Barrie is the safest city in Ontario by police-reported crime: its metro area had a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 46.9 in 2025, down 3%, the lowest of any metro area in Canada. Its crime rate was 3,777 incidents per 100,000 people, also the lowest in Ontario. Ottawa (50.6), St. Catharines–Niagara (53.8), Hamilton (54.8) and Toronto (55.0) complete the top five, all well below Canada’s 75.0. Among police services, Halton Region (Oakville, Burlington) is lowest at 30.61.
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.
What are the safest cities in Ontario?
Ontario is the province with the lowest Crime Severity Index in Canada, 57.2 in 2025. The table ranks its metro areas from the lowest CSI upward. The CSI weights each offence by seriousness; the crime rate counts all Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) per 100,000 people.
| Rank | Metro area (CMA) | CSI 2025 | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100k | Rate change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barrie | 46.9 | -3% | 3,777 | -4% |
| 2 | Ottawa (Ont. part) | 50.6 | -6% | 4,212 | -2% |
| 3 | St. Catharines–Niagara | 53.8 | -9% | 4,139 | -2% |
| 4 | Hamilton | 54.8 | -7% | 4,076 | -4% |
| 5 | Toronto | 55.0 | -7% | 3,950 | -5% |
| 6 | Windsor | 55.4 | -12% | 4,203 | -10% |
| 7 | Peterborough | 57.3 | -6% | 5,385 | +1% |
| 8 | Guelph | 57.8 | +2% | 4,288 | +3% |
| 9 | Kingston | 61.5 | +1% | 5,005 | +2% |
| 10 | Belleville–Quinte West | 63.1 | -3% | 4,920 | -1% |
| – | Ontario (province) | 57.2 | -6% | 4,296 | -4% |
| – | Canada | 75.0 | -5% | 5,585 | -2% |
Ontario’s remaining metros are Greater Sudbury (64.9), London (66.0), Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (66.8), Brantford (72.1) and Thunder Bay (114.1). Thunder Bay is the only Ontario metro above the national average; see most dangerous cities in Ontario.
Six of Ontario’s 15 metro areas are among Canada’s 10 lowest-CSI metros: Barrie, Ottawa, St. Catharines–Niagara, Hamilton, Toronto and Windsor.
Why is Barrie the safest city in Ontario?
Barrie scores low on most of the offences that weigh heavily in the index. Its violent crime rate was 811.92 per 100,000 in 2025, a little over half the national 1,443 (our arithmetic). Its break-and-enter rate, 103.78, was about 40% of the national 262.29, and fell from 151.15 a year earlier.
Barrie has been near the bottom of the table for years. Its CSI has stayed between 42.89 and 52.96 every year since 2015. It is slightly higher than in 2015, though, by about 9%.
Is Ottawa the safest big city in Ontario?
Yes. The Ontario part of the Ottawa–Gatineau metro area had a CSI of 50.6, the lowest of Canada’s six largest metro areas. Its violent crime rate (813.79) was almost identical to Barrie’s. The Ottawa Police Service’s own CSI, which covers the City of Ottawa, was 52.23, down from 55.97.
Ottawa’s weak spot is shoplifting: 954.13 incidents per 100,000, about 1.9 times the national rate. That pushes up its crime rate (4,212) without adding much to its severity score.
Which police service in Ontario has the lowest crime?
Police-service figures follow municipal boundaries, which helps when comparing suburbs inside a large metro area. Among the large Ontario services in our data, Halton Region had the lowest CSI by a wide margin.
| Police service | Main communities | CSI 2020 | CSI 2025 | Violent CSI 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halton Region | Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills | 22.76 | 30.61 | 26.26 |
| Durham Region | Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax | 40.85 | 43.18 | 59.20 |
| York Region | Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill | 38.51 | 50.28 | 63.17 |
| Ottawa Police | City of Ottawa | 47.96 | 52.23 | 62.63 |
| Niagara Region | St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland | 57.75 | 53.84 | – |
| Peel Region | Mississauga, Brampton | 38.07 | 59.41 | 76.90 |
| Toronto Police | City of Toronto | 58.55 | 59.98 | 81.11 |
| Hamilton Police | City of Hamilton | 65.76 | 62.21 | 82.64 |
Halton’s CSI of 30.61 is a little over half Ontario’s provincial 57.2, and its violent CSI of 26.26 is the lowest in the table. Durham is second. The suburbs have not all moved the same way, though: York’s CSI is about 31% higher than in 2020 and Peel’s has risen every year since 2021. For more, see safest places to live in the GTA.
Is crime going down in Ontario cities?
Mostly. Ontario’s provincial CSI fell 6% in 2025, and 10 of its 15 metro areas recorded a decline. Windsor fell 12%, Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo and St. Catharines–Niagara 9% each, and Toronto and Hamilton 7% each.
Break-ins fell notably: Windsor’s rate dropped from 330.19 to 238.08, Hamilton’s from 257.18 to 191.45 and Niagara’s from 231.22 to 186.71. In the Toronto CMA, the motor vehicle theft rate fell about 27%, from 324.74 to 237.95, and the homicide rate halved, from 1.90 to 0.91 per 100,000.
Over ten years, the picture is less rosy. Ontario’s CSI of 57.17 is about 12% above its 2015 level of 51.05, and the Toronto CMA’s is about 19% higher.
What should I keep in mind when choosing a safe city?
- Reported crime only. In 2019 only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police.
- Averages hide streets. Within any city, crime concentrates around busy downtown, nightlife, shopping and transit areas.
- Metro versus city. The Toronto CMA (55.0) includes suburbs; the City of Toronto’s police service recorded 59.98.
- Not a safety score. Statistics Canada cautions that the CSI is not a universal indicator of safety.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Ontario?
- Use the official police map or open data, for example Halton Police (haltonpolice.ca), Durham Police (drps.ca), York Regional Police (yrp.ca) or Ottawa Police (data.ottawapolice.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.
Moving within Ontario?
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 cities in Ontario FAQ
What is the safest city in Ontario?
Barrie, with a CSI of 46.9 and a crime rate of 3,777 per 100,000 in 2025, the lowest CSI of any metro area in Canada.
What is the safest big city in Ontario?
Ottawa. The Ontario part of the Ottawa–Gatineau metro had a CSI of 50.6, down 6%.
Is Oakville or Burlington the safest place in Ontario?
Halton Regional Police, which covers both, had the lowest CSI of the large Ontario services in our data: 30.61. Statistics Canada does not publish separate figures for Oakville and Burlington in our data.
Is Toronto safe compared with other Ontario cities?
Yes, broadly. The Toronto CMA’s CSI of 55.0 is below Ontario’s 57.2 and fell 7% in 2025.
Is crime in Ontario going down?
Yes, in 2025: Ontario’s CSI fell 6% to 57.2 and its crime rate 4% to 4,296. It is still about 12% higher than in 2015.
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