Ottawa is the safest of Canada’s six largest metro areas by crime severity, with a 2025 Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 50.6, followed by Toronto (55.0), Montréal (61.3) and Calgary (61.7). Vancouver (83.5) and Edmonton (95.6) are the only two above the national figure of 75.0. The answer changes with the measure, though: Montréal has the lowest overall crime rate, Calgary the lowest homicide rate and Vancouver the lowest car theft rate.
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 whole census metropolitan area (CMA); Ottawa means the Ontario part of the Ottawa–Gatineau CMA. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Which big Canadian city is the safest?
Here is how Canada’s six largest metro areas compare on the main measures for 2025. The lowest (best) value in each column is in bold.
| Metro area (CMA) | CSI 2025 | Crime rate per 100k | Violent crime per 100k | Homicides (rate per 100k) | Car thefts per 100k | Break-ins per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | 50.6 | 4,212 | 814 | 21 (1.59) | 130 | 186 |
| Toronto | 55.0 | 3,950 | 987 | 64 (0.91) | 238 | 169 |
| Montréal | 61.3 | 3,641 | 1,277 | 52 (1.12) | 197 | 213 |
| Calgary | 61.7 | 5,038 | 1,057 | 15 (0.82) | 243 | 310 |
| Vancouver | 83.5 | 5,672 | 1,090 | 47 (1.52) | 103 | 249 |
| Edmonton | 95.6 | 7,463 | 1,382 | 32 (1.88) | 335 | 414 |
| Canada | 75.0 | 5,585 | 1,443 | 672 (1.61) | 201 | 264 |
All six metro areas have a violent crime rate below the national rate of 1,443 per 100,000. Ottawa’s is the lowest, about 44% below the national figure. Edmonton is the outlier on most measures: its CSI is almost twice Ottawa’s, and its crime rate is about twice Montréal’s.
CSI or crime rate: which should I look at?
They answer different questions. The crime rate counts all Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) per 100,000 people, so a shoplifting incident counts the same as a robbery. The Crime Severity Index weights each offence by how serious it is, based on the sentences courts hand down.
That is why Montréal has the lowest crime rate of the six but only the third lowest CSI: it records relatively little minor theft — 193 shoplifting incidents per 100,000, against 386 in Toronto and 804 in Vancouver — but a violent crime rate higher than Toronto’s or Ottawa’s. Statistics Canada itself warns that the CSI is not a universal indicator of safety. Looking at both, plus the specific crimes you care about, gives the clearest picture.
Which big city has the most homicides?
By count, Toronto (64 in 2025), simply because it is the largest. By rate, Edmonton is highest at 1.88 per 100,000, then Ottawa (1.59) and Vancouver (1.52). Toronto’s rate of 0.91 per 100,000 is about half its 2024 rate of 1.90, and Calgary’s 0.82 is the lowest of the six.
These are small numbers. A handful of incidents can shift a city’s rate noticeably from one year to the next, so it is worth looking at several years before drawing conclusions.
Which big city has the most car theft and break-ins?
Car theft: Edmonton has the highest rate of the six (335 per 100,000), followed by Calgary (243) and Toronto (238). Toronto’s rate fell by about 27% in 2025, from 325, and Montréal’s fell about 29%, from 277 to 197. Vancouver has the lowest rate at 103.
Break-ins: Edmonton again records the highest rate (414 per 100,000), followed by Calgary (310). Toronto has the lowest (169). Nationally, break-ins fell 11% in 2025 and were down in every province and territory.
Are big cities getting safer?
In 2025, most were. Five of the six recorded a lower CSI than in 2024; Vancouver’s rose slightly (+1%). The ten-year view is more mixed:
| Metro area | CSI 2015 | CSI 2024 | CSI 2025 | Change 2015–25 (our arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | 46.74 | 54.12 | 50.61 | +8% |
| Toronto | 46.16 | 59.43 | 54.99 | +19% |
| Montréal | 61.47 | 64.43 | 61.29 | 0% |
| Calgary | 79.77 | 63.29 | 61.66 | -23% |
| Vancouver | 94.33 | 82.29 | 83.51 | -11% |
| Edmonton | 103.42 | 102.61 | 95.55 | -8% |
Calgary has improved the most over the decade: in 2015 its CSI was well above Toronto’s and Montréal’s, and by 2025 it was almost level with Montréal’s. Toronto remains one of the lowest-severity big cities but is about 19% above its 2015 index.
Which parts of big cities record more crime?
We do not have neighbourhood figures and do not label any neighbourhood as dangerous. In all six cities, police-reported incidents tend to concentrate in busy downtown cores, nightlife districts, major shopping areas and transit hubs — places with large numbers of people and property. Every city in this comparison has an official police map or open-data portal for area-level detail.
How do I check crime near a specific address?
- Use the official police data: Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa.
- Use our map. Our Canada crime map will bring the official figures together in one place.
- Compare two areas. Look at the same crime types over the same months for each address.
- Read the limits. Locations are approximate and unreported crime is missing — in 2019, only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police.
Moving to a big Canadian city?
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.
Safest big cities in Canada FAQ
What is the safest big city in Canada?
By crime severity, Ottawa (CSI 50.6 in 2025). It also has the lowest violent crime rate of the six largest metro areas. Montréal has the lowest overall crime rate (3,641 per 100,000).
Is Toronto safer than Vancouver?
Yes, on most measures. Toronto’s CSI (55.0) and crime rate (3,950) are both well below Vancouver’s (83.5 and 5,672). Vancouver has far fewer car thefts, however (103 vs 238 per 100,000).
Which big Canadian city has the highest crime?
Edmonton, with a CSI of 95.6 and a crime rate of 7,463 per 100,000 — the highest of the six on both measures. Its CSI did fall 7% in 2025.
Is Montréal safe?
Montréal has the lowest crime rate of the six largest metro areas and a CSI (61.3) below the national 75.0. Its violent crime rate is higher than Toronto’s or Ottawa’s.
Is Calgary safer than Edmonton?
Yes. Calgary’s CSI (61.7) is about 35% lower than Edmonton’s (95.6), and its homicide rate (0.82) is less than half of Edmonton’s (1.88).
Related: Is Toronto safe? · Is Ottawa safe? · Is Vancouver safe? · Crime rate in Canada by city · The Crime Severity Index explained · Safest cities in Canada. In an emergency call 911.