Halton Region — which covers Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills — has the lowest crime severity in the Greater Toronto Area, with a 2025 Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 30.6, about half that of Toronto (60.0) or Peel (59.4). Durham (43.2) and York (50.3) sit in between. Toronto’s CSI fell 13% in 2025, while Peel’s rose for the fifth year in a row and is now level with Toronto’s.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index for police services in Ontario (Table 35-10-0188-01) and census metropolitan area tables. Figures in the main table are for police-service areas, not metro areas. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Which part of the GTA has the lowest crime?
The fairest way to compare the GTA is by police service, because each regional police force covers a defined set of municipalities. Here is the Crime Severity Index for the five main GTA police services from 2020 to 2025:
| Police service (main municipalities) | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halton Region (Oakville, Burlington) | 22.76 | 23.50 | 31.20 | 32.25 | 31.20 | 30.61 | -2% |
| Durham Region (Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax) | 40.85 | 43.11 | 44.43 | 47.00 | 47.19 | 43.18 | -8% |
| York Region (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill) | 38.51 | 38.82 | 47.40 | 54.55 | 53.57 | 50.28 | -6% |
| Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton) | 38.07 | 37.38 | 47.52 | 52.19 | 57.01 | 59.41 | +4% |
| Toronto Police (City of Toronto) | 58.55 | 56.99 | 62.15 | 69.49 | 68.62 | 59.98 | -13% |
For context, Canada’s CSI in 2025 was 75.0, so every GTA police area is below the national figure. Halton is the lowest of the large Ontario police services we track, at about 41% of the national CSI (our arithmetic).
Police service area or metro area: what is the difference?
You will see two different sets of “Toronto” numbers, and it helps to know which is which:
- Toronto Police Service covers the City of Toronto only. Its 2025 CSI is 59.98.
- The Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA) is a wider metro region that takes in the City of Toronto plus many surrounding municipalities. Its 2025 CSI is 55.0, and its crime rate is 3,950 incidents per 100,000 people.
The CMA’s index is lower than the city’s because it blends the city with suburban areas that record less serious crime. The CMA boundaries also do not line up neatly with the regional police areas, so you cannot add or subtract police-service figures to get the CMA. For choosing between parts of the GTA, the police-service table above is the better guide.
Is crime going up in Peel Region?
Yes. Peel’s CSI has risen five years in a row, from 37.38 in 2021 to 59.41 in 2025 — an increase of about 59%. In 2025 it rose 4% while the other four GTA services all fell. As a result, Peel’s index is now almost exactly level with Toronto’s (59.41 vs 59.98).
Peel’s violent CSI was 76.90 in 2025 and its non-violent CSI 52.92. Statistics Canada’s police-service table does not break the change down by offence, so we cannot say which crime types drove the rise. Peel’s index remains below the national figure of 75.0.
Is Toronto getting safer?
In 2025, clearly yes. Toronto Police’s CSI fell from 68.62 to 59.98, about 13% lower, and about 14% below its 2023 peak of 69.49. The violent CSI dropped from 99.83 to 81.11 (about -19%).
The wider Toronto CMA saw similar improvements: 64 homicides in 2025, a rate of 0.91 per 100,000, down from 1.90 the year before. Car theft fell from 325 to 238 per 100,000 (about -27%), and break-ins fell from 184 to 169. Shoplifting went the other way, rising from 328 to 386 per 100,000.
Are York, Durham and Halton safe?
Halton has the lowest CSI in the GTA and the lowest of the large Ontario police services we track. Its violent CSI (26.26) is about a quarter of the national violent CSI of 97.19. Its index rose between 2021 and 2023 but has eased slightly since.
Durham fell 8% in 2025 to 43.18, close to where it was in 2020. Its violent CSI is 59.20 and non-violent 37.14.
York Region fell 6% to 50.28 in 2025, its second straight decline, after rising from 38.51 in 2020 to 54.55 in 2023.
A low index does not mean no crime. An index describes a whole region, not any particular street, and property crime such as car theft and break-ins happens everywhere in the GTA to some degree.
Which parts of the GTA record more crime?
We do not have neighbourhood-level statistics and do not label neighbourhoods as dangerous. Across the GTA, police-reported incidents tend to concentrate where footfall is highest: downtown cores, entertainment districts, large malls and transit hubs. For street-level detail, each police service publishes its own maps and data.
How do I check crime near a specific GTA address?
- Use the official police data. Toronto Police open data, Peel Regional Police, York Regional Police, Halton Regional Police and Durham Regional Police all publish statistics or maps.
- Use our map. Our Canada crime map will bring the official figures together in one place.
- Compare two areas. Check the same crime types over the same months for each address on your shortlist.
- Read the limits. Points are usually offset to the nearest intersection, and many minor crimes are never reported.
House-hunting in the GTA?
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 places to live in the GTA FAQ
What is the safest area of the GTA?
Halton Region (Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills), with a 2025 CSI of 30.6 — the lowest of the five main GTA police services and about half of Toronto’s or Peel’s.
Is Mississauga or Brampton safer than Toronto?
Both are policed by Peel Regional Police, whose 2025 CSI (59.4) is now almost identical to Toronto Police’s (60.0). Peel’s figure has risen for five years, while Toronto’s fell 13% in 2025.
Is York Region safe?
York’s 2025 CSI of 50.3 is below Toronto’s and Peel’s and well below the national 75.0. It fell 6% in 2025.
Why is the Toronto CMA figure lower than Toronto Police’s?
The CMA (CSI 55.0) covers the City of Toronto plus surrounding suburbs, which lowers the average. Toronto Police (CSI 60.0) covers the city only.
Is Oshawa safe?
Oshawa is policed by Durham Regional Police, whose CSI of 43.2 is the second lowest of the five GTA services. That figure covers the whole region, not Oshawa alone.
Related: Is Toronto safe? · Is Mississauga safe? · Is Brampton safe? · Is Markham safe? · Is Oakville safe? · Safest cities in Ontario. In an emergency call 911.