Nearly 6 in 10 public transit users say they feel less safe commuting after string of violent attacks
After a string of violent attacks on public transit in Toronto and other cities, a new survey has found that nearly six in 10 public transit users in Canada say they feel less safe or somewhat less safe while commuting.
In the survey, conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News, 35 per cent of respondents who use public transit said they feel less safe and 23 per cent said they feel somewhat less safe compared to a year ago.
Ontarians were most likely to worry about their safety, as 71 per cent of respondents from the province said they feel less safe or somewhat less safe while riding public transit. Women across Canada were also more likely to say the same thing, as 65 per cent of women said they feel less safe or somewhat less safe, compared to 50 per cent of men.
In Quebec, 39 per cent of transit users said they feel at least somewhat less safe -- the lowest out of all the regions in Canada. In addition, 50 per cent of British Columbians and 63 per cent of people in the Prairies also said they feel less safe or somewhat less safe commuting on public transit.
A recent string of violent and seemingly random attacks on buses and streetcars and at transit stations in Toronto has prompted the city to boost policing at subway stations. Incidents of violence on transit have also been reported in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
In response to these incidents, 58 per cent of Canadians say they're being more cautious or somewhat more cautious about their surroundings when out in urban settings.
Ontario had the highest proportion of respondents saying they're being more cautious or somewhat more cautious (66 per cent) followed by the Prairies (60 per cent), British Columbia (49 per cent) and Atlantic Canada (48 per cent). In addition, 63 per cent of women overall said they're being at least somewhat more cautious, compared to 52.4 per cent of men.
Meanwhile, car commuters are also on high alert as auto thefts have been on the rise across the country. The survey found that 86 per cent of Canadians say it's necessary or somewhat necessary for car owners to take extra precautions in order to prevent their vehicles from being stolen.
METHODOLOGY
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,054 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between Jan. 27 and 30, 2023, as part of an omnibus survey.
Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land- and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.
Individuals randomly called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs. The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE UPDATES | Watch live coverage of U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Canada
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.

WATCH LIVE | U.S. President Joe Biden arrives on the Hill to meet with Trudeau, address Parliament
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived on Parliament Hill for a jam-packed day of events as part of his first official visit to Canada since taking office.
Ontario crypto king kidnapped, tortured in an attempt to get millions in ransom, documents say
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Incredible photos show northern lights dancing across much of Canada
Sky-gazers and shutterbugs across much of Canada were treated to a spectacular display of northern lights Thursday night and into Friday morning.
W5 Investigates | 'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
W5 EXCLUSIVE | New police force should be appointed to take over investigation into death of teenaged hockey player, complaint says
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Restaurants and bars brace for biggest alcohol tax jump in 40 years
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
Why executions by firing squad may be coming back in the U.S.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau to introduce Jill Biden to curling during Ottawa visit
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.
W5 HIGHLIGHTS
W5 Investigates | 'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.

W5 EXCLUSIVE | New police force should be appointed to take over investigation into death of teenaged hockey player, complaint says
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.

W5 Investigates | How did a healthy teen die at a minor hockey camp?
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.

W5 | Parents of young player who died struggle to find answers within hockey's code of silence
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in 'What Happened to Ben' on CTV W5.
W5 | 'So disturbing': Pivot Airlines crew shocked RCMP aware of possible cocaine shipment prior to Dominican bust
The RCMP knew about a potential cocaine shipment from the Dominican Republic to Toronto aboard a Canadian charter flight but inexplicably allowed the crew that discovered and reported the drugs to be detained for months without intervening, a W5 investigation has revealed.
W5 Investigates | Pivot Airlines crew seeking justice after 'cocaine cargo' detainment
CTV W5 investigates what authorities knew about plans to smuggle cocaine out of the Dominican Republic on a Toronto-bound Pivot Airlines flight. The airline's crew is demanding justice following their eight-month detention.
W5 | Divorcing Canadian couples spending thousands on pet custody court battles
Pet custody cases are on the rise in Canada as judges decide who gets the dog or cat after a divorce.
W5 Investigates | How a small town Canadian grandmother ended up in a Hong Kong prison
A 64-year-old grandmother from Barrie, Ont. faces life in prison in Hong Kong, accused of smuggling drugs, after being duped twice in what her family believes was a sophisticated romance scam.