The ranking is based on crowdsourced perceptions of safety — not actual crime stats — which means it reflects how Canadians feel about their city day to day.
It looks at things like whether residents worry about being mugged, if they feel safe walking alone at night and how bad they think issues like vandalism, drug use or violent crime are.
While Toronto flopped, one province in particular stood out for having some of the best cities in Canada for safety — and it might not be where you'd guess.
Quebec has some of the safest cities in Canada
Quebec dominates the ranking, with its capital Quebec City topping the list as the safest city in Canada with a safety index of 77.6 out of 100. Montreal also landed in the top five.
Together, the Quebec's two cities posted an average safety index of 72.35 — far higher than the national average of 54.26.
According to the data from Numbeo, residents in Quebec City report very low concern about things like muggings, car theft or property crime. Even walking alone at night feels fairly safe, with a score of 77.4 for nighttime safety.
Montreal, despite being Canada's second-largest urban centre, ranked an impressive fifth-safest overall with an overall safety index of 67.1. It also had a standout nighttime safety score — the highest of Canada's 10 biggest cities, in fact — showing that even large metros can feel secure after dark.
Ontario cities make a strong showing too
While Ontario didn't top the list, it definitely held its own. In fact, Ontario made up half of the top 10 and had three cities — Oakville, Burlington and Ottawa — in the top five.
Oakville took second place overall with a safety index of 74.2, while Burlington followed closely behind at 71.1, and the national capital scored 68.2. Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener and Vaughan also ranked above average.
Toronto, meanwhile, ranked 14th out of 33 — well behind other major cities like Montreal (5th), Calgary (7th), Ottawa (4th) and Vancouver (11th). With a safety index of just 56.3, Toronto's lower rank seems tied to moderate concern around violent crime, property crime and drug use.
Toronto's nighttime safety score also lags behind most other big cities, with residents reporting less comfort walking alone after dark compared to peers in Montreal, Calgary and even Ottawa.
Things aren't looking so safe in B.C.
Now for the rough part. British Columbia had the lowest average safety score of any province represented, with an average index of just 47.02 across six of its biggest cities. That's well below the national average — and four out of those six B.C. cities ranked in the bottom half of the list.
Out of the 33 cities ranked, Surrey took the unfortunate title of the most dangerous city in the country with a safety index of just 35.6. Other B.C. cities like Kelowna, Kamloops and Nanaimo also scored poorly, with residents expressing high concern about drug use, theft and violent crime.
Vancouver — the largest city in the province — ranked near the middle at 11th place overall. But even there, safety at night and worries about property crime brought its overall safety score down to a middling 57.2, well below major cities like Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal.
Alberta and the Prairies landed in the middle
Cities in Alberta and Saskatchewan mostly landed in the middle of the pack. Calgary placed 7th with a safety score of 61.8 — pretty solid for a city of over 1.5 million people. Edmonton, on the other hand, ranked much lower at 17th.
Saskatchewan's major cities didn't fare quite as well. Regina and Saskatoon were both in the lower half with safety scores under 50. Winnipeg, also scored poorly and ranked near the bottom at 29th out of 33.
How the Crime Index works
Numbeo's rankings are based on user-submitted survey data from the past five years. Unlike government crime statistics, which track reported incidents, this index measures how people feel about safety and crime in their city. Think of it as a giant perception poll rather than an official crime report.
Each city's safety index is calculated based on how Canadians perceive different types of crime where they live. It factors in everything from how safe someone feels walking home after dark to how likely they think it is their car will be broken into. Cities need a minimum number of responses to be included.
Top 10 safest cities in Canada right now
- Quebec City, QC — 77.6
- Oakville, ON — 74.2
- Burlington, ON — 71.1
- Ottawa, ON — 68.2
- Montreal, QC — 67.1
- Guelph, ON — 65.8
- Calgary, AB — 61.8
- Kingston, ON — 60.5
- Halifax, NS — 60.3
- Victoria, BC — 59.7
Bottom 5 least safe cities in Canada right now
- Winnipeg, MB — 39.3
- Brantford, ON — 39.0
- Kelowna, BC — 37.9
- Sudbury, ON — 37.7
- Surrey, BC — 35.6
The differences between cities are wide — and sometimes surprising. Quebec's top scores and B.C.'s bottom rankings show how much perceptions of safety can vary depending on where you live in Canada. Whether you're thinking about relocating or just want to check where your city landed, this list gives a good look at where people feel safest right now.
AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of Narcity's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.
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