TIMMINS -- Maclean’s magazine is out with its annual ranking for the most dangerous places to live in Canada and a northern Ontario community is on the list.
Timmins has landed in the top ten most dangerous cities in categories such as violent crime and sexual assault, and ranked 21st overall.
Local police and city officials say unusual, tragic events for the area, such as a triple homicide and another murder soon after, skewed those numbers and don’t necessarily speak to the general safety in the city.
"To be more effective, we have to combat the root cause of crime. If it’s literacy, poverty, drug addiction, perhaps mental health issues. We’re developing strategies with our community partners to address these issues, so that the byproduct, crime, is addressed effectively and efficiently with the resources we have at our disposal," said Marc Depatie, community liaison officer for Timmins Police Service.
George Pirie is the mayor of Timmins. He says there are several community groups working to increase the safety in the city.
"I do know and I am very confident that the Timmins Police Service, this council, and this city, with all the groups that are involved, and the ‘Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan’ that’s just been formed, will continue to work to make this town the safest possible place to be in Canada," said Pirie.
Elsewhere in the north, North Bay is the 83rd spot, Sudbury placed 89th, and Sault Ste. Marie lands at 113.
