These Are the 15 Safest Cities in Canada

Safety is a top priority. Discover the 15 cities in Canada that lead in security and community well-being, making them ideal places to call home in 2024.

By Josh Sherman | 10 minute read

Mississauga, Ont., is one of the safest cities in Canada.

Ask a Canadian homebuyer what they’re looking for in a home, and you’re likely to get a wide range of answers. 

For example, Wahi’s Great Canadian Dream Home Survey recently delved into homebuyer preferences. Respondents were roughly split on whether they wanted to live in a suburban setting (38%), or an urban (34%) or rural (28%) locale. And that’s to say nothing of different tastes in finishes, features, neighbourhood amenities, and other near-endless options homebuyers must weigh.

But one thing Canadian homebuyers can likely all agree on is that they’d rather their home be in a safe place with low crime. 

To help homebuyers on their search for low-crime places to live, Wahi has ranked the 15 safest cities in Canada, according to Statistics Canada’s Crime Severity Index. Unlike the conventional crime rate — which counts all crimes equally whether it’s theft or murder — the index gives serious crimes more weight. The index is released annually, and it spans 42 census metro areas with populations of at least 100,000. StatCan defines a census metro area as “one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre.” 

While the index scores are a useful resource, StatCan notes that it’s important to consider other factors as well when evaluating a community for safety. “Ultimately, the CSI is one piece of a much larger puzzle that helps Canadians better understand the country — its population, resources, economy, environment, society, and culture,” notes StatCan.   

The 15 Safest Cities in Canada, According to the Crime Severity Index 

In 2023, the national Crime Severity Index reached 80.5, up 2.1% from 2022.  The index has been trending higher since 2015, StatCan notes, but Canada consistently rates as a safe country overall, a variety of global measures suggest. Out of all 193 UN Member States, Canada has among the least organized crime, according to the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index.

When it comes to the safest cities in Canada, Ontario laid claim to more than half (eight) of the top 15 based on the overall crime index score. These areas had index scores between 48.1 and 64.2, well under the national score.  The remaining cities were concentrated in Quebec and the Maritimes region. 

Because the CSI is just one measure of safety and livability, we’ve included other demographic info for comparison. In addition to StatCan’s index, population counts and incomes were sourced from the national statistical agency’s most recent census data (2021), and home prices (average or median, depending on the availability of data) come from local real estate boards.

Check out the 15 safest cities in Canada below.

1. Barrie, Ont.

Crime Severity Index (2023): 48.1

Population (2020): 212,856

Median after-tax household income (2020): $85,000

Average home price (2023): $749,773

Barrie is the biggest city in Simcoe County, which straddles the northern borders of Peel and York regions in the Greater Toronto Area. It’s approximately 90 kilometres north of Toronto. Due to Barrie’s proximity to Toronto, the city has increasingly come to serve as a bedroom community for Ontario’s capital. Commuters can take advantage of employment opportunities and amenities in Toronto while enjoying a somewhat quieter pace of life, relative affordability, and larger detached homes in the suburbs. Situated on Lake Simcoe, Barrie has an attractive waterfront and is considered a gateway to cottage country.     

2. Saguenay, Que. 

Crime Severity Index: 51.0

Population: 161,567

Median after-tax household income: $61,200

Median home price: $260,000

Saguenay is one of four of the 15 safest cities in Canada where the Crime Severity Index dropped between 2022 and 2023. It’s a picturesque city on the banks of the Saguenay River. No wonder the city and surrounding area is a popular destination for tourists as well as outdoorsy types in general. As the third-largest producer of aluminum in Canada, manufacturing provides some employment opportunities, as do the tourism and forestry industries. Saguenay has also emerged as a centre for research and development in the biomedical field. To live in Saguenay, you’re going to want to be fluent in French. It’s the mother tongue of more than three-quarters of residents across the entire metro area, with a higher concentration in the city itself (97.4%).   

3. Sherbrooke, Que.  

Crime Severity Index:  52.2

Population: 227,398

Median after-tax household income: $56,800

Median sale price: $377,000

Sherbrooke isn’t your typical college town. The city centre is set within a broader mountainous region, where winding rivers and tranquil lakes define the local landscape. Education is the primary driver of Sherbrooke’s economy, with several higher-learning institutions employing more than 11,000. Approximately one-in-10 residents of the city are post-secondary students. Reader’s Digest Canada ranks Sherbrooke as the best city in Canada to raise a family, though you’ll face a similar language barrier in Sherbrooke as Saguenay, with the vast majority of residents fluent in French.  

4. Saint John, N.B.  

Crime Severity Index: 52.7

Population: 130,613

Median after-tax household income: $55,865

Average home price: $311,800

Not to be mistaken for St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, Saint John is New Brunswick’s second-most-populous city after Moncton. Dating back to 1785, it’s Canada’s oldest incorporated city. Throughout its history, shipping has been central to the seaport identity, and that remains true today. The city’s economy is also dependent on the oil industry. Irving Oil’s Saint John Refinery handles nearly one-fifth of the country’s refining capacity.

Any city this old is bound to have character. Saint John’s downtown, which includes the Saint John City Market — a National Historic Site of Canada — and other attractions, is no exception. However, the population of Saint John is the lowest of any of the 15 safest cities in Canada. So though you have access to the urban amenities of a downtown, brace for small-town life overall. You’ll also need to adjust to a harsher Maritime climate.

As a smaller remote housing market, prices trend well below the national average. Based on the RBC Housing Affordability Measure (October 2024), a household earning a median income in Saint John would need to spend 33.6% of its pre-tax pay to afford ownership costs (mortgage payments, property taxes, and utilities) on a typical home. This is well below the national average (59.5%).  

5. Quebec City, Que.  

Crime Severity Index: 52.9

Population: 839,311

Median after-tax household income: $65,500

Average home price: $349,000

Quebec City and its environs form the second-biggest urban centre in La Belle Province, trailing only Montreal (another one of the 15 safest cities in Canada). Given that Quebec City is the capital of Quebec, the provincial government has long been a major employer. In more recent years, the city has established itself as a tech hub, attracting more than 500 high-tech companies to put down roots.

Despite being more than six times as populous as Saint John, Quebec City ties the Maritime city for affordability. Families earning the median income here can expect to spend about a third of pre-tax pay on ownership costs. Only Regina, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg are more affordable of the 14 metro areas covered by the RBC Housing Affordability Measure.

6. Ottawa, Ont.  

Crime Severity Index: 54.1

Population: 1,068,821

Median after-tax household income: $93,000

Average home price: $654,857

Ottawa isn’t just one of the safest cities in Canada. It’s one of the world’s safest national capital’s, too. But beware: at times, it’s also one of the world’s coldest seats of government. The federal government’s presence ensures a strong public sector. The high concentration of  government jobs is reflected in Ottawa’s median income, one of the highest in the country.

Ottawa has lots going for it, and sometimes cities can become victims of their own success in terms of home prices. Yet Ottawa maintains an affordability edge over other major Canadian cities. The sprawling city spans nearly 3,000 square kilometres, occupying an area larger than Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver combined.

7. St. Catharines — Niagara, Ont.  

 Crime Severity Index: 54.5

Population: 433,604

Median after-tax household income: $69,500

Average home price: $635,400

The St. Catharines — Niagara area is prized for its award-winning wine country, vacation destination Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls — said to be the 8th Wonder of the World — and more. These attractions have put Niagara on the map internationally and are a boon for the tourism and agriculture industries, the driving force for the region’s economy. Some research suggests a link between tourism and crime, but Niagara scores far shy of the national measure on the Crime Severity Index. In fact, the CSI reading fell by 2% from 2022 to 2023.

St. Catharines, the region’s top population centre, was recently recognized by Maclean’s magazine as one of Canada’s best affordable places to live, so it’s easy to see why young families and retirees alike are choosing to relocate to Niagara.  

8. Guelph, Ont.  

Crime Severity Index: 55.5

Population: 165,588

Median after-tax household income: $84,000

Average home price: $824,500 (April, 2023)

Guelph observed the sharpest year-over-year decline (7%) in the CSI out of any of the top 15 safest cities in Canada. The mid-sized city is about 100 kilometres west of Toronto and 25 kilometres east of the innovation-and-education hub of Kitchener-Waterloo. There’s a vibrant downtown in the core, partly owing to the University of Guelph. The surrounding areas are more suburban in nature. The cost of living is lower than in Toronto but generally elevated compared to the safest cities in Canada located outside of southern Ontario. 

9. Greater Toronto Area, Ont. 

Crime Severity Index: 58.5

Population: 6,202,225

Median after-tax household income: $85,000

Average home price: $1,310,068 (December, 2023)

The severity of crime in the Greater Toronto Area has been on the rise in recent years. In 2021 — the last year on record that the CSI declined on a year-over-year basis for the Toronto census metro area, which represents the region geographically — the index read 45.9. It then increased 15.1% and 10.8%, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.

However, crime varies throughout the census metro area, which includes four regional municipalities (Durham, Halton, Peel, York) and the City of Toronto. Halton region, which includes the cities of Oakville and Burlington, had the GTA’s lowest CSI reading at 31.4, followed by Durham region, which includes the cities of Ajax, Oshawa, and Whitby, at 46.8. Peel, which contains two of the 10 biggest municipalities in Canada (Brampton and Mississauga), also had a CSI reading that would put it in the top 15 safest cities in Canada if counted on its own (51.4), as did York region (54.6). The City of Toronto was the outlier at 69.2, although it remains considerably below the national average. North America’s fourth-largest city, Forbes Advisor considers it the world’s third-safest city for tourists. 

Overall, the GTA remains a desirable place to live. The financial centre of Canada, it’s a diverse region with a large labour market and world-class amenities. As such, it consistently ranks among the most expensive housing markets in the country.  

10. Hamilton, Ont.   

Crime Severity Index: 59.5

Population: 785,184

Median after-tax household income: $80,000

Average home price: $760,376

Hamilton, like Barrie, has developed a reputation as a more affordable alternative to Toronto. Nonetheless, home prices are higher here than in many of the other safest cities in Canada, including Barrie. Approximately 50 kilometres southwest of Toronto, Hamilton is not merely a bedroom community for the big city. It’s got an urban identity all its own, fostering thriving arts and culinary scenes, and the majority of the city’s commuters live and work within Hamilton, as per StatCan. The steel industry to which Hamilton owes its nickname — “The Hammer” — hasn’t lost its economic importance, but the city has been undergoing a tech boom as well. 

11. Peterborough, Ont.   

Crime Severity Index: 60.2 

Population: 128,624

Median after-tax household income: $64,500

Lots of southern Ontarians who work towards the eastern edge of the GTA choose to settle in Peterborough, which is located about 140 kilometres from the city centre. While the CSI trended up in more than three-quarters of the 15 safest cities in Canada, Peterborough saw the metric decline by 4% since 2022.

With the Kawarthas a short drive away, one of the province’s premier cottage destinations is right in Peterborough’s backyard. Residents don’t need to travel at all to enjoy time on the water, as the Otonabee River winds right through Peterborough. Venture outside the core and the surrounding area features nature preserves, trails, lakes.

12. Trois-Rivières   

Crime Severity Index: 60.3

Population: 161,489

Median after-tax household income: $55,200

Trois-Rivières is set on the St. Lawrence River, roughly between two other safest cities in Canada: Montreal to the southwest and Quebec City to the northeast. Dubbed “the Poetry Capital of Quebec,” Trois-Rivières hosts several significant annual arts events, such as FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières, a 10-day summer festival that brings more than 300,000 people to the city, and Festival International de la Poésie, a fall poetry festival. As a riverside city on a major shipping channel, freight and manufacturing are substantial contributors to the economy.

13. Gatineau, Que.   

Crime Severity Index: 61.7

Population: 291,041

Median after-tax household income: $69,500

Gatineau could be a good alternative for homebuyers who may be considering Ottawa but can’t afford the house prices. It’s generally known to afford residents a cheaper overall cost of living than Ottawa despite the fact that the two cities are neighbours. Gatineau rises on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River but is considered part of the National Capital Region, so many federal-government employees call it home. On top of its status as one of the safest cities in Canada, it’s also the country’s most bilingual. Nearly two-thirds of the population can speak English and French. 

14. Montreal   

Crime Severity Index: 63.2 

Population: 4,291,732

Median after-tax household income: $65,500

Montreal has all of the amenities you’d expect from one of the continent’s major urban centres and more. Considered by many to be North America’s most European city, Montreal might be the most glamorous place in the country. It’s also one of the safest cities in Canada. Beyond safety, locals and visitors gush about the city centre’s walkability, shopping, culture, the historic architecture of Old Montreal — and more. Perhaps most notably, the overall census metro area has housing costs below those of other leading urban centres in North America.

As a city in Quebec, knowing French will likely make life in Montreal easier for homebuyers. However, there’s a considerably higher percentage of English-speakers here than in the other Quebec-based options on the safest cities in Canada ranking.

15. Windsor   

Crime Severity Index: 64.2

Population: 422,630

Median after-tax household income: $73,000

Homebuyers seeking safety and affordability in a sizable Ontario city might want to consider Windsor, Canada’s southernmost city. It’s Canada’s own motor city, with a long legacy of automotive manufacturing that lives on today and drives the local economy. The average home in Windsor costs about half of what you’d spend in Toronto. Windsor is a border town, sitting directly opposite Detroit on the Detroit River, so if you need to make regular stateside trips — or just want to get to know our neighbours to the south better — there are few more convenient places to put down roots.