Canada : Safety by City
- Abbotsford
- Brampton
- Burnaby
- Calgary
- Coquitlam
- Edmonton
- Halifax
- Hamilton
- Kelowna
- Kitchener
- Mississauga
- Montreal
- Nanaimo
- Niagara Falls
- Oshawa
- Ottawa
- Quebec City
- Red Deer
- Regina
- Saskatoon
- Thunder Bay
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Windsor
- Winnipeg
Montreal is the second-most populous city in Canada which is named after Mount Royal, the hill in the heart of the city with Mount Royal Park, one of Montreal’s major greenspaces.
It is full of culture and history and the French influence is noticeable at first sight.
What characterizes this city are 50 National Historic Sites of Canada, more than any other city.
It is well known for its attractive architecture, parks, theaters, restaurants, and many summer festivals such as Just for Laughs, Montreal World Film Festival, Nuits d’Afrique, and the Montreal Fireworks Festival.
The city is Canada’s center for television and film productions, radio and theatre, thus it is often referred to as Canada’s Cultural Capital.
Some inevitable attractions are Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, the Notre-Dame de Montréal Basilica, Pointe-à-Callière Museum, and many others.
Warnings & Dangers in Montreal
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Montreal is considered a very safe city, but it is not the safest one in Canada. Tourists need to be watchful and pay attention to the suspicious people around them to avoid any kind of unpleasant situations while in Montreal.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
Even though the STM transit system in Montreal is one of the safest in the world, accidents can occur daily. When in buses and public transport, tourists should carry their possessions close to them. Pedestrians should cross the street at the crossroads and respect traffic lights.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpocket reports in Montreal are usually from the city’s restaurants and cafes, where thieves just grab money from pockets or purses. You should have your valuables close to you and keep an eye on them.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Due to the weather conditions, flooding is possible in spring, while ice storms can happen during winter in Montreal. The citizens are well prepared in case of an earthquake which is possible to happen here.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
In some urban areas in Montreal, the possible risk of kidnapping and mugging exists, so tourists are advised not to walk through certain risky zones, especially after midnight.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Recent terrorist attacks on crowded places in Europe make every country feel at danger and prepare the city for possible attacks. However, the threat is unlikely.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Scam risks in Montreal are unlikely and very rare. However, safety precautions are always advisable.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
When female tourists are in question, an interesting fact is that the STM offers a "between stops" service. This means that if a bus driver considers that certain bus stop is dangerous for a woman that is traveling alone at night, he/she can offer her to get off the bus between two regular bus stops. All in all, women are generally safe in Montreal.
So... How Safe Is Montreal Really?
This historic and cultural center of Canada attracts tourists worldwide and proves its nickname The Paris of Canada.
Downtown is full of restaurants and shops, luxury hotels, museums, and galleries.
One of its main attractions is Parc Lafontaine and St. Michael and St. Andrew’s church.
Nowadays, the crime rate in Montreal has declined and it makes it an ideal destination for tourists.
Montreal people, who are very friendly and helpful, just add to its beauty and attractiveness.
The major crime acts are not common in Montreal, and violence rates are very low.
However, some petty crimes and theft are frequent as in any other major city, so tourists should keep an eye on their valuables.
Some zones have a bad reputation due to drug addicts and prostitution.
Gangs are reported to function around Notre Dame Quest and Wellington Street.
Montreal makes an excellent tourist destination and travelers should not be worried about possible dangers, but enjoy its culinary, cultural, historical, and architectural beauties, since Montreal, as well as the whole Canada, is an extremely safe place.
How Does Montreal Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Montreal | 81 |
| Toronto | 81 |
| Vancouver | 82 |
| Calgary | 82 |
| Niagara Falls | 87 |
| Quebec City | 85 |
| Ottawa | 83 |
| Vienna (Austria) | 88 |
| Manama (Bahrain) | 54 |
| Brussels (Belgium) | 60 |
| Belize City (Belize) | 37 |
| La Paz (Bolivia) | 52 |
| Sao Paulo (Brazil) | 45 |
Useful Information
Visas
A visa to enter Canada for tourists that stay less than 180 days is not obligatory for certain nationalities and that can be checked online. Tourists must have an Electronic Travel Authorization which can also be found online.
Currency
The official currency in Canada is the Canadian dollar, which is sometimes referred to as the loonie. Other currencies should be exchanged to the Canadian dollar only in banks and exchange offices. Canada is considered cheap for less than $100 is enough for daily costs.
Weather
Montreal has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold, snowy and windy winters. Temperatures in July can be 30 °C, while January is often snowy with temperatures even below −30 ° and very cold wind. However, Montreal lies at the confluence of several climatic regions and climate changes are very often and common.
Airports
Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is located 20km away from Montreal's city center, which takes 45 minutes by car. All international flights, not only to Montreal but to other major cities in Canada, arrive at this airport. Some other minor airports are Montréal/Aéroparc Île Perrot and Montréal/Les Cèdres Airport.
Travel Insurance
The visitors to Canada should purchase travel insurance before their arrival in Canada to feel protected in case of unexpected health problems, luggage loss or theft.
Montreal Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | -4 | -3 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 13 | 7 | -1 |
| Low °C | -12 | -11 | -6 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 0 | -8 |
| High °F | 25 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 63 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 55 | 45 | 30 |
| Low °F | 10 | 12 | 21 | 34 | 46 | 59 | 63 | 63 | 55 | 43 | 32 | 18 |
Canada - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Abbotsford | 83 |
| Brampton | 82 |
| Burnaby | 65 |
| Calgary | 82 |
| Coquitlam | 86 |
| Edmonton | 86 |
| Halifax | 79 |
| Hamilton | 76 |
| Kelowna | 76 |
| Kitchener | 75 |
| Mississauga | 85 |
| Montreal | 81 |
| Nanaimo | 32 |
| Niagara Falls | 87 |
| Oshawa | 42 |
| Ottawa | 83 |
| Quebec City | 85 |
| Red Deer | 32 |
| Regina | 74 |
| Saskatoon | 73 |
| Thunder Bay | 65 |
| Toronto | 81 |
| Vancouver | 82 |
| Victoria | 82 |
| Windsor | 81 |
| Winnipeg | 77 |
Notre dame west and Wellington street do not have gangs
Never heard that Notre Dame and or Wellington street were gang hot spots. Both are vibrant with shops and restaurants. Always felt safe in those areas.
Would you please add timestamp for this article ? Things always change.
Where did you get your info
“The citizens are well prepared in case of an earthquake which is possible to happen here.” That one is wrong but be careful about snow storm
“the possible risk of kidnapping and mugging exists, so tourists are advised not to walk through certain risky zones, especially after midnight.”
Kidnapping ? Really? Who?
Surely Richard Cross but no one since … it’s full of errors! Earthquakes lol
Elegant (and safe) Montreal
I think a greater danger to tourists than the “gangs’ of Montreal is the appalling grammar used by the creators of this site. So, in addition to a fact checker, you need an editor!
The only real areas where crime happens are in Saint Henry and the East End, both of which are boing and rather useless places to go to as a tourist. Other than that, the Greater Montreal Area as a whole is pretty safe. As for tourist areas I would definetly recommend the usuall places you hear of such as Mount Royal, the Olympic Park, the Old Port, Jean Drapeau Park and La Ronde, etc., as well as a few lesser known places such as Cap-Saint Jacques and Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue.
As a montrealer, Montreal is a really safe city.
The worst thing if you stay close to tourists places that risk to happen is noisy homeless peoples, but most of them, even if they make look like troublemakers, aren’t really looking for trouble. There is also less of them in my opinion and from my travels than in Vancouver and in Toronto.
Neiborhoods to avoid alone at night (at least in the east) are Hochelaga-Maisoneuve (knowed for some rare mugging) and Montreal-North, that had a raise in gang activity and shootings in the past decade due to gang wars.
Risk of kidnapping?? I’ve never heard of tourists being kidnapped in Montréal, this is completely ridiculous.
Great safe city
I’ve been living in Montreal for 5 years (I’m from a small town 2 hours away) and I always feel safe. It’s a great city with all 4 seasons. Winters are cold and too long but you get used to it. The only real natural risk here in my opinion is snow storms (like in all of Quebec). They happen every winter and make the roads and sidewalks dangerous.
Great city
I am an American who lives 1.5 hours from Montreal. I have visited frequently over the past 40 years and have never had a negative experience. The people are friendly, helpful and accommodating. I love Montreal and look forward to returning once travel restrictions are lifted.
Safe place, avoid winter
We don’t have earthquakes more than the equivalent of a passing truck on the street and we aren’t “prepared” for them as such. The city is full of festivals and activities in the summer which are fun and safe. The winter months are challenging but we are prepared for 20cm+ snow storms – don’t come here in January-March, go skiiing in the Laurentians nearby. Sidewalks can be very skippy and dangerous in icy weather. Traffic is hard in the summer due to tons of roadwork and detours, so take the metro as much as you can.
I visited Montreal back in 2008. My brother went into a night club. I refused to stand in line for an hour so I walked around for about 2 hours. That was before I retired as a Police Officer (Virginia, USA). Even as an Officer, I walked everywhere and never, never felt uncomfortable. I found it strange that I didn’t have any safety concerns AT ALL. So I walked down alleys, dark streets. Nothing. I was amazed. Probably due to the violence that is common in the USA. During the day, the people were unbelievably nice. I’m a bigger than average man of color. Every time I entered my hotel elevator, people smiled and engaged me in conversation. One day I entered the elevator and a very petite elderly lady was standing there. I smiled so as not to make her feel uncomfortable. That happens a lot in the States. I was happily surprised when she smiled back and initiated a conversation. I fell in love with Montreal. The people. The culture. If I could I would move there permanently.
An Adventure For The Young in Mind or Body
Montreal was always clean, aesthetically pleasing, with a grid system of streets that made navigating much easier-intuitively.. Considered a “ jewel” among North American cities. Then the real estate boom hit. It’s noisy with the sound of construction and the ease of navigation is confused by closed streets and detours that confuse. It’s hard to enjoy the city landscape without construction towers and machinery marring your view.
Nonetheless, an exciting city with all the entertainment – and vices!- of a larger city, and without the threat associated with larger cities. I definitely
Recommend it for the 50 yo and under crowd, more than a retirement age crowd, unless you have a professional guide organizing your trip.
We had our car stolen at the paid parking lot recommended by the hotel nearby Notre Dame.
A professional and tech-savvy gang has been operating a scheme that is stealing SUVs and Pickups. Even the police were hopeless in finding our car.
Montreal is not safe to travel AT ALL!
Use Caution when visiting La Ronde
Similar experience in 2015. Rental car broken into at La Ronde Amusement park. Nothing of great value was taken from the car, but the thieves found the hotel key for the room my daughter and her college friend were sharing, went to the hotel entered the room and stole computers, passports and jewelry. Although the there was hotel security footage of the two scumbags, the Montreal police did very little to pursue the issue. Consider the satellite parking lots around as La Ronde as poorly monitored, high risk break in targets. These guys are very organized and are watching.