Canadian Cities Among World’s Best Places to Live

Three Canadian cities have once again been ranked among the world’s best places to live. In August 2015, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) published its annual assessment of 140 cities around the globe and Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary were included among the Top 10 Most Livable Cities in the World. British Columbia’s largest city, Vancouver, was rated by the EIU researchers as the world’s #3 top city to live. Ontario’s biggest city, Toronto, which is also the largest city in Canada, came in 4^th place on the 2015 EIU global ranking of cities. Alberta’s most populous city, Calgary, tied with the Australian city of Adelaide as the 5^th best place to live on the planet. This is not the first time that Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary have received this international honor – all three of these incredible Canadian cities were also listed among the top 10 best cities for quality of life by The Economist in its 2014 and 2013 rankings!

This respected evaluation of 140 cities around the world was based upon 30 quantitative and qualitative factors that were grouped into five major categories: (1) Stability; (2) Healthcare; (3) Culture and Environment; (4) Education; and (5) Infrastructure. “Stability” accounted for 25% of the overall score in each city’s EIU livability rankings and included the following factors: prevalence of petty crime; prevalence of violent crime; threat of terror; threat of military conflict; and threat of civil unrest/conflict. The “Healthcare” category made up 20% of the rating and included such factors as: availability of private healthcare; quality of private healthcare; availability of public healthcare; quality of public healthcare; availability of over-the-counter medication; and general healthcare indicators (which were adapted from World Bank criteria). A city’s “Culture and Environment” accounted for 25% of its livability score and included: humidity and temperature rating; discomfort of climate to travelers; level of corruption; social or religious restrictions; level of censorship; availability of sports; cultural availability; food and drink; and consumer goods and services. The “Education” category made up 10% of a city’s livability score and was based on the following factors: availability of private education; quality of private education; and public education indicators (which were adapted from World Bank criteria). “Infrastructure” accounted for 20% of a city’s rating for quality of life and included such factors as: quality or road network; quality of public transportation; quality of international links; availability of good quality housing; quality of energy provision; quality of water provision; and quality of telecommunications. Cities received an overall score that ranged from a low score of 0 to a perfect score of 100.

Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary received some of the highest overall livability scores of any of the 140 global cities surveyed and on several of the major categories were awarded perfect scores of 100! For example, the EIU researchers gave #3 Vancouver an overall livability score of 97.3 out of 100 (Stability = 95.0, Healthcare = 100, Culture and Environment = 100, Education = 100, and Infrastructure = 92.9). Fourth place Toronto had an overall livability score of 97.2 out of 100 (Stability = 100, Healthcare = 100, Culture and Environment = 97.2, Education = 100, and Infrastructure = 89.3). Tied for the 5^th highest quality of life on Earth, Calgary obtained an overall livability score of 96.6 out of 100 (Stability = 100, Healthcare = 100, Culture and Environment = 89.1, Education = 100, and Infrastructure = 96.4).

With amazing cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary, excellent employment and education opportunities, highly-rated healthcare, and some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth, Canada continues to attract hundreds of thousands of immigrants every year. Sustained Canadian immigration has also made Canada one of the most multicultural, immigrant-friendly countries on the planet where new arrivals can feel welcomed and comfortable. In fact, one out of every five people living in Canada is foreign-born! The Canadian government is also among the most pro-immigrant governments in the world and has created several Canadian immigration programs designed to give thousands of eligible foreign nationals a chance to live and work in Canada and enjoy the high standard of living available across this beautiful country. If you and your family would also like to live in Canada and want to find out which Canadian immigration program you may qualify for, click here!