Montreal

Is Montreal safe?

Montreal is a low-crime city by North American standards. Statistics Canada counts 52 homicides across the metro area in 2025, a rate of 1.12 per 100,000, close to its 2021 level and lower than New York. The Toronto area was a little lower still, at 0.91 (see our Toronto page). Most visitors spend their time in Old Montreal, downtown and the Plateau, where serious crime is uncommon.

Two things make the city less comfortable than the numbers suggest. One is a run of shootings tied to organised crime and street gangs that peaked in 2021. The other is the weather: Montreal's winter is long, icy and cold. We score Montreal 82.

Are the shootings getting worse?

Not in the latest data. Montreal's police service (SPVM) said in its 2025 annual report that 31 murders were committed on the island, the same number as in each of the two years before, and attempted murders fell 25% to 63. Firearm offences fell 24% to 344. Homicides, attempted murders and gun discharges combined were 55% below the 2021 peak.

The violence is real, but most of it is aimed at rivals, and it happens mainly in residential districts rather than the tourist centre. A visitor's chance of being caught up in one is very small. The violent crime severity index tells the more nuanced story: at 92 in 2025, it is close to the Canadian average and well above Toronto's 72, partly because of these attempted killings and gun offences.

Theft and car crime

Montreal's property crime is below the Canadian average: the non-violent crime severity index was 50 in 2025, about the same as Toronto and well below Vancouver. Police recorded just under 60,000 property crimes, down 4.2% on 2024.

The city has had a car theft problem. SPVM counted 6,667 vehicle thefts in 2025, down 24% in a year. Thefts from vehicles are the more likely problem for a visitor with a rental: the city's open data show about 8,000 a year, with the most in the two downtown police districts (PDQ 20 and 21). Park in a staffed garage and keep the car empty.

Pickpocketing is not a big issue. Still, keep an eye on your phone in crowded metro cars, at the big summer festivals and on busy terraces.

Getting around safely

SPVM counted 29 road deaths in 2025, about the average of the past five years. That is about 1.4 per 100,000 people on the island, a good record by North American standards. But 18 of the 29 dead were pedestrians. Drivers in Quebec may not turn right on a red light on the island of Montreal, which helps, but watch for turning trucks and cars at big intersections, and use crossings with signals.

The bike network is extensive, including the REV express lanes. Cycle in the protected lanes where you can, and avoid riding in winter unless you are used to ice.

The metro is safe and simple to use. At night, the area around a few downtown stations, where homeless people shelter, can feel tense. It is uncomfortable rather than dangerous.

Winter, smoke and other hazards

Montreal's winters are the main natural hazard. From November to April, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns of frequent winter storms in Canada, including freezing rain and blizzards. Temperatures often drop below -20 °C with wind chill in January. In practice, the risks are slipping on icy pavements, frostbite on exposed skin and ice falling from roofs in a thaw. Keep away from pavements fenced off below roofs with ice.

Summers are humid and hot, and wildfire smoke has become a regular problem. The city's air monitoring network recorded 27 poor air quality days in 2025, 14 of them smog days, 13 caused by wildfire smoke from western Canada. In winter, wood stoves add fine particlesPM2.5Tiny airborne particles 2.5 micrometres across or smaller. They reach deep into the lungs and are the air pollutant most linked to early death.More in the glossary; the city now restricts wood heating. Tap water is safe.

Earthquakes are a smaller but real risk. Montreal sits in the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, where Natural Resources Canada records a small earthquake every five days on average. A magnitude 5.8 quake caused significant damage in the city in 1732.

How to stay safe

• Stay downtown, in Old Montreal or on the Plateau, close to a metro station.
• In winter, wear boots with good grip, a hat and gloves, and check the forecast for freezing rain.
• On wildfire smoke days, check the city's air quality index and limit time outdoors if you have asthma or heart problems.
• Carry travel insurance: visitors pay full cost at Quebec hospitals, and emergency waits can be long.

For entry rules and the rest of the country, see our Canada page.

How we scored it

Traffic safety (88) and violent crime (86) are Montreal's strongest factors, with a low homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary and shootings falling since 2021. Theft (76) is held down by car crime, and walking at night (79) reflects a few downtown corners rather than the city as a whole. Natural hazards (78) score lowest because of the long, icy winters, wildfire smoke and a moderate earthquake risk.