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
Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta. It is famous for its beautiful river valley park system, the North Saskatchewan River Valley, which offers over 100 kilometers of recreational trails, wildlife viewing, and city views.
The river valley also contains many parks, including Fort Edmonton Park, Canada’s most significant historical park.
Also, travelers come here to visit West Edmonton Mall – the largest shopping mall in the Western Hemisphere.
On top of that, Edmonton has a vibrant theater community, a busy cycle of annual festivals, national sports teams active year-round, and excellent winter recreational opportunities.
Edmonton’s downtown is relatively eclectic, home to numerous Government of Alberta buildings as well as modern office towers
Warnings & Dangers in Edmonton
OVERALL RISK: LOW
The city is quite safe; there are no serious criminal incidents. It is necessary to adhere to common sense and not to walk in dangerous places at night.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
Taxi is safe, use it at night rides. Public transport is quite convenient and secure, but there are cases of pickpocketing.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpocketing cases are rare, but they do happen. Should be alert in crowded and tourist places.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Hazards in Edmonton can be from avalanches, earthquakes, floods, and landslides. Explore the news about these hazards before your visit.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
Cases of armed robbery do not often happen in Edmonton, but they do. Tourists should be careful and avoid political and other demonstrations.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
There were no severe terrorist attacks in the city, but there were threats, and there is a chance of attacks in the future.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Scam rarely happens. If you use common sense, you are unlikely to encounter fraud here.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Traveling women are generally safe in Edmonton. Be cautioned in public transport at night, and you'll be safe.
So... How Safe Is Edmonton Really?
Edmonton is enough safe place to visit.
The index of crime is moderate to low here.
And, compared to other North American cities, the town is safer.
Pick-pocketing and scams are almost non-existent in the city.
But, there are some areas where you should be more cautious.
In some parts of the city, such as the Inner City area, there are many homeless and low-income people.
In such places, it is safe during the day, but it may not be very safe at night.
Extortion, theft, or assault from drunk people are not uncommon here.
Try to avoid this area.
Another danger can be drunk people staggering late at night at the bars.
Be vigilant, and do not get involved in drunken fights.
Another danger in the city may be imperceptible ice in the cold season.
The so-called “black ice” is almost invisible on the road and is very dangerous when driving by car.
Explore traffic and weather conditions in advance.
The rest of the movement is quite calm and understandable, and the drivers are polite and follow the rules.
With that said, you shouldn’t have too many problems in most areas of the city.
While violent crimes do happen, they are most often crimes against other criminals and gangs.
How Does Edmonton Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Edmonton | 86 |
| Montreal | 81 |
| Toronto | 81 |
| Vancouver | 82 |
| Calgary | 82 |
| Niagara Falls | 87 |
| Quebec City | 85 |
| Sofia (Bulgaria) | 73 |
| Siem Reap (Cambodia) | 63 |
| Phnom Penh (Cambodia) | 61 |
| Santiago de Chile (Chile) | 71 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 70 |
| Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 60 |
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. A valid passport is a must.
Currency
The official currency in Canada is the Canadian dollar(It is often called "loonie"). The Canadian dollar has a symbol: $ and code: CAD. It is divided into 100 cents.
Weather
The best times to visit Edmonton for ideal weather are from June to October. Temperatures feel cold for about half of the year and otherwise nice with a very low chance of rain or snow throughout the year.
Airports
Edmonton International Airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of the Canadian province of Alberta. It is located 26 km from the city.
Travel Insurance
The travel insurance policy is a must when visiting a foreign country. Make sure you got it before starting your journey, the customs officer may ask for it.
Edmonton Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | -7 | -3 | 2 | 11 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 11 | 1 | -5 |
| Low °C | -16 | -13 | -8 | -1 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 0 | -8 | -14 |
| High °F | 19 | 27 | 36 | 52 | 64 | 70 | 73 | 72 | 63 | 52 | 34 | 23 |
| Low °F | 3 | 9 | 18 | 30 | 41 | 50 | 54 | 52 | 43 | 32 | 18 | 7 |
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 |
A very safe exciting place to visit in the summet
There is so much bad information on this page. The only natural disasters you need to worry about are tornados and floods. Both of which have happened once in the last hundred years.
There was an ISIS stabbing and vehicle ramming attack in Edmonton in 2017 and they have a very large Muslim population with several reintegrated overseas fighters residing there.
Stay out of the downtown core and west side and you will not be mugged.
The average summertime temperatures in Edmonton are 20°-25°C with several days 30°+.
If you go to Edmonton you will need to rent a car. They do have a bus system however it is a very spread out city and not a very good system.
West Edmonton Mall is basically a huge overpriced clothing store with a Casino, Waterpark and Amusement Park.
The river valley trail system is awesome. You van travel them by foot, skateboard, rollerblade, bike, ebike,or pretty much any other unmotorized option. Just stay off them after dark and avoid the downtown core. Many homeless living along the river in the downtown.
Worst place to love
Edmonton has one of the highest rates of crime in Canada. Both property and violent crime are extremely high. Murders are regular occurrences. Most parts of the city encounter high crime rates as drug addiction and homelessness are very high. It’s considered to be a normal daily thing to call in a report of hypodermic needles or a stabbing, and is so normal the police don’t even bother to respond. There are no “safe” areas of the city. The infrastructure of the city is far behind the high & fast growing population – roads, schools, hospitals are extremely overcrowded. Good luck ever getting attended to in an emergency room. There’s a high proportion of new incomers to Edmonton who think they’re going to get rich from a big oil job then find the reality that those jobs aren’t available and the cost of living is extremely high – but people keep coming anyway and so many people are on government support etc. Most of the city has specific cultural groups & if you don’t belong then don’t expect to be served in a store or your kid to have any friends (expect your kid to be bullied if they haven’t immigrated from the right country & be made fun of if they’re Western European). Access to health care, government programs & supports is so strained & prioritized for refugees (so if your kid need help in school & you’re not from the right country, too bad, you’re on your own). The people in Edmonton are very angry. Road rage is a major problem. Aggression & anger are normal. People are not friendly (except within their own cultural group). So, if you want to experience the coldest large city in the world with the longest winter, a very expensive cost of living, risk your life, your home to be broken In to & don’t mind being excluded from community life, supports, health care & your kids to be bullied for not being from the right country, then Edmonton is for you.
Safe
Well that is a truly bitter review to the extreme! I was born and lived in Edmonton for 28 years then moved to a hamlet just outside the city. I have never been mugged, assaulted, or had my home broken into ever. The problems this commenter writes about are pretty much restricted to high risk communities and do not at all represent Edmonton as a whole as it is very safe. I have walked my dog alone through and along the river valley ( during the day of course) and as long as I avoid known problem areas, I feel very safe and it is beautiful. I don’t believe road rage is any worse than other big cities and Edmonton has been improving the freeway system. I grew up in the north end, considered one of the rougher areas of the city and my parents still live there. I never felt unsafe and participated in all sorts of community events and sport teams. My boys have grown up in Sherwood Park and received excellent education and played all sorts of sports. My older son is attending NAIT in Edmonton and loves the program. The weather is not even close as bad as it’s reputation, although we can go through some very cold spells in the winter with the occasional large dump of snow, but it’s very sunny and often mild outside in winter, and it can get very hot in summer (we even have air conditioning in our home). I don’t know why avalanches and earthquakes are mentioned (never). We get too many mosquitoes in the summer though. Listen, I would rather live in Hawaii, but it’s no way near as bad as this comment makes it out to be.
Edmonton is fine
Are you high?! Murders are not common occurrences in Edmonton and there are many safe areas. Like most large cities, areas like downtown or where there is a high concentration of bars have more crime. Downtown is perfectly safe during the day, as is Whyte Ave, but me more diligent at night. Alberta Avenue and near by NE communities have far more crime than areas like SW. If you don’t do or buy drugs, dont solicit a prostitute and don’t get drunk and stupid the chances of being a victim are very low.
Jason’s review is WAY more accurate than Jarv’s. Born and raised here (60 years old).
Safe
Edmonton is safe! Lived here all my life and it doesn’t have more problems than any other city doesn’t have! The review by Jarv is not accurate!!
Not true
I live in Edmonton ton and downtown is completely unsafe as is any public travel due to drug addicts and the homeless and honestly, I feel bad for them as the local government does nothing to make it better.
Whyte ave is ok but downtown is not safe and neither is the north side of the city. Not to mention we keep climbing in crime rates in terms of property and violent crime rate to some of the highest in Canada.
Like don’t get me wrong, this place isn’t a trashy hole. But it’s not the safe utopia you make it out to be.
Vigilance on Transit
In recent months, especially since the pandemic began, crime has went up on our light rail transit system. Many homeless and disturbed individuals are using it as a hangout spot at all hours during the day since commuter traffic is down due to work at home and hybrid work situation. Keep in mind our LRT system is an honour one in terms of fare payment, so the stations are only lightly patrolled.
Not safe.
Correction to Edmonton weather
There are NO avalanches or earthquakes in Edmonton or within a 3 hours drive of the city.
We occasionally get Tornadoes in the summer but usually just in farm areas and human casualties are extremely rare.
Your risk from weather is virtually non existent as long as you dress warmly in the winter and stay hydrated in the summer.