Are home invasions increasing in Ontario?

Yes. Police services across Ontario, including Ottawa Police, have reported increases in home invasion and occupied dwelling break-in incidents over the past several years. Urban and suburban areas both see these crimes, and no neighbourhood is entirely immune — including Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans, and the established Ottawa Valley communities.

What is the difference between a break-and-enter and a home invasion?

A break-and-enter typically occurs when no one is home. A home invasion is a forced entry into an occupied dwelling — treated as a far more serious offence under Canadian criminal law because it involves direct risk to the people inside. The psychological and physical consequences for residents are also significantly more severe.

What room should I use as a safe room?

A master bedroom is the most practical choice for most families. It typically has a lock, a phone nearby, and enough space for multiple people. The key features are a solid core door, a working lock, and the ability to call for help without leaving the room. Practice getting there quickly with your family before you ever need to.

Should I fight back during a home invasion?

The general guidance from law enforcement is to avoid physical confrontation if possible. Compliance reduces the risk of violence. Your priority is to create distance, reach a safe room, or escape — not to protect valuables. No possession is worth your safety.

How do I make my front door more secure in Ottawa?

The three most impactful upgrades are a Grade 1 deadbolt, 75mm strike plate screws anchored into the wall stud, and a reinforced door frame. Many doors that fail during a home invasion in Ottawa do so because the frame gives way, not the lock itself. Our team installs all three. See also: how to secure your front door against break-ins .

Can a locksmith help after a home invasion in Ottawa?

Yes. After police clear the scene, Fix My Door Now Ottawa can repair or replace damaged locks, reinforce compromised door frames, and assess the rest of your home's entry points. We provide same-day emergency door repair for exactly this situation. Call 613-265-3667 any time.

What should I do if I come home and think someone broke in?

Do not go inside. Call 911 from outside or from a neighbour's home. Wait for police to clear the property before entering. Even if an intruder has left, it is not safe to assume the home is empty. Once police have cleared the scene, call us at 613-265-3667 and we will secure the entry same-day.

Ontario Security Alert

Home Invasions Are Rising in Ontario. Here Is What You Need to Know.

Home invasions in Ontario have been climbing steadily, with police services across the province — including Ottawa — reporting increases in forced entries into occupied homes. Unlike a simple break-and-enter, a home invasion happens while you are inside. That changes everything.

Most people assume it will never happen to them. Intruders do not always wait until a house is empty, and many targeted entries happen in daylight hours in ordinary Ottawa neighbourhoods. Knowing what to do before panic sets in is the single most important thing you can do to protect your family. This guide covers the practical steps — not just the statistics — so you feel prepared, not paralysed.

Watch: how to survive a home invasion — what Ottawa homeowners need to know.

Harden Your Home Before Someone Tests It For You

Prevention

The most common entry points in a home invasion are the front door, back door, and ground-floor windows. A deadbolt is only as strong as the door frame it sits in. Many door frames in Ottawa homes — particularly older builds in Nepean, Vanier, and Gloucester — split on the first kick because the strike plate is held in by screws less than 25mm long. The lock itself is fine. The frame gives way.

The good news is that the most effective home invasion prevention measures are also among the least expensive:

Replace short strike plate screws with 75mm screws that reach the wall stud. This single change stops most forced entries cold and costs almost nothing.
Install a Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolt on every exterior door. Ask us about door hardware upgrades.
Add a door reinforcement kit to weak frames — particularly on older Ottawa homes where the jamb wood has been cycling through freeze-thaw for decades. We carry and install them.
Sliding glass doors need a bar or pin lock as a secondary measure. The factory latch alone provides almost no resistance to forced entry.
Exterior lights with motion sensors remove the cover of darkness that most intruders rely on.
A doorbell camera or wide-angle peephole means you never have to open the door to see who is there.

Locksmith note: Most kick-in entries in Ottawa succeed in under three seconds. It is not the lock that fails — it is the frame. Reinforcing the frame costs less than replacing a damaged door after a break-in. See: how to improve front door security without replacing the door.

During a Home Invasion — What To Do Right Now

In the Moment

If someone forces their way into your home while you are inside, your only goal is to get everyone out safely. Possessions can be replaced. People cannot. Do not be a hero. Be strategic.

Step 1 — Get out if you can

If there is a clear path to an exit, take it. Leave through a window, back door, or garage — whatever gets you and your family outside without passing the intruder. Go directly to a neighbour's house and call 911.

Step 2 — Get to your safe room if you cannot escape

Designate one room in your home — ideally with a solid core door, a lock, and a phone — as your safe room. Get inside, lock the door, push furniture against it if possible, call 911, and stay low. A master bedroom is the most practical choice for most Ottawa families because it typically has a lock, a phone nearby, and space for everyone.

Step 3 — Do not engage

Most home invaders are looking for valuables or are under the influence of substances. Confrontation dramatically increases the risk of violence. Compliance buys time. Time is what police need to reach you.

Step 4 — Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so

If you cannot speak, many 911 operators are trained to respond to silence. Stay on the line and do not hang up. Ottawa Police can be on scene in minutes in most urban neighbourhoods — your job is to stay safe until they arrive.

Important: Practice getting to your safe room quickly, especially with children. The decision of where to go should already be made before you ever need to make it under stress.

After a Home Invasion — The Door Is Closed. Now What?

After

Do not re-enter your home until police have cleared it. Once they do, you will need to deal with damaged entry points immediately — a kicked-in door or a broken lock is an open invitation for a second incident, and in an Ottawa winter, an unsecured entry is also a thermal emergency.

Document everything before touching or cleaning anything. Photographs of every point of damage are essential for your insurance claim.
Call your insurance provider before calling a contractor.
Contact a licensed locksmith to assess and repair compromised locks, reinforce door frames, and evaluate any other entry points that were tested or breached. Fix My Door Now Ottawa provides same-day emergency door repair. Call 613-265-3667.
Consider a full home security assessment — a walkthrough that identifies every weak point in your home's perimeter before someone else finds them. We offer these.

Many Ottawa families choose this moment to finally make the upgrades they had been putting off. After an incident, it is easier to see exactly where the home was vulnerable. We will walk you through every finding and prioritise the fixes that matter most.

Your locks are the first line of defence.

If a home invasion starts at your door, your door needs to be ready. Fix My Door Now Ottawa serves Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley with lock upgrades, door frame reinforcement, and same-day emergency locksmith response — any time of day.

Call 613-265-3667 Book a Security Walkthrough