Toronto Crime in 2024: Neighbourhood Rates, Auto Theft and Trends

Toronto recorded roughly 196,000 reported crimes in 2024, a 3.2 per cent increase from 2023, according to the figures compiled in this overview. Property crime rose 5.8 per cent year over year and violent crime rose 1.4 per cent. Auto theft increased 23 per cent across the Greater Toronto Area.

Note: the original version of this article did not name a source for its figures. The neighbourhood rates below also appear to be measured differently from the citywide rate, so they should not be compared directly. Readers looking for official numbers should consult Toronto Police Service public data.

Neighbourhoods with the lowest rates

The following neighbourhoods had the lowest rates listed in this overview:

• Forest Hill: 2.1 crimes per 1,000 residents. Most incidents involved minor theft.
• Rosedale: 2.8 crimes per 1,000 residents.
• Lawrence Park: 3.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
• The Beaches: 3.4 crimes per 1,000 residents. Most incidents involved bicycle theft or minor property offences.

Neighbourhoods with the highest rates

• Moss Park: 47.2 crimes per 1,000 residents, the highest listed. Property crime and drug-related offences made up most of the total.
• Regent Park: 31.8 crimes per 1,000 residents. Violent crime fell 8 per cent from 2023.
• Jane and Finch: 28.4 crimes per 1,000 residents. Gun violence was the area's most persistent problem.
• Parkdale: 24.7 crimes per 1,000 residents. Property crime was the main category.

Trends by area

Downtown core

• Commercial break-ins rose 12 per cent.
• Assaults on weekend evenings rose 15 per cent.
• Theft under $5,000 rose 18 per cent. Tourists and commuters were the most frequent targets.

The area bounded by Spadina Avenue, Bloor Street, Parliament Street and Lake Ontario accounted for 31 per cent of the city's violent crime while covering 8 per cent of its land area.

Midtown

In areas including Yonge and Eglinton, North York Centre and Scarborough Town Centre:

• Auto theft rose 31 per cent.
• Residential break-ins fell 7 per cent.
• Fraud and identity theft rose 22 per cent, and elderly residents were disproportionately targeted.

Suburban areas

In residential parts of Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough:

• Package theft rose 45 per cent.
• Catalytic converter theft rose 67 per cent.
• Youth-related mischief rose 19 per cent.

Outside downtown, violent incidents clustered around shopping centres, transit stations, schools, community centres and housing complexes.

Domestic violence

Domestic violence calls rose 6 per cent citywide. The highest rates were:

• Scarborough: 12.3 incidents per 1,000 households
• North York: 10.7 per 1,000 households
• Etobicoke: 9.4 per 1,000 households

Property crime

Auto theft

The highest-risk areas for vehicle theft were:

• The Markham Road and Highway 401 corridor
• The Don Mills and Sheppard area
• Neighbourhoods along the Mississauga border

The most frequently targeted vehicles were the Honda CR-V and Civic, the Toyota Highlander and RAV4, and the Lexus RX series.

Break-ins and bicycle theft

Residential break-ins peaked in December and during the summer vacation months. The highest rates were in:

• Willowdale: 4.2 per 1,000 homes
• Scarborough Village: 3.8 per 1,000 homes
• Etobicoke Centre: 3.5 per 1,000 homes

More than 4,200 bicycle thefts were reported. They were concentrated near university campuses, transit stations and waterfront cycling routes.

How Toronto compares

Toronto's overall rate was 65.4 incidents per 1,000 residents. Other cities listed:

• Quebec City: 48.7
• Ottawa: 52.1
• Halifax: 71.2
• Vancouver: 78.3
• Winnipeg: 112.4

Toronto's violent crime rate was 8.7 per 1,000 residents. That compares with 18.2 in Winnipeg, 15.4 in Saskatoon, 5.1 in Ottawa and 4.3 in Quebec City.

Other patterns reported

• Neighbourhoods with unemployment above 12 per cent reported 34 per cent more property crime than the city average.
• Neighbourhoods within 500 metres of subway stations recorded 18 per cent more crime overall. Most of it was property crime.
• Property crime rose near major condo construction sites during active building phases.
• Neighbourhoods with active watch programs had 23 per cent fewer break-ins and 31 per cent less vandalism than comparable areas.
• Neighbourhoods with youth programs had 28 per cent fewer youth-related crimes and 19 per cent less property damage.
• Business improvement areas that invested in coordinated security and street lighting saw theft fall 34 per cent and violent incidents fall 41 per cent.
• Online scams and cryptocurrency fraud increased in 2024. Seniors and newcomers to Canada were hit hardest.

Seasonal patterns

• Spring: property crime rose 15 per cent, and bicycle thefts peaked in April and May.
• Summer: violent crime reached its annual high, especially on weekends, and auto theft peaked.
• Fall: break-ins, fraud attempts and early-evening street robberies increased.
• Winter: overall crime was 22 per cent below the summer peak, while commercial break-ins and domestic violence rose over the holidays.