Moving to Canada? Consider these six top cities
“Calgary (Alberta), Waterloo (Ontario), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador), and Richmond Hill (ON) have what migrants are looking for when choosing where to locate.”
That’s according to a recent Conference Board report analyzing the appeal of various Canadian cities.
Here are the details on these six “A list” municipalities:
- Calgary’s strong economic results come as no surprise given its performance over the past decade, but the city also ranked first in Innovation and second in Housing.
- Waterloo’s worldwide reputation for high-tech excellence in education and business is well deserved. Ranked number-one in Education, Waterloo also posted strong results in Economy, Innovation and Housing.
- Ottawa reaps the benefits of a strong and well-educated public sector. The nation’s capital excels in Innovation and Education, and, apart from Health, scores well across all categories.
- Richmond Hill, a fast-growing city north of Toronto, has become the second most diverse city in Canada. A well-educated workforce contributes to its high scores in the Education and Innovation categories.
- Vancouver enjoys an enviable climate and a vibrancy that comes from its young, diverse, and multicultural population.
- St. John’s has achieved a strong productivity level that even surpasses that of Calgary and Edmonton. It is also a stellar performer in Health and Environment categories.
The next tier of cities includes Toronto — Canada’s largest metropolitan area — as well as a number of other Ontario municipalities: Markham, Vaughan, Kingston, Oakville, Guelph, London, and Burlington.
Also on the “B list” are Edmonton (AB), Victoria (BC), Halifax (NS), Regina (SK), Québec City and the neighboring community of Lévis (QC).
The full city report — City Magnets II: Benchmarking the Attractiveness of 50 Canadian Cities — is available from the Conference Board’s e-library for $225, but you can read a detailed summary from the Conference Board or in this Globe & Mail article — both free.
Calgary skyline photo ©Carolyn B. Heller
