Crime in Canada by the numbers

By: Asa Montreaux 


How safe is Canada to live? Well, not as safe as you thought. Of course, by taking ample pre-caution, you can live a safe life in Canada, for certain. However, let's make sure you have the correct info to begin considering the question.

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As you may know, crimes often happen in larger cities, where there are more people, and more interactions between people. You may not have known, that Toronto is by far the least safe city to live in, at least in terms of overall crime rates.

In addition to having the highest crime rate overall, it also had the highest number of murders in Canada, according to the latest report by Statistics Canada. This was notably by a wide margin. The number of murders (homicides) in Toronto in the full year of 2023 was 116. This is a significant number, however Toronto has the largest population in Canada at 3.1 million people. That being said, the level safety you experience will depend on the area you choose, with specific areas being notoriously unsafe. Toronto is situated close to the American border, and this experiences significant gun-trafficking, as well as immigration. This had made the city in the recent past the site of significant gang activity, and gun-related crimes (including homicide).


The North Eastern areas of Weston and Black Creek were two of the most dangerous areas in Toronto. Weston had five murder, far more than any other area. These would constitute the poorer areas of Toronto. In a way money does buy comfort, and safety.

However, in terms of overall crime, there is still a significant number of crimes in metropolitan areas, like auto theft, and muggings. It is a good idea to keep in mind the overall level of safety, and balance that against criteria like closeness to work, and nearby restaurants and sports arenas.


The next city on the list of homicides is Montreal, where the number of deaths was 54. The comparison is similar, as Montreal has a population of 1.8 million. The number of murders in Edmonton, which was third on the list, is actually slightly more concerning, with a higher percentage of murders per person. There were 48 murders in Edmonton in 2023. However, this had to do with violent conflicts between gangs, which included minorities and underprivileged individuals. While most murders happened in areas noted to be very dangerous, sometimes the incidents happened in broad daylight, in nicer areas, in the form of targeting shootings.

Interestingly, Nunavut is the most dangerous province/area to live in Canada, despite it's small population. The poverty, lack of adequate education, and the tough conditions of reserve life have lead to this phenomenon in large part. Ignoring race, for the average person Nunavut is not a safe territory in which to live. Canada's other territories exhibit the same problem, having the other highest crime rates in Canada.

Ontario did not have the lowest crime rate. This was Quebec, the home of Montreal. However Ontario did have the second lowest crime rate. Thus picking the right area, and staying out of dangerous situations are key to being safe.



The problem is further elucidated by Canada's other major city, Vancouver, where the vast majority of crimes happen in the downtown area. Walking alone in the street, in a more suspicious area, or late at night, could lead to being the victim of a crime, and the same could be said about Toronto and Montreal.


The question about Vancouver is whether these problems stem from the issues of the Downtown-East side. The answer is partially yes, as the next most dangerous area by number of crimes, is Strathcona, where there were 683 incidents of robbery and assault. This area sits directly next to the Central Business District, and East-West along this passage is where the majority of crimes stem from. Strathcona is noted to have many of the same problems such as drug and opioid use, homelessness, as well as robbery shoplifting. However the issues are not contained in these areas, and they are only the site of the most crimes in the city.


It seems to be very true that the majority of crimes in Vancouver happen in the poorer areas, being highly concentrated around poorer areas, particular in the Downtown-East side area, as well as in the less affluent areas of Vancouver East.

Sadly, there were 5,842 crimes per 100,000 people in Canada in 2023. That means that 5 percent of people in Canada will be a victim of a crime, that is reported to police. According to a 2019 Statistics Canada survey, only 29 percent of crimes are reported. It is likely the case the over 15 percent of Canadians will be victims of crimes each year.


This number is supported by the fact that violent crimes are on the rise. In 2014, 1044 violent crimes occurred per every 100,000 people. That number has risen steadily to 1,472 crimes per 100,000 people in Canada. This number is almost one and a half times the number of crimes in that year. This is an upsetting trend, and it leads one to wonder how Canada will address issues of safety when the police forces face public issues, deeper allegations of abuse of the use of force, and when mind-sets are shifting towards accepting a different and more open society. Will the government take action against rising incidents of technological, and/or terror related crime, and will Canada remain a safe place to live, in comparison to countries like the United States, Mexico, or Brazil?



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