Le Sud-Ouest: safety, housing and rents

Safety and reported crime

Police services published 1,298 located criminal acts in Le Sud-Ouest over the last full year of data, compared with 1,430 in the preceding year, a change of -9.2%. The overall trend is described as stable, and the borough's rate measured against its housing stock is 24.5, against 23.6 for all boroughs combined. That places Le Sud-Ouest at rank 16 among the 19 boroughs covered when they are ordered from the lowest rate upward, a level close to the city average.

The most frequent category is break-ins, accounting for 30.3% of located acts. Break-ins alone total 393, giving a rate of 7.4 relative to dwellings, compared with 5.8 across the city; this is above the city average, and the year-over-year direction is falling.

One caveat applies everywhere: across the city, 15.2% of published criminal acts carry no usable location and therefore cannot be assigned to any borough. Figures should be read as an indication of relative levels, not as a complete count.

Housing stock

The assessment roll lists 52,973 dwellings in Le Sud-Ouest. Condominium units represent 34.8% of that stock, a share that shapes what is typically available for sale, alongside rental buildings and older subdivided properties.

The median construction year is 1973, and 44.2% of dwellings predate the middle of the last century. Buyers looking at older stock should budget for inspections covering plumbing, electrical systems, roofing and envelope condition, since maintenance histories vary widely from building to building.

Rents: regional context

The rent figures available here come from the annual survey of the Montréal census metropolitan area for the 2025 reference year. They describe the region as a whole, not Le Sud-Ouest specifically, and rents within any single borough can sit well above or below them.

For the metropolitan area, average rent is $1,005 for a bachelor unit, $1,131 for an apartment with a separate bedroom, $1,346 for the mid-sized category, and $1,625 for the largest category surveyed. Use them to frame a budget, then verify current asking prices for the specific streets and buildings you are considering.

Practical notes for newcomers

Because break-ins are above the city average in Le Sud-Ouest and make up 30.3% of located acts, it is worth checking door and window hardware, lighting and, in a condominium, how entry to shared areas is controlled before you sign. Ask the seller, landlord or syndicate what security measures are already in place.

When arranging home or tenant insurance, expect the insurer to ask about the building's age, its systems and any past claims, all of which matter in a stock where 44.2% of dwellings were built before the middle of the last century. If you are buying, getting a mortgage pre-approval before visiting gives you a firm budget and a clearer sense of what the condominium share of 34.8% means for your options.

Finally, walk the streets you are considering at different times of day. Borough-wide averages, including a crime rate of 24.5 against 23.6 citywide, smooth over real differences from block to block.