Canada

Is Canada safe to visit?

Yes. Canada had 1.91 homicides per 100,000Homicide 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 people in 2024, according to Statistics Canada, about a third of the US rate. It ranks 14th of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, and the US State Department keeps it at Level 1, its lowest advisory.

What makes Canada risky is its size and its weather. Wildfires now burn millions of hectares most summers, winter roads close for days, and in much of the country the nearest hospital can be hours away. We score it 84, above the United States (73) and a little below the United Kingdom (88).

Wildfires and smoke

Fire is now a regular part of a Canadian summer. The 2023 season was the worst on record, and 2025 was the second worst: by 11 August more than 7.3 million hectares had burned, more than double the 10-year average for that point in the season, with Saskatchewan and Manitoba accounting for over half. Fires can start at any time of year, but 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 singles out the grasslands and forests of western Canada and the forests of Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia in summer.

For a visitor, the direct danger is small and the disruption is large. Highways close with little notice, towns are evacuated, and smoke can blanket cities far from the flames. Check the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System for active fires, watch the Air Quality Health Index if you have asthma or a heart condition, and keep flexible bookings in July and August in the Rockies and the Okanagan.

Driving, distance and winter

Transport Canada counted 1,964 road deaths in 2023, the highest number in a decade but still 4.9 per 100,000 people, much safer than the US at about 11. A third of drivers killed were not wearing a seatbelt.

The risks a visitor faces are specific. Moose and deer cause serious crashes on rural highways, especially at dawn and dusk in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and northern Ontario. In winter, snowstorms and avalanches close mountain passes in Alberta and British Columbia, and freezing rain makes even main roads treacherous. Distances are long: gas stations and phone signal can vanish for stretches of 200 km or more in the north. Some provinces allow a right turn on a red light and some, including the island of Montreal, do not.

Bears, cold water and the backcountry

Canada's national parks are its biggest draw and the place where most visitors take real risks. Black bears and grizzlies live across the Rockies, and Parks Canada closes trails when bears are active nearby. Carry bear spray on any hike in bear country, travel in groups and keep food sealed. Avalanches kill skiers and snowmobilers in British Columbia and Alberta every winter; check Avalanche Canada's forecast before going off-piste.

Lakes and rivers stay cold even in summer, and cold-water shock catches out swimmers and canoeists. In the Arctic, 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 that medical help and search and rescue are limited.

Crime in the cities

Most crime against visitors is opportunistic. The US State Department lists purse snatching, pickpocketing and car break-ins as the usual problems, mostly in busy tourist areas. Thieves target rental cars with luggage on show, at trailheads as well as in downtown car parks. Some central districts, such as parts of downtown Vancouver, have visible drug use and homelessness; they are more unsettling than dangerous for visitors, but keep your phone out of reach and stay on busy streets at night. Our Toronto page covers the country's largest city in more detail.

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 says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Canada. The deadliest recent one it lists is a 2021 vehicle attack in London, Ontario that killed four members of one family.

Healthcare costs

Canadian hospitals are good, but public healthcare covers residents only. 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 that treatment can be very expensive and that British visitors get no special arrangements, so buy travel insurance with medical and evacuation cover. Emergency rooms can have long waits for non-urgent cases; walk-in clinics are faster for minor problems. Ticks carrying Lyme disease are spreading north, so check yourself after walking in long grass in southern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

How to stay safe in Canada

• Check provincial road reports and the wildfire map before every long drive, and keep a full tank in remote areas.
• Rent a car with winter tyres from November to April, and carry blankets, food and water.
• Carry bear spray in the Rockies, and know how to use it before you need it.
• Leave nothing visible in a parked car, including at trailheads.
• Do not take cannabis across the border in either direction.
• Call 911 for police, fire or ambulance anywhere in the country.

How we scored it

Health (88), violent crime (87) and conflict (87) are strong. Natural hazards (78) and petty crime (78) are the weakest factors, driven by the scale of recent wildfire seasons and car break-ins in tourist areas. Road safety (82) is good by world standards, though winter and wildlife make rural driving harder than the national rate suggests.