The Bay Street Corridor, also known as Bay Cloverhill, is a downtown Toronto neighbourhood that is located along Bay Street. The neighbourhood’s northern boundary is Bloor Street and the southern boundary is Front Street. The western boundary is University Avenue and the eastern boundary is Yonge Street. The neighbourhood is filled with high-rise condominiums, apartments and office towers. There are many street level businesses including stores, bars and restaurants. Since the neighbourhood is located in a very central downtown location, there is unfortunately crime in the area, as their is in all downtown neighbourhoods in all major cities. There are a variety of different areas in the Bay Street Corridor neighbourhood and the crime rates in each area are different. This table displays different crime rates in the Bay Street Corridor/Bay Cloverhill neighbourhood:
| Area | Crime Rate |
|---|
| Area bordered by Bloor Street, College Street, Queen’s Park Avenue and Yonge Street | Average of 4 crimes against people per 1,000Average of 12.51 crimes against people per 1,000 |
| Area bordered by College Street, Queen Street, University Avenue and Yonge Street | Average of 4.35 crimes against people per 1,000Average of 26.08 crimes against property per 1,000 |
| Area bordered by Queen Street, Front Street, University Avenue and Yonge Street | Average of 1.07 crimes against people per 1,000Average of 6.81 crimes against property per 1,000 |
The Bay Street Corridor is one of the Toronto neighbourhoods that sees the
highest burglary rates in the City of Toronto. Unfortunately, other crimes take place in the neighbourhood as well. In an incredibly shocking and high-profile situation, a 15-year-old girl was shot and killed by stray bullets on Boxing Day in 2005. The shooting took place near the Toronto Eaton Centre at Yonge Street and Dundas Street. From CTV.ca:
Up to 15 people were involved in a Boxing Day shootout among hundreds of shoppers on the sidewalks of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto. Two men are in custody, but no charges have been laid by police in the incident that killed one person and wounded six others. A 15-year-old girl was killed as gunmen sprayed the area with bullets. An off-duty police officer was among those wounded. The injured officer did not require hospitalization, while at least two of the other five victims taken to hospital were in serious condition.
Unfortunately this case shows that innocent bystanders can become victims of crime. In 2008, another innocent person was shot and killed on Yonge Street near Bloor Street. From the Toronto Star:
Toronto’s second homicide of 2008 happened around 1 a.m. on Saturday, near Yonge St. and Bloor St., after the two accused men were thrown out of the strip club. After walking away, the suspects returned with a handgun and fired at one of the bouncers, police say. The bullet struck a passer-by in the head near the club entrance. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In 2009, a woman was stabbed near Yonge Street and Elm Street as she tried to break up a fight. From CP24:
A Toronto woman has been arrested after another woman was stabbed in the chest on Friday night. The altercation began near Yonge and Elm Streets at about 10 p.m. when a woman tried to step in during a dispute between two people. One of them a pulled a knife and stabbed the women in the chest, leaving her with serious, but not life-threatening injuries.
In 2009, a man was shot and killed in front of a Bay Street condominium. The attack appeared to be targeted. From CityNews:
A man has died in hospital after he was shot in the back outside a Bay Street condo overnight. Around 3:20am Sunday, people reported hearing five or six gunshots near Bay and Wellesley streets. When police arrived in the area, they found a man, believed to be in his 30s, lying on the ground… He had been shot in the back and bystanders had been performing CPR on him until paramedics arrived. The man was rushed to St. Michael’s Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Police say he did not live in the condo. “The victim in this matter was dropped off in a white limousine. Apparently the suspect we’re looking for was waiting nearby,” explained Graham Gibson of the homicide squad.
Unfortunately in a large city, crime can break out at any time and innocent people can be impacted by it. In order to stay safe, you need to remain vigilant at all times and aware of your surroundings. In addition, having a home alarm system and a video surveillance set up can protect you from crime. It is incredibly important that you feel safe in your own home. For more information on
home security systems and how you can protect yourself, please
contact SafeTech Alarm Systems today.
