A recent study by the Fraser Institute highlights Winnipeg as the most violent city in Canada.
Lethbridge leads property crime and has twice the national average of urban areas. Vancouver has the highest property crime among the country’s five largest metropolitan areas.
The study analyzed crime data from 2019 to 2022 across Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with populations over 100,000.
Violent Crimes
Among the violent crime rates (homicide, robbery, and aggravated assault) per 100,000 people in 37 Canadian urban areas from 2019 to 2022, Western cities tend to have higher violent crime rates, whereas Quebec cities report much lower figures.
Winnipeg recorded 675 violent crimes per 100,000 people, more than double the national average of 262. Violent crimes included in the study are homicide, robbery, and assault with a weapon.
Thunder Bay (611), Regina (519), Saskatoon (470), Lethbridge (442), and Edmonton(418) round out the top 6 cities with the most violent crimes reported.
Calgary, ranking 11th among 36 Canadian urban areas, has the highest violent crime rate among the five largest cities, followed by Vancouver (16th), Montreal (18th), and Toronto (24th).
Cities with rates near the national urban average include Brantford (278), London (271), and Halifax(259). Vancouver(250) and St. John’s, NL (239) are also close to the average.
Several urban areas report significantly lower violent crime rates. Sherbrooke has the lowest rate at 102, followed by Québec City, Barrie (125), and Guelph (127). Other safer cities include St. Catharines-Niagara (147) and Belleville (152).
Property Crimes
Similar to the violent crime rate, property crime rates per 100,000 people show that Western cities generally report higher property crime, while Quebec cities report significantly lower rates.
Lethbridge, Alberta, recorded the highest property crime rate in the country at 5,521 per 100,000 people, more than twice the national urban average of 2,513, followed by Kelowna, BC (4,778) and Regina, SK (4,496).
Vancouver (3,885) ranks sixth nationwide, leading among major Canadian cities. Calgary (3,591) follows in seventh place, while Toronto and Montreal rank significantly lower at 27th and 30th, respectively.
Abbotsford-Mission (3,515) also exceed the national urban average of 2,531.
Thunder Bay (3,370) and Saskatoon (3,220) reported high crime rates, while mid-range cities include London (3,136), Victoria (2,879), and Moncton (2,913). Cities falling near or slightly below the national average include Halifax (2,527), Brantford (2,471), and St. John’s (2,140).
The lowest property crime rates are in Québec City (925), Saguenay (1,057), and Sherbrooke (1,172). Other low-crime cities include Trois-Rivières (1,335), Saint John (1,452), and Montreal (1,514).
Comparing U.S. and Canada
The study also highlights broader crime trends, showing an overall increase in both violent and property crimes in Canada in recent years.
According to the report, Canada’s crime rates have surpassed those of the United States in certain categories. From 2014 to 2022, Canada’s violent crime rate rose by 43.8%, reaching 434.1 per 100,000 people—14% higher than the U.S. Property crime rates have also increased, now standing 27.5% higher than in the U.S.
The study suggests that while crime rates in Canada remain historically low, the upward trend should be a concern for both policymakers and the public.