JonboyE

Me too. Other than the few blocks you mention I have no concerns about walking around Vancouver at any time of day or night. I'm not saying someone should park their common sense (for example, at night I would stick to the streets rather than the back alleys), but the street smarts that served in the UK are more than adequate here.

Ben W Bell

East Hastings. Made the mistake of walking down there in the daytime once. Never again. Definitely not at night.

With Toronto it depends on where you are. East of Yonge at night, or in the Jane and Finch area I'd really watch out. Main downtown core you're pretty safe there's always plenty of people around. You can't completely avoid crime but I feel safer walking around downtown late at night in Toronto than I did walking around in Canterbury after 7 in the evening.

MB-Realtor

Here in Winnipeg we have a lot of Murders, invariably they are in the early hours of the morning, in the very seedy neighborhoods, and between rival gangsters.

What street crime we do have is normally confined to the same areas and between the same people.

In Winter most of our street bums either die or go to Vancouver.

I get to go to all parts of the City, day time and evenings, I have never felt scared, are even particularly worried, for my own safety here at all, nore has my wife or children.

Though there has just recently been a disturbing trend of violence at one or two of the downtown night clubs, again its driven by the gangs, but in the confines of a nightclub it can be dangerous to bystanders.

Lychee

And even then, not all of East Hastings is bad. It's only East Hastings and Main and the few immediate blocks surrounding is where it's scuzzy. And even then, it isn't a violent neighbourhood. Just very, very depressing, dirty, seedy, smelly - all the drug-addicted, homeless, and helpless conglomerated into a few city blocks. Lots of Union Gospel Mission and Salvation Army soup kitchens, in addition to pawn shops and vacant buildings. No real need for anybody to venture there.

I also agree with others about the sentiment of downtown Vancouver being safe. I, a single female in her mid 20's, have no concerns whatsoever walking around downtown Vancouver at any hour. I live there and work there. I grocery shop there. I party there. I relax there. It's like Manhattan, New York - a high density residential area. It's safe, well-lit, and there are usually many other local residents walking around - walking their dogs, going to pick up groceries, going out for an after-supper stroll, etc. Walking in downtown Vancouver is undaunting as it comes.

I suppose to visitors, parts of Downtown Vancouver may *appear* threatening to some who somehow equate our (non-violent, relatively pathetic) homeless/drug addicts as purse-snatchers and violent offenders. They are often found in highly-visible, high pedestrian traffic intersections begging for spare change. And if you say no, they go on to the next person.

It's the gangs which are the cause of Vancouver's increase of violence as of recently. And ironically, they tend to thrive in more affluent residential areas, especially in otherwise peaceful, unassuming suburbia.

dingbat

Being threatened with a needle and knife is not non violent.

Having your car broken into by a homeless junkie is not pathetic.
Being followed by another is relatively scary.

Alberta_Rose

In Calgary on Saturday night, some guy followed a girl off the C-train into the University Campus, where he attacked her!

Luckily she was able to defend herself and also to call for help, whereupon two guys not only came to her rescue, but also manged to "apprehend" her attacker, who appeared in court this morning!

One of the campus jobs students can get is accompanying more vulnerable people around the grounds, and between the station and the residences etc ... good work!