Statistics Canada maintains a nationwide database on the incidence and severity of crime in the country, known as the Crime Severity Index (CSI). Unlike a traditional crime rate that counts only the number of crimes, the CSI considers the seriousness of each crime, providing a more nuanced view of crime levels.
What is the Crime Severity Index?
The CSI uses police data to assign weights to different crimes based on their seriousness. Scores are standardized to “100” (using 2006 as a base year), with more serious crimes having higher weights. This approach gives a more accurate picture of the impact of crime on communities.
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How to Use the CSI
Newcomers to Canada can use the CSI to help decide where to live. However, it’s important to consider other factors alongside the CSI, such as conventional crime rates, community safety data, demographics, economic conditions, employment opportunities, income levels, and housing conditions.
Safest Areas in Canada (2019-2023)
Based on the average CSI data from 2019 to 2023, here are the safest cities in Canada:
- Quebec City, Quebec: CSI Score – 45.73
- Barrie, Ontario: CSI Score – 47.71
- Toronto, Ontario: CSI Score – 51.54
- Ottawa-Gatineau, All Parts: CSI Score – 55.59
- Hamilton, Ontario: CSI Score – 57.74
- St. Catherine’s-Niagara, Ontario: CSI Score – 58.94
- Montréal, Quebec: CSI Score – 59.98
- Halifax, Nova Scotia: CSI Score – 66.92
- Kingston, Ontario: CSI Score – 70.92
- St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador: CSI Score – 72.92
- London, Ontario: CSI Score – 73.71
- Victoria, British Columbia: CSI Score – 75.40
- Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario: CSI Score – 75.94
- Brantford, Ontario: CSI Score – 77.09
- Calgary, Alberta: CSI Score – 79.79
- Vancouver, British Columbia: CSI Score – 90.74
- Edmonton, Alberta: CSI Score – 105.16
- Regina, Saskatchewan: CSI Score – 113.18
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: CSI Score – 114.85
- Kelowna, British Columbia: CSI Score – 120.51
- Winnipeg, Manitoba: CSI Score – 125.82
CSI for Provinces Not Covered by CMAs
For provinces and territories where CMAs were not measured under the CSI, here is the available data:
- Prince Edward Island: CSI Score – 62.59
- New Brunswick: CSI Score – 84.94
- Yukon: CSI Score – 215.87
- Nunavut: CSI Score – 390.66
- Northwest Territories: CSI Score – 427.88
Understanding the CSI
The CSI measures changes in the severity of crime in Canada yearly. Each crime is assigned a weight based on its seriousness, determined by court sentences across provinces and territories. The CSI is divided into two main categories:
- Violent Crime Severity Index: Includes violent violations like uttering threats, criminal harassment, and forcible confinement.
- Non-Violent Crime Severity Index: Includes non-violent Criminal Code violations, traffic offences, drug violations, and Federal Statutes violations.
The CSI primarily considers crimes in Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), which are formed by municipalities around a population center with at least 100,000 people, of which 50,000 or more must live in the core.
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For more information on safe places to live in Canada and other immigration services, contact Skynet Immigration. Our experienced team, led by RCIC Salekur Rahman, is here to guide you every step of the way.
