Is the West the worst? On Maclean's magazine's list of the most dangerous places in Canada, B.C. cities claim half of the top 10 positions.
Prince George rates as the most dangerous city in the country in the annual ranking, with Victoria trailing close behind in second place.
The 2010 list is based on Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index, which was developed just last year. Unlike a traditional crime rate, the new CSI measurement gives more weight to serious crimes, with murder rated highest and marijuana possession rated lowest.
According to Maclean's, Prince George's CSI rating is 90 per cent higher than the national score. The small city of Caledon, Ont., rated lowest at 70 per cent below the Canadian tally.
In a statement to the media Thursday, Prince George RCMP Const. Lesley Smith said the detachment has seen an uptick in the number of drug and gang-related offences in recent years.
"Police have seen an increase in relation to a number of violent offences and these can be directly related to gangs and other organized crime groups," Smith said.
But she said the northern city's high reported crime rate is a result of the RCMP's intense focus on organized crime and the public's help in reporting possible crimes.
"When you combine that with the intelligence-led targeting enforcement that we are doing, our over all call volumes and case loads increase," Smith said.
Maclean's complete top 10, beginning with the most dangerous:
- Prince George, B.C.
- Victoria, B.C.
- Regina, Sask.
- Saskatoon, Sask.
- Fort McMurray, Alta.
- Kelowna, B.C.
- Grande Prairie, Alta.
- Surrey, B.C.
- Chilliwack, B.C.
- Winnipeg, Man.
What do you think? Do B.C. cities deserve such a bad rap? Is Prince George really more dangerous than Toronto or Montreal?
