Is it true that Canadians do not lock their doors? Please expound on this. I am fascinated.?

Question

Details please because this is SO unusual for Americans to hear that you are not afraid of someone breaking in, etc.

Nope, I heard that even in cities like Toronto they leave their doors unlocked.

Please say where in Canada you live/lived-what city?

Answer 1

I have never locked a door in our home. If someone wants to break in, they will. I live in a small town in New Brunswick but have lived in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Kelowna. Stuff happens and if you let the possibility of bad things control your life , it's not much of a life. I have 2 dogs to let me know if something or someone is outside, have never owned a gun, never will. Did 2 1/2 years of military service(volunteer) and have nothing in my home worth dying over except for our kids. I have a son in the military but he knows not to bring his work home with him. Raising our children to be aware of strangers and the dangers but at the same time teaching tolerance and understanding. Our doors are not locked because everyone needs help at some time and bigger fences and locked doors don't make for good neighbors.

Answer 2

I think on average, Canadians do lock the door less than Americans. But it is probably a 15 or 20% less situation, not a we all do or all don't.

I watched Bowling for C. I couldn't grasp it. He was checking family homes, in the middle of the day when people were home, in the suburbs. I thought obviously they are unlocked, What is he talking about?? It took forever to figure out he means most Americans have their doors locked all the time. Even the middle of the day. Even here, those that say they lock their doors when they are out or at night, imply that they leave them open during the day when they are home.

I am from a mid-size town in BC - Doors locked for convenience as I live alone. If more people were coming and going, I'd leave it open. I grew up with doors unlocked all day while someone is home. Again for convenience for family given having all sorts of keys, even to very young kids that could loose them. AND you don't lock your kids out of the house. Then again, we came from a time when we walked to school by ourselves and played all over the neighborhood until dark. My parents locked the door when they went to bed.

I know of several situations where Aunts or grandparents would occasionally have kids come visit. They would leave the door open when they weren't home. The kids had full access to the house, they didn't want them coming over to a locked door.

I think BforC covered it quite well. Are you locking crime out, or are you locking yourself inside! Do your kids feel locked out?

Answer 3

It depends where you live. It is true that, in some smaller communities, people still do not feel the need to lock their doors at night or if they go out, for that matter. However, break-ins can happen in small communities, just as they can in large urban centres, so this practice is becoming increasingly less common. I live in the leafy green suburbs of a large Canadian city, and I always lock my doors at night and when I go out. I also have a 24-hour alarm monitoring service, and a large breed watchdog, too. My house was broken into twice before I got the alarm. Having said that, my neighbourhood is relatively safe, and property crimes are still not very common place. I live in the kind of community where kids can leave their bicycles and skateboards out at night and they'll still be there in the morning. I feel very fortunate to live in Canada, instead of the United States, where violent and property crimes are much, much more common.

Answer 4

I lived in Montreal (in the city). When I lived in apartment, the main door in front was always locked, but the back door was accessible from outside. I usually locked the doors at night or when I went out, but occasionally forgot. Not in the day when I was home.

Where my (now) husband lived before we moved in together, they never locked at night, figuring there was nothing worth stealing. I think they usually locked when they were gone.

My parents live in suburban Montreal, they always lock up at night and when they're out, and I think also usually if they're in the backyard or basement and wouldn't hear someone come in.

I suspect people in better neighbourhoods lock up more than poorer neighbourhoods, because they have more stuff that could be stolen--and are also more likely to have theft insurance, which probably wouldn't pay if the door wasn't locked.

Answer 5

My friend Jason (he works at a Toronto magazine called Now) was there when Michael Moore went through the neighbourhood in Toronto trying the doors. Jason said something like 80 percent of them were, in fact, unlocked. The owners had no idea he would be trying their doors; it was a valid experiment.

But that does not strike me as being the typical case in Canada. I always lock my door, so does everyone I know. It just makes sense; it's not like there is no crime in Canada at all!

Answer 6

Well, I live in a city, so I do lock my doors! In some small towns they may not feel that they have to. There was a time when I would leave my windows and doors open during the hot days of the summer, as it was no concern of mine if someone couldn't read the "Beware of Dog!" signs on the gates and doors! lol

Answer 7

Depends on where you live and how you were raised. I now live in a very small community and I know a lot of people here do not lock their doors. I however always lock my door whether I am home or not. I use to live in a city, in a bad part of town so it is habit. I lock my car too.

Answer 8

I can't speak for all of Canada, as I have basically lived in Windsor/Detroit my whole life. I can, however, speak for this area of Southwestern Ontario. B&E's are a daily occurance throughout the city, auto thefts are also common place and are usually used for the B&E's.
Please don't believe Michael Moore's 'Canadian safe haven utopia' retoric. We have all the same problems as you guys do with violent crime, drug addiction, and other social-economic issues.
I personally lock my door soon as I either go in or out, no matter how long I will be. If somebody wants something, and you've got it, they're gonna get it one way or another. The lock won't stop them, only slow them enough for you to prepare. I like to be prepared.

Answer 9

Let me guess, you just saw 'Bowling for Columbine' by Michael Moore? In a city like Toronto, I think most people do lock their doors. I grew up in the country and in a small town, my parents would always lock the door at night. I live in the U.S. now in a small town and I lock the door every night.

Answer 10

I live in a suburb of Vancouver. If I'm at home, I don't always lock my door, but I do at night. If I go out, yes I lock the door. But if I'm just running to a neighbours house I don't lock the door. All of my windows have been wide open since April.