Statistics Canada maintains a nationwide database on the incidence as well as severity of crime in the city, also known as the Crime Severity Index. Below are the top safest cities in Canada as per Crime Severity Index. 

Well, unlike a traditional crime rate, the CSI uses police data to consider the seriousness of each crime, providing a more nuanced view of crime levels. In order to make the Index easier to interpret, scores are standardized to 100, using 2006 as the base year. More serious crimes are assigned higher weights, which affects the overall index score more, while less serious crimes are weighted less. 

Newcomers to Canada can use the CSI to inform their decision on where to live, but it is essential to consider it along with other factors. Moreover, the CSI must not be viewed in isolation or as a definitive measure of an area’s safety. Instead, it should be a part of a broader analysis that includes the conventional crime rate, community safety data, economic conditions, employment opportunities, etc. 

What Are The Top Safest Cities In Canada As Per Crime Severity Index? 

Averages the data from 2019-2023, below are the top safest cities in Canada as per Crime Severity Index. 

  • Quebec City, Quebec, Overall CSI Score: 45.73
  • Barrie, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 47.71
  • Toronto, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 51.54
  • Ottawa, Gatineau (All Parts), Overall CSI Score: 55.59
  • Hamilton, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 57.74
  • St. Catherine’s, Niagara, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 58.94
  • Montréal, Quebec, Overall CSI Score: 59.98
  • Halifax, Nova Scotia, Overall CSI Score: 66.92
  • Kingston, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 70.92
  • St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Overall CSI Score: 72.92
  • London, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 73.71
  • Victoria, British Columbia, Overall CSI Score: 75.40
  • Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 75.94
  • Brantford, Ontario, Overall CSI Score: 77.09
  • Calgary, Alberta, Overall CSI Score: 79.79
  • Vancouver, British Columbia, Overall CSI Score: 90.74
  • Edmonton, Alberta, Overall CSI Score: 105.16
  • Regina, Saskatchewan, Overall CSI Score: 113.18
  • Saskatoon Saskatchewan, Overall CSI Score: 114.85
  • Kelowna, British Columbia, Overall CSI Score: 120.51
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba, Overall CSI Score: 125.82

For provinces where CMAs weren’t measured under the Crime Severity Index, the following information is available:

  • Prince Edward Island, Overall CSI Score: 62.59
  • New Brunswick, Overall CSI Score: 84.94
  • Yukon, Overall CSI Score: 215.87
  • Nunavut, Overall CSI score: 390.66
  • Northwest Territories, Overall CSI score: 427.88

What Does The Crime Severity Index Measure? 

The top safest cities in Canada, according to the Crime Severity Index, are given above. The Crime Severity Index (CSI) measures changes in the severity of crime in Canada on a yearly basis. Every crime is assigned a weight based on its seriousness, which is determined by the actual sentences handed down by courts across all provinces and territories. More serious crimes obtain higher weights, which implies that they have a more significant impact on the Index, while less serious offenses obtain lower weights. 

The CSI can be further broken down into two major categories: 

  • Violent Crime Severity Index

It includes all violent violations reported in the Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. Examples include uttering threats, criminal harassment, forcible confinement, etc. 

  • Non-Violent Crime Severity Index  

It encompasses all non-violent Criminal Code violations, including traffic offenses, drug violations, and violations of all Federal Statutes. 

Note: The CSI primarily considers crimes in Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) in Canada. A CMA is formed by one/ more adjacent municipalities around a population center. Moreover, a CMA should have a total population of a minimum of 100,000, of which 50,000 or more must live in the core.  

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