A recent research claims that Lethbridge, in southern Alberta, is the least safe city in Canada for families and homes, but the local police department contests the results. Money.ca examined burglary, robbery, arson, and drunk driving offenses in Canadian cities using data from the Canada Crime Index.
The cities were ranked based on the total number of these crimes per 100,000 residents. The top ten are all located in Quebec and Ontario.
After Quebec City (301 crimes per 100,000 people) and Ottawa-Gatineau (318.8 offences per 100,000 people), Toronto was found to be the safest location to reside in Canada.
In the meantime, Lethbridge, with 1,190 offenses per 100,000 residents, is the Canadian city “most affected by crime.” Lethbridge’s ranking was mostly influenced by breaking-and-entering offenses, which accounted for around 75% of the city’s total.
“This study offers an interesting insight at where may be the best spot to put your money into, and what this might signify for the housing market long term for people wishing to invest in real estate in Canada,” the spokesperson stated in a news release.
However, Kristen Saturley, a spokeswoman for the Lethbridge Police Service, claimed that because the report only looks at four categories of crime and doesn’t explain why the crime rates are what they are, it gives an inaccurate picture of any of the communities it mentions.
Lethbridge police targets break-and enters and impaired driving
One of those issues facing Lethbridge is the rise in break-ins, which went up 19% between January and July of 2022 and January and July of 2023.
Another is driving while intoxicated, where Lethbridge comes in fifth place across Canadian cities based on data from the Canada Crime Index.
According to Saturley, the Lethbridge Police Service use deployment and enforcement techniques that target particular crime types, such property crime, as well as other criminal behavior.
They also utilize an intelligence-driven approach based on data to identify high-crime regions and repeat offenders. “Identifying repeat offenders also makes it possible to monitor them more closely, with the goal of lowering recidivism and making sure they follow probation or release order requirements.
