Is Canada Safe for Women? Crime in Canada
Safety index
The safety level in Canada is considered high, with an overall safety index of 4.2 out of 5.
Crime index
The crime rate in Canada is considered low, with an overall crime index of 1.9 out of 5.
Violence index
On average 13.6% percentage of women in Canada have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.
Crime & Safety Statistics
Based on 206 reviews
Safety index: | 4.2/5 | Safe | |
Safety walking alone after dark: | 3.9/5 | Safe | |
Safety using public transport: | 4.2/5 | Safe | |
Crime index: | 1.9/5 | Low | |
Worries of being sexually harassed: | 1.8/5 | A Bit Worried | |
Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped: | 1.5/5 | Not at all worried | |
Worries of being physically attacked: | 1.6/5 | A Bit Worried | |
Worries of home broken and things stolen: | 1.5/5 | Not at all worried | |
Worries of being mugged or robbed: | 1.3/5 | Not at all worried | |
Worries of being kidnapped or murdered: | 1.2/5 | Not at all worried |
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How safe is Canada for women?
Vancouver
Vancouver is overall a pretty safe city. Exercise caution around the Downtown Eastside neighborhood as there are many homeless and people with addictions and mental illness who may act erratically, but violent incidents are rare.
Posted: September 17, 2024Mount Pleasant
Vancouver is incredibly safe as a solo woman I have never felt scared or worried. The downtown east side and Chinatown has a lot of homelessness but it is not violent. There is the occasional crime but mostly it’s bike theft. Kitsilano is super safe, as is mount pleasant. I’d stay away from main and Hastings area (and 5 blocks either direction) as that is where the main hub for homelessness is.
Posted: September 15, 2024Vancouver
The downtown east side and Chinatown has a lot of homeless and drug use but it’s not violent. The rest of Vancouver is so safe aside from a lot of bike theft. I feel incredibly safe being here at all hours of the day/night especially in places like kitsilano
Posted: September 15, 2024
Yara
Toronto
Other than a few potentially unsafe areas, Toronto is generally very safe for walking and taking public transport even at night and as a solo woman. As with other other places in the world it’s always good to take safety precautions and to trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right.
Posted: September 15, 2024
Suhanna
Toronto
Toronto has its problems like any other major city. We do have a visible unhoused population, many who struggle with mental health. There have been mishaps on the TTC (our public transit system) due to our government failing to support these people in any way. As someone whose main form of transportation is the TTC, I don’t feel unsafe, if I see someone who I believe could be a threat I generally just get off and wait for the next train. Walking around at night is usually fine, there are some sketchy areas in the downtown core and we do have encampments, but as long as you keep your wits about you, you’ll be fine.
Posted: September 14, 2024Victoria
Victoria is a generally very safe place, although on the streets downtown we have a pretty bad homeless (drug/addiction) problem. These people are not dangerous as long as you don’t provoke them or engage in conversation. Do not walk on Pandora street at night (or even in the day) for this reason.
Posted: September 11, 2024Quebec City
I feel safe to walk at night, but you gotta know where to be or not be as there are creepy places. I try to not use small alleys, but main streets generally makes me safe! Never experienced harassment.
Posted: September 9, 2024Toronto
Toronto is a very safe city. Most of the time everything goes well. But nothing is perfect. There a few trouble with homelessness people with mental disease and drug addiction. They shout sometime but are not aggressive.
Posted: September 2, 2024Montreal
I think Montreal is a super safe city. I've lived here for three years and I walk around my area without any problems, even at night. However, the city is huge and I haven't been to many places. I have never witnessed theft, robbery, sexual harassment or acts of violence. There are indeed many homeless people on the streets.
Posted: September 1, 2024Montreal
After travelling in Europe, South America, Africa and India, I can say that Montreal feels very safe as a woman. Downtown, I have no problem walking at night alone, or taking public transportation. In more remote areas, I would try to stay in zones where there is a bit of life, but I do that everywhere. I’ve very rarely been harassed on the street, and my female friends feel just as safe in the city. There is some crime of course, but it rarely affects the general public.
Posted: August 29, 2024Is Canada safe to travel?
Based on 4 experiences
Shanni
Canada
Richmond, Solo travel
I feel very safe here. Food here is overall very nice. We usually have a variety of choices for food of different cuisines. If you have a low budget, you can also find decent living and food here. Richmond is a little cheaper than Vancouver. if you don’t right, traveling in Richmond could be amazing
Posted: August 1, 2024
Cassie
Australia
Winnipeg, Solo travel
Overall, it was a wonderful experience . I feel safe in Winnipeg. The people there are friendly. Things are cheaper comparing with other cities in Canada. I met a lot of friends during my working holiday.
Posted: July 31, 2024Is Canada worth visiting?
Overall rating
based on 4 experiences
Canada, Family travel
i was there for a month, partially with family, partially with friends, and partially solo. i went to Banff with my family, hangout in Toronto with friends, and solo travelled in Montreal/Quebec. it was a great balance of nature and city fun
Posted: September 16, 2024Banff National Park, Solo travel
I had a great time at Banff. I booked two seperate day tours online to pick me up in Calgary and take me on a tour of Banff. This allowed me to save money on accommodation closer to the park and get to see Lake Moraine. Moraine lake can only be seen if you are part of a tour group from what we were told. I had a great time and got to see a lot of the park through the two separate tours.
Posted: September 11, 2024Meet locals in Canada
Kathryn
About Me
Hello! Greetings! I'm Kathryn! I just finished my degree in history and creative writing and am currently planning a long-winded trip (or pilgrimage, of sorts) across Europe with a goal see that even in our anxious world, there are still pockets of beauty everywhere. In the meantime, I live in a suburb just outside of Vancouver, BC. I once met up at a local coffee shop with a sister from the Host a Sister Facebook group, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! I really like getting to hear about another person's culture as I am super curious about what it's like to live in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, I don't really think I can host you as I am living with my parents at the moment because of this crazy Vancouver housing crisis, but one day I think hosting sisters would be really fun! In the mean time, I would love to meet up with you! If you're visiting Vancouver and the greater Vancouver area, I would be happy to meet up with you or take you for coffee somewhere. I can give you all kinds of information, like what it's like living in "The Loneliest City in the World," or give advice on places to eat, or day trips to take from Vancouver without a car (as I have experience exploring BC car free as I don't drive) or maybe we could go hiking together?
Speaking
Michelle
About Me
I'm Michelle, a Brazilian-Canadian living in Vancouver with my husband since 2016. I used to work in finance, but lately, I've been trying to rediscover myself after feeling a bit lost this past year. I'm hoping to move to a sunnier place as soon as I can, but since that's not possible right now, I'm planning to take a month off to travel solo, explore new countries, and make some new friends.
Speaking
Crime in Canada
