Canada’s Most Dangerous Cities 2022
Oh, Canada… the True North is strong and free! Indeed, our great northern nation of Canada is known as one of the safest countries in the world. But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely free from crime and violence.
In fact, according to a recent 2020 study by Statistics Canada, all measures of the country’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) marked an increase for the 5th successive year. This is most notably due to a 20% increase in reports of uttered threats, a 46% increase in reports of child pornography, an 11% increase in reports of shoplifting of under $5,000, and an 8% increase in reports of mischief.
According to the Global Peace Index, Canada is the world’s sixth safest country, a position it has held since 2019. Internal disputes, crime rates, and political stability all scored high marks for Canada.
The Crime Severity Index tracks trends and changes in the severity of the police-reported crime, including the amount of crime reported in certain jurisdictions and the relative severity of those crimes. Overall, less severe crimes are rated lower, while more severe crimes are ranked higher.
Still, this leaves us wondering: Where exactly is Canada’s worst hotspot for crime and violent offences?
Timmins, Ontario
Timmins, located in east-central Ontario on the Mattagami River, has been producing gold for more than a century, according to Immigration Timmins. Timmins (population 42,650) is known as “The City with a Heart of Gold” because of its abundance of gold. According to Britannica, it is also the hometown of country singer Shania Twain. But, like any good country song, it’s had its share of problems, placing at No. 10 on Maclean’s list of the world’s most hazardous locations. In 2021 Timmins was ranked 155th out of 400 cities examined, up 70 points from 2020.
Williams Lake, British Columbia
Lovely Fishing, river rafting, skiing, and dog sledding, among other outdoor activities, are popular at Williams Lake, which is located in south-central British Columbia. Unfortunately, Williams Lake has created a name for itself by being ranked ninth on Maclean’s top ten unsafe locations list. The only city on the list to witness a decline in violent crime in 2020 was Williams Lake. Its yearly rate of violent crime decreased by 217 percent.
Selkirk, Manitoba
Both homicide and assault rates have risen in Selkirk, Manitoba, “where it all comes together,” in recent years. With a population of 10,575, Selkirk, located just east of Winnipeg, is a top ten competitor on the Maclean’s Crime Severity Index, jumping from 11th to seventh.
Wetaskiwin, Alberta
The city of Wetaskiwin gets its name from a Cree term that means “peace hills.” The central Alberta city of 12,895 people is touted on Wetaskiwin.ca as a “safe, connected, and welcoming community,” distant from the noise and dirt of Edmonton, the nearest large metropolis. Wetaskiwin was ranked sixth on Maclean’s list of the world’s most dangerous cities in Canada in 2022.
Prince Albert
The third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Prince Albert (population 37,578), is named after Queen Victoria’s husband. For years, Prince Albert has been among Maclean’s top ten most dangerous cities in Canada in 2022, and it was ranked fourth in the 2020 study.
Thompson, Manitoba
You’ll find Thompson, Manitoba, located about 653 km north of Winnipeg.
While you would probably suspect a small city in Manitoba’s northern reaches, with a population of no more than 14,000 citizens, to be quaint and peaceful, Thompson was recently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in Canada 2022 for the third year in a row. Thompson hit the number one spot mainly due to its high rate of violent crimes. The Violent CSI for the city was rated at 570 in 2020, compared to the national city average of only 82.44. This number marks a 111% increase over the past five years.
Canada’s Overall Crime Severity Index (CSI)
While the figures make it one of the most dangerous cities in Canada in 2022, we should also note that Thompson came in second place in terms of its Overall Crime Severity Index rating. In this category, Thompson only scored a CSI of 366, compared to North Battleford, Saskatchewan, which holds first place with an Overall CSI of 385.
With that said, both cities scored nearly 5x higher than Canada’s overall average of only 75.01.
Thompson also ranked far higher than the national average in several other areas, such as:
- Sexual CSI assault rates for Thompson came in at 339.32, compared to a national average of 75.89.
- Firearm offences reached a CSI of 35.35, compared to the national average of 7.58.
- Cocaine trafficking reached a staggering CSI of 1,095.72, compared to Canada’s average of 190.49.
- Youth criminal activity in Thompson has a CSI of 445.36, compared to Canada’s average of 13.01.
- Thompson also has a homicide CSI of 21.21, compared to the national average of only 1.76.
Canada was recently ranked top in an international U.S. News & World Report study of the greatest countries, with flawless ratings for quality of life and social purpose.
In 2022, Canada ranked among the top ten safest countries in the world, thanks to its low crime rate. Women can come home from work at any time of day or night. Canada provides the safest environment for visitors, especially women travellers. Canada is running with a high immigration rate and recently announced Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024, in which 432,000 new immigrants will get a welcome environment by the Canadian government this year.
Visitors rated Canada well, with the country getting the top rank for safety in Berkshire Hathaway’s annual travel survey. Visitors find or considered Canada a good country to live in due to its various amazing qualities.
Canada Is Still One of the Safest Countries in the World
When you stack them up next to the national averages, the numbers from Thompson, Manitoba indeed are disturbingly high. But despite the high crime rates in this concentrated hotspot, Canada remains one of the safest places to live.
Canada made Forbes’ 2020 list of the top 10 safest countries in the world!
According to the Global Peace Index, Canada was ranked the 6th safest city in the world having gained points on political stability, crime rates, and internal conflicts. Canada is still one of the most sought-after countries for travellers and immigrants the world over. Whether you’re coming here as a worker, a student, or an immigrant, Canada welcomes you with open arms and gives you a chance to make a better life for yourself. The Canadian Government constantly launches various programs to help newcomers settle in and consider Canada their home. With a structured healthcare system, stable government, and a welcoming environment, Canada is surely a country that promotes safety and wellbeing.
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About the Author
Joel LaForest is a Research Analyst with Pardon Applications of Canada and the owner of The Hobo Marketing Co., specializing in writing about law, finance, health, and wealth. To see if you qualify for a Canadian Pardon, fill out the form below or contact Pardon Applications of Canada at 866-383-9744.83-9744.
