Ottawa Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (26/100)
Is Ottawa safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Ottawa scores 26/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Canada Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 5 Jun 2026); the UK has no advice against travel. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 1, Hepatitis A in Canada (4 Jun 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Government advisory (score 5)
Crime (score 28)
September 27, 2026
Ottawa, Canada has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 26 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 28/100; the lowest-rated category is government advisory at 5/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Canada travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Ottawa to visit in 2026?
Ottawa currently sits at 26/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Ottawa is crime (28/100), and the lowest is government advisory (5/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (26/100) and natural hazards (34/100).
A score of 26 is higher than the scores of 17% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 9, 2026
Ottawa, Canada maintains a moderate risk baseline safety score of 26 out of 100 with a Level 1 U.S. State Department advisory. Current safety headlines focus on Canadian travel advisories for other nations such as the U.S., Mexico, and Kenya, alongside a global Level 1 CDC health notice for dengue.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 03:37 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 28/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Natural disasters (score 22/100): Check seasonal hazard (hurricane, monsoon, earthquake) for your dates. Identify hotel evacuation routes on arrival.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Ottawa
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Ottawa
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Ottawa for solo travelers (Crime 28/100 · Transport 15/100), women traveling solo (Crime 28/100), families with children (Health 12/100 · Natural disaster 22/100), older travelers (Health 12/100 · Transport 15/100), business travelers (Digital 32/100 · Money 20/100 · Transport 15/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 5/100 · Political 5/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | low |
| Road safety | high |
| Public transport | high |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Ottawa
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 1 · Exercise Normal Precautions
Canada - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Ottawa happened in June and August (2 of 2 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Canada
- Level 1 - Hepatitis A in Canada (Level 1, 4 Jun 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Canada travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Canada entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Hepatitis A in Canada WATCH · 2026-06-04
Manitoba, Canada is currently experiencing a hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak. HAV is contagious and spreads through close person-to-person contact and by eating contaminated food or drink.
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
Emergency numbers (Canada)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
The search results did not contain specific information about healthcare facilities for travelers in Ottawa. Therefore, travelers should consult official health resources for details.
Common scam patterns
- crypto_investment_scam. Canadian fraud news reports that scammers have used AI‑generated videos impersonating public figures to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. These schemes have resulted in multi‑million‑dollar losses for Canadians. Tip: Verify investment offers through official channels and avoid sending money to unsolicited contacts.
- petty_theft. Petty theft such as pickpocketing and bag‑snatching is reported in tourist areas and on public transport in Ottawa. Thieves often target visitors who display valuables openly. Tip: Keep bags close, use anti‑theft bags, and stay aware of surroundings.
- car_theft. Theft from cars is common in larger Canadian cities, including Ottawa, where valuables left in vehicles are targeted. Criminals may break windows or use tools to quickly steal items. Tip: Never leave valuables visible inside parked cars.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Canada for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Ottawa
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 16 → 26 | low → moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Jul 4, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
Every editorial change to Ottawa's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Ottawa
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Ottawa, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
- Neighborhood-level guidance.
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.