Is Vancouver safe?
Safe for most visitors, with normal care. Property crime and visible drug use downtown are the main problems.
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 Vancouver at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Car break-ins, bike theft and phone snatching; the Downtown Eastside has visible addiction, homelessness and sometimes violent incidents. |
| At night | Central areas are lively until late. Use SkyTrain or Uber after midnight and avoid walking through Hastings Street at night. |
| Solo women | Generally comfortable for solo women. Use rideshare late, avoid Hastings Street at night and tell someone your plans for backcountry hikes. |
| Other risks | North Shore trails: fast weather change, rescue calls; Winter rain and slick forest trails; Summer wildfire smoke and drought restrictions |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Fake charity or petition collectors asking for card details
- Unlicensed rides offered at airport arrivals
- Rental listing deposits sent before viewing
Take care
- Downtown Eastside (Hastings St, Main St to Abbott): open drug use, avoid at night
- Granville Street entertainment strip late at night: fights, intoxication
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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver safe for solo female travelers?
Generally comfortable for solo women. Use rideshare late, avoid Hastings Street at night and tell someone your plans for backcountry hikes.
Is Vancouver safe at night?
Central areas are lively until late. Use SkyTrain or Uber after midnight and avoid walking through Hastings Street at night.
What is the crime rate in Vancouver?
Car break-ins, bike theft and phone snatching; the Downtown Eastside has visible addiction, homelessness and sometimes violent incidents. Nationally, Canada records 2.0 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Vancouver?
Police 911 · Ambulance 911 · Fire 911 · All emergencies 911.
More about Vancouver
Going to Vancouver solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Vancouver 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
- TransLink
- Vancouver Airport (YVR)
- Vancouver Coastal Health
- Mobi Bike Share
- City of Vancouver
- 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.