517 | 1,655 | +9.1% | 3.2% |
| Ward 16 – River | 1,970 | 1,800 | −8.6% | 3.5% |
| Ward 18 – Alta Vista | 2,333 | 2,298 | −1.5% | 4.5% |
| Ward 11 – Beacon Hill-Cyrville | 2,371 | 2,326 | −1.9% | 4.5% |
| Ward 13 – Rideau-Rockcliffe | 2,113 | 2,329 | +10.2% | 4.6% |
| Ward 8 – College | 2,404 | 2,408 | +0.2% | 4.7% |
| Ward 10 – Gloucester-Southgate | 2,209 | 2,481 | +12.3% | 4.9% |
| Ward 7 – Bay | 2,544 | 2,637 | +3.7% | 5.2% |
| Ward 15 – Kitchissippi | 2,702 | 2,766 | +2.4% | 5.4% |
| Ward 17 – Capital | 2,689 | 2,805 | +4.3% | 5.5% |
| Ward 14 – Somerset | 7,673 | 8,015 | +4.5% | 15.7% |
| Ward 12 – Rideau-Vanier | 8,410 | 8,693 | +3.4% | 17.0% |
Source: Ottawa Police Service, Criminal Offences Open Data, 2024 and 2025; changes and shares are our calculation. Seven records per year have no valid ward. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ottawa Police Service.
The ten wards with the fewest offences in 2025 are all suburban or rural wards on the edges of the city, and seven of them recorded fewer offences than in 2024. Rural wards cover large areas with relatively few residents, which is part of the reason their counts are low.
Where is crime concentrated in Ottawa?
Crime in Ottawa is concentrated in the downtown core: the Centretown (7,109), ByWard Market (3,232) and Lowertown (2,439) neighbourhoods together accounted for 12,780 offences, or 25.0% of the city total in 2025 (our calculation from Ottawa Police Service data). This pattern is common in Canadian cities, because downtowns have the most stores, bars, transit stations and daily visitors, and shoplifting and other theft are recorded where they happen, not where the offender or victim lives.
By police division, Central Division recorded 23,729 offences in 2025 (46.4% of the total), East Division 13,940 and West Division 13,466. You can see the same pattern in our Toronto crime rate by neighbourhood guide, where the downtown core also records the highest counts.
Which Ottawa neighbourhoods saw the biggest drops in crime?
Kanata Lakes – Marchwood Lakeside – Morgan’s Grant – Kanata North Business Park recorded the largest decline among larger Ottawa neighbourhoods in 2025, with offences down 22.6% from 780 to 604. Of the 39 neighbourhoods with at least 300 offences in 2024, 19 recorded fewer in 2025.
| Neighbourhood (police data set name) | Offences 2024 | Offences 2025 | Change 2024–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanata Lakes – Marchwood Lakeside – Morgan’s Grant – Kanata North Business Park | 780 | 604 | −22.6% |
| Bridlewood – Emerald Meadows | 328 | 255 | −22.3% |
| Carlingwood West – Glabar Park – McKellar Heights | 462 | 385 | −16.7% |
| Sandy Hill – Ottawa East | 1,037 | 900 | −13.2% |
| Orléans Avalon – Notting Gate – Fallingbrook – Gardenway South | 1,477 | 1,295 | −12.3% |
| Riverside South – Leitrim | 695 | 612 | −11.9% |
| Vanier South | 761 | 672 | −11.7% |
| Carlington | 638 | 576 | −9.7% |
| Lowertown | 2,685 | 2,439 | −9.2% |
| Civic Hospital – Central Park | 497 | 452 | −9.1% |
Source: Ottawa Police Service, Criminal Offences Open Data; neighbourhoods with at least 300 offences in 2024; changes are our calculation. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ottawa Police Service.
Year-to-year changes in a single neighbourhood can be driven by a small number of repeat incidents, so a one-year drop is a positive sign rather than proof of a lasting trend.
What are the most common crimes in Ottawa?
Theft of $5,000 and under was the most common offence in Ottawa in 2025, with 20,741 records or 40.6% of all offences, according to Ottawa Police Service open data. Fraud (6,860) and assaults (4,678) were next. Shoplifting is part of the theft category; across Canada, shoplifting rose 11% in 2025.
| Offence category | Offences 2024 | Offences 2025 | Change 2024–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft $5,000 and under | 20,016 | 20,741 | +3.6% |
| Fraud | 7,452 | 6,860 | −7.9% |
| Assaults | 4,484 | 4,678 | +4.3% |
| Mischief | 3,418 | 3,367 | −1.5% |
| Other violations involving violence or threats | 2,729 | 2,976 | +9.1% |
| Break and enter | 2,600 | 2,346 | −9.8% |
| Theft of motor vehicle | 1,668 | 1,437 | −13.8% |
| Sexual violations | 920 | 835 | −9.2% |
| All criminal offences (Ottawa) | 50,588 | 51,146 | +1.1% |
Source: Ottawa Police Service, Criminal Offences Open Data; selected categories; changes are our calculation.
Property crimes that worry homeowners most fell in 2025: car theft dropped 13.8% and break-ins 9.8%. Our guide on car theft in Canada compares these trends nationally.
Is Ottawa safe compared with other Canadian cities?
Ottawa is one of the safest large metros in Canada: the Ottawa CMA (Ontario part) had a Crime Severity Index of 50.6 in 2025, down 6%, and the lowest of Canada’s six largest metros, according to Statistics Canada. Its crime rate was 4,212 incidents per 100,000 people, about 25% below the national 5,585 (our calculation).
The Crime Severity Index (CSI) is Statistics Canada’s measure of police-reported crime weighted by seriousness, with Canada in 2006 set to 100. Our Crime Severity Index explainer covers how it works, and the crime rate in Canada by city table ranks all 41 metros. Within the province, Ottawa ranks near the top of the safest cities in Ontario; across the river, see is Gatineau safe?
Why do Ottawa Police counts differ from Statistics Canada figures?
Ottawa Police open data and Statistics Canada count crime differently, so their totals do not match. Statistics Canada reported 55,608 Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) for the Ottawa CMA in 2025, a 2% lower rate than in 2024, while the Ottawa Police data set lists 51,146 offence records for the city. The CMA figure covers the whole Ontario part of the metro area and follows national counting rules, while the police data set covers offences handled by the Ottawa Police Service. Use Statistics Canada for comparisons between cities and police open data for patterns within Ottawa.
How to check crime near an Ottawa address
- Open the Ottawa Police crime maps. The Ottawa Police Service community data portal at data.ottawapolice.ca has year-end and year-to-date crime maps.
- Search the address or ward. Zoom to the street and check which offence types appear.
- Compare with the ward table above. A busy commercial strip nearby will add theft records that do not reflect risk on quiet residential streets.
- Look at more than one year. Single-year changes in small areas can be noise.
- Visit at different times. Our guide on how to check crime in your neighbourhood lists more steps.
Want this on your phone?
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Ottawa crime by neighbourhood FAQ
Which Ottawa ward has the lowest crime?
West Carleton-March recorded the fewest offences of Ottawa’s 24 wards in 2025, with 327, or 0.6% of the city total, according to Ottawa Police Service open data.
Which area of Ottawa has the most crime?
The downtown wards of Rideau-Vanier (8,693 offences) and Somerset (8,015) recorded the most in 2025, together 32.7% of the city total. Downtown counts include many thefts from stores and offences involving visitors.
Is crime in Ottawa going up?
Ottawa Police offence records rose 1.1% in 2025, but Statistics Canada’s Crime Severity Index for the Ottawa CMA fell 6% to 50.6 and the crime rate fell 2%.
Is car theft going down in Ottawa?
Yes. Ottawa Police recorded 1,437 motor vehicle thefts in 2025, down 13.8% from 1,668 in 2024.
Where can I see a crime map of Ottawa?
The Ottawa Police Service publishes year-end and year-to-date crime maps on its community data portal. Our Ottawa crime map guide explains how to use them.
Related: is Ottawa safe? · Ottawa crime map · safest cities in Ontario · most dangerous cities in Ontario · Canada crime map · Ottawa car theft by neighbourhood. In an emergency call 911.