The Safest Cities In Canada Were Ranked & 5 Quebec Towns Made The Top 10

In Quebec, the living is easy and, apparently, much safer too. A recent study has placed five Quebec towns in the top 10 safest places in the country, with Quebec City taking second place.

Pulling data from the Canadian Crime Index, Money.ca analyzed crimes that directly impact residents' sense of security, including arson, robbery, impaired driving, and burglary. They calculated the number of offenses per 100,000 people, painting a picture of safety across Canadian cities.

Quebec's safety scorecard

Quebec City, with its low crime rate of 301 offenses per 100,000 people, emerged as the second safest city in Canada. Robbery rates were the lowest in the country at just 12.2 incidents per 100,000 in 2021. Quebec City also had the second-lowest number of break-ins, only surpassed by Toronto, which leads the safety rankings with 286 offenses per 100k.

The top ten safest places in Canada, per the study, are a mix of urban centres and smaller cities, each with unique strengths in maintaining law and order. Toronto has particularly low rates of breaking and entering, with only 150.8 such incidents per 100k in 2021. The city also ranks high with few arson and impaired driving offenses.

Following Quebec City, Gatineau secured the third spot with 318.8 offenses per 100,000. The city's placement is credited to its low incidences of robbery and break-ins. Sherbrooke stands in fourth place with 327.4 offenses per 100k, showing a strong record in robbery prevention and break-in cases.

The other cities in the top ten include Ottawa (ON), Montreal (QC), Barrie (ON), Trois-Rivières (QC), Saguenay (QC), and Hamilton (ON).

Crime rates across Canada

On the flip side, the study also identified areas in Canada with higher crime rates. Lethbridge (AB) recorded the highest combined offense rate of 1,190 per 100,000 people, driven largely by breaking and entering crimes. Following closely is Regina (SK), with a combined offense rate of 1,113.50 per 100k. The primary concerns there are arson and robbery.

Moncton (NB) holds the third position in the less enviable side of the list, with a combined offense rate of 1,085.30 per 100k. The city experiences a high number of breaking and entering incidents, heavily impacting its overall crime rate. Saskatoon (SK) comes in fourth with 1,043.10 offenses per 100k, mainly due to high rates of breaking and entering and robbery. Winnipeg (MB) rounds out the bottom five with a combined offense rate of 1,040.70 per 100k, where the main safety concerns revolve around breaking and entering and robbery.

Safe and sound

Safety rates directly influence the housing market, affecting both prices and the appeal of different areas for those looking to move or raise a family. The safest cities also often see lower insurance premiums with residents less likely to increase their insurance coverage.

With Quebec dominating Canada's safety charts, it looks like the biggest risk you'll run in La Belle Province is never wanting to leave.

Here are the study's top ten safest cities to live in Canada:

1. Toronto
2. Quebec
3. Ottawa-Gatineau, QC
4. Sherbrooke
5. Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
6. Montreal
7. Barrie
8. Trois-Rivières
9. Saguenay
10. Hamilton