Biggest Canadian cities not most dangerous

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TORONTO, March 5 (UPI) -- The Canadian per capita violent crime rate is highest in mid- to small-size western cities, and not in the two largest cities, Macleans magazine said Thursday.

The weekly current affairs magazine said the largest city, Toronto, rated 29th out of 100 cities in 2007, down from 26th place. The second largest city, Montreal also improved to 24th place from 19th in 2006, the report said.

Using data from Statistics Canada for municipal police services, the rankings included homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, vehicle theft, robbery plus breaking and entering.

The city with the highest crime rate was Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, followed by Winnipeg, Manitoba. Third place was Regina, Saskatchewan, followed by Prince George, British Columbia and Edmonton, Alberta, the report said.

The safest place was Caledon, Ontario, a small community northwest of Toronto.

The study also found 34 areas recorded no homicides at all in 2007, the report said.