Is Ottawa a safe city?
Ottawa is one of Canada's safest large cities. Its overall crime rate is consistently below the national average, and most neighbourhoods — including the urban core — are considered safe for residents and tourists. As with any city of over a million people, there are pockets with higher incident rates, but Ottawa compares very favourably to other Canadian metros.
Crime Statistics Context
Statistics Canada publishes annual Crime Severity Index (CSI) data by city. Ottawa consistently ranks among the lower CSI scores of Canada's major cities — safer than cities like Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Thunder Bay, and generally comparable to Calgary and better than Montréal or Toronto on many metrics.
Ottawa Police Service also publishes annual reports showing trends across offence categories. Property crime (auto theft, break-and-enter) fluctuates but violent crime rates remain relatively low for a city of Ottawa's size.
Safest Neighbourhoods
Ottawa's safest neighbourhoods tend to be its suburban communities:
- Kanata — consistently very low crime
- Barrhaven — family suburb with minimal street crime
- Orleans — east Ottawa, safe and family-oriented
- Westboro — urban but very safe
- Stittsville — quiet exurban community
Areas to Be Aware Of
Like any city, some areas have higher property crime or after-hours activity:
- Vanier — historically higher crime; improving but still worth awareness
- Downtown/ByWard Market late at night — the entertainment district has the noise and minor incidents typical of any urban bar district
- Rideau/Lees area — mixed neighbourhood with occasional incidents
None of these areas are dangerous in a Canadian context — just be aware and exercise normal urban caution.
Safety for Tourists
Ottawa is an excellent tourist destination from a safety standpoint. The main tourist zones — Parliament Hill, the ByWard Market, Major's Hill Park, the Canal — are well-patrolled and generally very safe. Pickpocketing in crowds is the most common tourist concern, as in any busy city.
Emergency Services
Ottawa is well-served by police (Ottawa Police Service), fire (Ottawa Fire Services), and paramedics (Ottawa Paramedic Service). Emergency response times in the urban core are generally fast. The Ottawa Hospital system (Civic, General, Heart Institute) provides world-class emergency medical care.
For more on life in Ottawa, visit our homepage or explore things to do in Ottawa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ottawa safer than Toronto? By most crime metrics, yes. Ottawa has a lower Crime Severity Index than Toronto. Ottawa's suburbs in particular are very safe by any Canadian standard.
Is it safe to walk in Ottawa at night? In most urban core neighbourhoods — Centretown, the Glebe, Westboro, Sandy Hill — yes. The ByWard Market on weekend nights has more activity and noise but is generally safe. Exercise normal urban awareness.
What is the safest suburb in Ottawa? Kanata, Barrhaven, and Stittsville consistently report the lowest crime rates in the Ottawa area.
Does Ottawa have a homeless or street population? Yes — like all Canadian cities, Ottawa has a visible homeless population, particularly around the Rideau Street and downtown core. The City and community organizations operate shelters and outreach programs.
