Is Toronto safe?
Safe for a large city, with normal care. Petty theft and some downtown street disorder are the main issues.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 1: Exercise normal precautions, updated 2025-06-10.
- Homicide rate in Canada: 2.0 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Canada: 5.3 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 911 · Ambulance 911 · Fire 911 · All emergencies 911.
Safety in Toronto at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Phone and bag theft, bike theft, car break-ins, and occasional random violence on transit and around some downtown stations. |
| At night | Main streets are busy until 2 am. Use Uber after the subway closes (about 1:30 am) and stay on lit streets. |
| Solo women | Generally comfortable for solo women. Use rideshare late, watch drinks in clubs and sit near the driver or in the designated waiting area on the subway. |
| Other risks | Winter ice and -20°C cold snaps; Heat and humidity waves in July; Summer wildfire smoke episodes |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Fake charity or petition collectors asking for card details
- Unlicensed taxis offering rides at airport arrivals
- Rental listings asking for deposits before a viewing
Take care
- Dundas Square and Yonge-Dundas late at night: drunk fights, aggressive panhandling
- Some subway stations and platforms late at night
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Cannabis is legal domestically, but carrying it across the international border is a serious crime.
- Drinking age is 18 or 19 depending on province; open alcohol in public is mostly illegal.
- Holding a phone while driving brings heavy fines in every province.
How Toronto compares in Canada
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Banff | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Quebec City | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Whistler | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Ottawa | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Victoria | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Jasper | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Tofino | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Mont-Tremblant | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Prince Edward Island | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Toronto | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Vancouver | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Montreal | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Niagara Falls | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Calgary | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Halifax | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Edmonton | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kelowna | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Yellowknife | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
Quick answers
Is Toronto safe for solo female travelers?
Generally comfortable for solo women. Use rideshare late, watch drinks in clubs and sit near the driver or in the designated waiting area on the subway.
Is Toronto safe at night?
Main streets are busy until 2 am. Use Uber after the subway closes (about 1:30 am) and stay on lit streets.
What is the crime rate in Toronto?
Phone and bag theft, bike theft, car break-ins, and occasional random violence on transit and around some downtown stations. Nationally, Canada records 2.0 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Toronto?
Police 911 · Ambulance 911 · Fire 911 · All emergencies 911.
More about Toronto
Going to Toronto solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Toronto meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- TTC
- Toronto Pearson Airport
- UP Express
- Bike Share Toronto
- City of Toronto
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.