You are planning a professional or tourist stay in Ontario in the Queen City and you are wondering about the dangerous neighborhoods in Toronto. Indeed, to choose your hotel or your rental, you want to avoid difficult areas and choose among the best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto.
So here is a guide that reveals which are the dangerous neighborhoods in Toronto in 2024 but also the best neighborhoods in the city. In addition, you will find a Google Map to better locate the best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto.
This article is based on statistics and rankings, data collected on economic media, in the local press and on forums. It is therefore a summary of data that does not include any prejudice or discrimination.
Toronto dangerous city in 2024?
Although Canadian cities are generally less criminal than large American cities (Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis, Chicago), some are unfortunately starting to catch up. In fact, for the past ten years, crime figures in Toronto have continued to increase.
See Figaro article: Toronto, crime capital of Canada or the newspaper article ledevoir.com which explains that the number of shootings or discharges of firearms increased by 60% between 2015 and 2020.
In recent years, violence and drug trafficking have continued to be a problem for the city of Toronto. This is what we can see by reading the article in Police Department of the City of Montreal or from FranceLive.fr: Five dead in shooting in suburban Toronto.
But what about today? Is Toronto a dangerous city in 2024?
NOT, even though Toronto has a higher crime rate than Montreal, Ottawa ou Vancouver, in 2024, it remains a city that cannot be described as dangerous. Indeed, according to the latest ranking from Numbeo.com, theToronto crime index is only 41.24.
This is a rate that is in the low average. On the table of 53 Most Criminal Cities in North America, Toronto is at the bottom of the table in 38nd position.
Why is Toronto becoming more criminal?
In recent years, Toronto has seen more violence and gun crime. This increase in insecurity in Toronto can be explained by the gang phenomenon that is developing in the city. There would be in particular the famous MS 13 which is one of the most dangerous gangs in the world. Suddenly, the war of gangs and territories develops in Toronto with all the violence it generates.
Is Toronto safe for tourists?
YES Toronto is a safe city but you always have to be careful.
Indeed, as we have just explained, the crime that exists in Toronto is mainly linked to gangs and various illegal trafficking. It is not directed directly against tourists and it is concentrated in areas where tourists have no interest in going.
As a result, tourists can serenely enjoy the tourist sites of Toronto, its good restaurants, its theatres, museums, art galleries and all its entertainment!
However, as in all tourist places, visitors can be victims of petty crimes (pickpockets, scams, theft of luggage or telephones).
On the other hand, to choose your hotel, it is preferable to avoid certain districts of Toronto to privilege a district close to the tourist sites.
Toronto Neighborhoods
The city of Toronto has almost 3 million inhabitants. It is the 4th most populated city in North America. It is a very sprawling city that also includes 15 small islands located on Lake Ontario about 1,5 kilometers south of downtown Toronto.
Toronto is divided into 6 major districts: York, East York, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and Old Toronto. To have the detail on all the districts, I invite you to consult the Toronto official website.
Regarding the main neighborhoods where to stay, we will limit ourselves to the center of Toronto (old Toronto) which is the part of the city where tourists and business people go.
Old Toronto includes:
- Toronto's main tourist attractions;
- The Financial District, Toronto's business district with its huge and beautiful skyscrapers;
- Historic residential neighborhoods like Old Yorkville Village, Rosedale, The Annex, Forest Hill, Lawrence Park, Lytton Park, Moore Park, and Casa Loma;
- More popular and poorer neighborhoods like St. James Town, Regents Park, Moss Park, Alexandra Park and Parkdale.
Map of Toronto neighborhoods
Here is a map to enlarge to identify the best areas and the neighborhoods to avoid in toronto which we will discuss below:
Dangerous neighborhoods in Toronto?
No, in the center of Toronto, there are no dangerous neighborhoods where tourists would risk their lives. But, according to many websites and forums, there are still a few neighborhoods to avoid in Toronto at night:
To form your own opinion, you can consult the crime maps on the Toronto Police official website.
Neighborhoods to avoid in Toronto
There are no dangerous neighborhoods in downtown Toronto but according to various classifications like areavibes.com, here are the neighborhoods to avoid in Toronto outside the center :
Click on the links to get their Google Maps location
- Parma Short
- Crescent Town
- Parkway Forest
- Main Square
- Scarborough
- Flemingdon Park
- Malvern
- yorkdale (article on Narcity)
- Black Creek
- Thorncliffe Park
- Oakridge
Best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto
Difficult to designate which are the best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto. Indeed, Toronto has many very pleasant neighborhoods where you can stay safely. But to choose the best neighborhood to stay in will depend on your tastes, your needs and your expectations. For example, for a family stay, the best neighborhood will be a quiet area, with gardens, parks, zoos, retail. But for a young bachelor, the best area will be a very lively place, with pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.
So, without choosing the best neighborhoods to stay, I will simply give you the list of the most popular or fashionable neighborhoods in 2022:
- Harbourfront : Quiet area and close to tourist sites
- Distillery : Preferred neighborhoods for accommodation in the historic city
- entertainment district : Tourist district with theatres, bars, entertainment and lively nightlife.
- Yorkville : Ideal district for a chic stay with luxury boutiques.
- Liberty Village et King West Village : Favorite neighborhoods of the LGBTQ community.
- The annex et Little Italy : Neighborhoods popular with students and for those who prefer nightlife, concerts and culture.
But you might rather spot the most interesting neighborhood for tourists visiting Toronto ?
Best area to stay in Toronto for tourists
To be the closest to the tourist sites and the biggest entertainment in Toronto, I recommend that you stay in the neighborhood entertainment district.
Entertainment District: Toronto's most touristic district
This is the ideal neighborhood to enjoy the best attractions and shows in Toronto:
- CN Tower
- Rogers Center
- Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
- Princess of Wales Theater
- Hockey Hall of Fame
- Bars, restaurants, nightclubs
Where is the Entertainment District located?
The entertainment district is located right in the center of old Toronto between the Financial District and the beautiful Harbourfront district along Lake Ontario. Its central location is ideal for easily exploring other tourist areas of Toronto.
Where to stay in the Entertainment District?
This is a very nice hotel with an excellent location in the ideal Entertainment District which adjoins the Harbourfront.
Indeed, it is 600 meters from the CN Tower and only 10 minutes walk from the beach, the aquarium, the Hokey hall of fame or Toronto Union station.
Where to stay cheap in Toronto?
If you are looking for a nice hotel well located in the center to visit Toronto and with a good value for money, here is the Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar.
How to visit Toronto?
For tourists looking for convenience, the best way to see Toronto's top sights is on a panoramic bus tour:
And for tourists who prefer the more interesting side of guided tours, here is how to discover the most emblematic sites of the city by bike:
I grew up in Toronto since the 1960s, I still wouldn't say all those areas should be avoided. But, you need to know where you are going, and what u are looking for, to avoid looking like a lost sitting duck, or getting lost, which is a big waste of time. There are still friendly people around to help. But by nightfall, you'd want yo be in the city center anyway, because that's where the action is. Maybe stay away from the subway line later at night, use cabs instead. Avoid east Scarborough, Regent Park, Jane/Finch, Eglinton far west and High Park at night and you should be ok.
Thank you very much for this useful information!
How is the whole of Scarborough dangerous? There are many parts of Scarborough that are safe.
Thank you for this information. Could you tell us which parts are safe? Thank you in advance and have a nice day.