Lifestyle
Canada — Living: Safety
Statistics Canada tracks crime via the Crime Severity Index (CSI), which weights offences by seriousness (a serious crime counts more than a minor one) rather than just counting raw incidents; the national index was set to 100 in 2006 as a baseline. CSI data is published for Canada, all provinces/territories, and Census Metropolitan Areas. Among large cities, Winnipeg ranked as the most dangerous large city in 2024, reflecting broader crime challenges across the Canadian Prairies, while smaller, wealthier municipalities like Oakville (Ontario) consistently rank among the safest, with a CSI as low as 18 — among the lowest for any community of its size nationally.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceStatistics Canada — Crime Severity IndexLast reviewed: 2026-07-18
Key facts
- Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index (CSI) weights crimes by seriousness, not just volume; national baseline = 100 (set in 2006).
- CSI is published for Canada, all provinces/territories, and Census Metropolitan Areas.
- Winnipeg ranked the most dangerous large Canadian city in 2024.
- Oakville, Ontario consistently ranks among the safest municipalities nationally, with a CSI as low as 18.
Common mistakes
- Comparing raw crime counts between cities instead of the severity-weighted CSI, which can misrepresent relative safety.