Out of the top 10 safest cities in North America, six are located in Canada, as per the Numbeo's Current Safety Index by City 2026 ranking. The country continues to create safe, liveable, and inclusive communities. The impressive rankings reflect the country's reputation for low perceived crime, strong public services, and community well-being.
Canada is known for its high-quality education, publicly funded healthcare (subject to provincial/territorial eligibility and rules), stable economy, multicultural society, strong legal protections, excellent public infrastructure, etc. The Canadian cities with the highest safety rankings further strengthen Canada’s popularity as a preferred destination for international talent and families seeking permanent settlement.
The ranking from Numbeo's Current Safety Index by City uses crowdsourced information based on people's perceptions of crime and safety.
The index is updated continuously and incorporates data collected over the previous five years. Scores are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher safety scores indicating stronger perceptions of safety.
Factors considered include perceptions of:
Numbeo describes its Safety Index as essentially the inverse of its Crime Index.
Here are the first 10 Canadian cities in international safety rankings.
Ranked first, Quebec City is known for its low crime rates, peaceful neighborhoods, strong sense of community, and high-quality life. In addition to being the top among the safest cities in Canada, cultural richness and a friendly environment all make Quebec an attractive destination for newcomers. It has a safety index of 77.7.
Burlington, ranked second in Numbeo's Current Safety Index by City in North America with a safety index of 71.4, is one of the safest places to settle in Canada. The excellent schools, employment opportunities, quality of life, and safe residential communities are other factors turning Burlington a favorite place for immigrants and skilled workers.
Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, is ranked third with a safety index of 69.3. Along with high safety, the city is noted for its diverse communities, reliable infrastructure, and high standard of living.
Montreal ranks fourth among the safest major cities in North America. Montreal is not only preferred for its safety and low crime rates but also recognized for its top-quality universities, technology sector, and affordable living.
Guelph is ranked fifth and is renowned for its welcoming community, clean environment, and excellent quality of life. The city appeals to students, families, and professionals for its educational institutions and employment opportunities and safe neighborhoods.
Taking the 9th place, this Canadian city has a strong economy and huge employment opportunities in the industries of energy, technology, finance, and healthcare, along with safe communities and low crime rates.
The welcoming communities, growing economy, and vast opportunities in healthcare, education, technology, and business, along with a safe and comfortable environment, have placed Halifax in the 12th rank.
Victoria is known for high standards of living, safety, a mild climate, excellent public services, and educational opportunities. Ranked 13th, it is a preferred choice for families, students, and professionals.
Kingston is a small city with safe neighborhoods and strong community connections and is ranked 14th in the North American rank.
Vancouver is one of the largest cities in Canada and is ranked as the 17th safest city in North America. The city is popular for world-class education institutions, a strong economy, and diverse communities
Canada’s strong performance in the latest safety rankings adds another reason to consider the country for work, study, family settlement, or permanent residence. The rankings also show that newcomers do not have to limit themselves to Canada’s largest metropolitan areas. Cities such as Quebec City, Burlington, Guelph, Calgary, Halifax, and Victoria provide alternatives to the traditional newcomer destinations of Toronto and Vancouver. This can give immigrants more options when balancing factors such as lifestyle, employment opportunities, housing, and community.
Safety is only one factor when choosing a Canadian city, but it can be especially important for international students, skilled workers, families, and new immigrants. Prospective immigrants, along with considering the safety ranking, must also consider housing costs, employment opportunities, wages, transportation, education, healthcare access, climate, and Canada immigration pathways, which can be equally important.
Canada has once again demonstrated strong results in perceptions of urban safety. Canada offers different promising places to live, work, and study. For people planning their future in Canada, the safety rankings provide useful information when comparing potential destinations. Ultimately, the best city to live in depends on an individual's priorities.
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Read to know: How to Get a Canadian Permanent Residency with a low CRS Score?
Safety is an important factor for newcomers when choosing a city to live, work, study, or raise a family. Hence, safety rankings can provide a useful insight when evaluating potential destinations.
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada ranked first in the North American safety rankings, with a safety index of 77.7.
The Numbeo Safety Index is a crowdsourced measure based on people's perceptions of crime and safety in cities. A higher score indicates a higher perceived level of safety.
Many of the cities can be attractive to international students because safety is an important consideration when choosing a study destination. Students should consider factors such as tuition fees, programs, housing and employment opportunities along with safety.
No, newcomers must also look into employment opportunities, housing costs, education, transportation, healthcare, climate, community support and available immigration pathways.
According to the 2026 Numbeo's Current Safety Index by City ranking, Quebec City, Burlington, Ottawa, Montreal, and Guelph occupied the top five positions in North America.
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