A new study from Preszler Injury Lawyers found that Belleville ranked 12th among Canadian cities when it comes to safety.
Research was conducted by Preszler Injury Lawyers who investigated the cities least likely to be affected by arson, robbery, impaired driving, and burglary.
Using data from the Canadian Crime Index, the number of offenses for each crime was calculated per 100,000 of the population.
According to the press release, those factors are then combined and ranked in a list.
Belleville ranked 12th with a combined crime offenses per 100k of the population rate of 450.8.
That beats out Peterborough which ranked 13 at 496.2 and Kingston which ranked 16 at 557.4.
The number one safest area according to the study is Toronto with 286.9. Coming in last place is Lethbridge, Alberta with 1,190.
The full ranking, as well as methodology, can be found below:
| The safest areas in Canada | ||
| Rank | Metropolitan area | Combined crime offenses per 100K of the population |
| 1 | Toronto, ON | 286.9 |
| 2 | Quebec, QC | 301 |
| 3 | Ottawa-Gatineau, QC | 318.8 |
| 4 | Sherbrooke, QC | 327.4 |
| 5 | Ottawa-Gatineau, ON | 333.9 |
| =6 | Barrie, ON | 356.7 |
| =6 | Montreal, ON | 356.7 |
| 7 | Trois-Rivières, QC | 366.2 |
| 8 | Saguenay, QC | 396.3 |
| 9 | Hamilton, ON | 420.6 |
| 10 | Saint John, NB | 423.4 |
| 11 | Halifax, NS | 447.6 |
| 12 | Belleville, ON | 450.8 |
| 13 | Peterborough, ON | 496.2 |
| 14 | Guelph, ON | 500.6 |
| 15 | St. Catharines-Niagara, ON | 529.5 |
| 16 | Kingston, ON | 557.4 |
| 17 | Calgary, AB | 573.3 |
| 18 | Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON | 596.2 |
| 19 | Victoria, BC | 604.9 |
| 20 | Brantford, ON | 613.5 |
| 21 | St. John’s, NL | 614.9 |
| 22 | Windsor, ON | 644.5 |
| 23 | Vancouver, BC | 657.8 |
| 24 | London, ON | 679.7 |
| 25 | Edmonton, AB | 757.9 |
| 26 | Thunder Bay, ON | 775.2 |
| 27 | Greater Sudbury, ON | 779.0 |
| 28 | Abbotsford-Mission, BC | 818.4 |
| 29 | Kelowna, BC | 1,007.0 |
| 30 | Winnipeg, MB | 1,040.7 |
| 31 | Saskatoon, SK | 1,043.1 |
| 32 | Moncton, NB | 1,085.3 |
| 33 | Regina, SK | 1,113.5 |
| 34 | Lethbridge, AB | 1,190.0 |
Methodology
Canadian cities with a population of 100,000 or more people have been compiled with crime statistics that are relevant to homeowners (arson, robbery, impaired driving, and burglary). Using Canadian Crime Index data, the number of offenses for each crime was calculated per 100,000 of the population. The experts combined these offenses and then ranked them to generate a top ten list of Canada’s safest and most dangerous areas to live in.
