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World’s Most Popular Canadian Cities
European and Scandinavian countries are usually considered to be among the healthiest or best countries to raise children in the world, but Canada is quietly emerging as one of them.
Three Canadian cities are among the top 10 cities in the latest list of most livable cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit. This number is more than any other country’s cities.
The three Canadian cities on the list are Vancouver (ranked fifth), Calgary (ranked seventh) and Toronto (ranked ninth). These cities have been ranked as having the best health and education facilities.
These quality-of-life improvement factors attract Canadian citizens who appreciate the positive policies of their government.
“Our progressive politics and universal health care make Canada a wonderful place to live,” says Vancouver resident Samantha Faulk.
“I can’t imagine living in a country where I have to worry about seeing a doctor or taking my child to hospital, or risking bankruptcy if I get cancer.”
“This sense of health care transcends politics, creating a sense of community that improves livability both at work and at home,” says Jane Stoller, a Vancouver resident and founder of Organized Jane.
Canada’s investment in public transportation and transit systems also makes transportation in its major cities easier.
Samantha Faulk, who has also lived in Montreal, Calgary and Toronto, didn’t get her driver’s license until she was 24, while a friend of hers got one at 53. And it’s only because they never needed a personal vehicle to get around the city. After all, the public transport system is so good. However, what residents love the most is the citizens’ love of going from their homes to the grounds. “The three (most livable) cities in Canada, and many more in Canada, are close to nature and have incorporated that nature into their design,” says Samantha Faulk. However, a focus on nature is a prominent feature even outside of Canada’s big cities, reflecting the importance of wilderness to residents.
Samantha Faulk says, ‘We are a people of open spaces and close to nature! ‘Each of the three cities in the world’s second-largest country by area has its uniqueness. We spoke to residents of each city to find out what they love about living in their cities and what they love about it.
1)Vancouver
Located on the country’s beautiful west coast, Vancouver has made it Canada’s most livable city thanks to its top scores in the culture and environment sub-list.
“Vancouver’s unique combination of towering mountains and ocean make it so appealing,” says Samantha Faulk, who runs her own communications firm outside the city. “After living here for 20 years, this city still kills me. She says that to get the most out of a city and feel at home, you have to get outside, especially when it’s raining. An easy place to do this is Stanley Park, a 405-hectare public park in the center of the city with a riparian forest of centuries-old trees, including 700-800-year-old red pine hollows still standing. She recommends hiking the 2.9km Groves Grind Trail for even more scenic views.
Often referred to as ‘Nature’s Staircase Masterpiece’, this trail may make you feel nauseous but once you reach the top, the view is truly spectacular,” she says. On arrival, grab a coffee or a glass of wine from the on-site restaurant and get lost in the scenery. From fancy restaurants to cool food trucks and farmers markets, you’ll never run out of delicious food. The residents of the city highly appreciate ‘Vancouver’s Sushi’. Which she says is the best and cheapest selection of sushi restaurants outside of Japan.
The city also fosters an entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset that creates a welcoming home feel. “Vancouver people are open-minded, diverse and like to come together for arts, tech or green initiatives. “You won’t find big box stores here, but stores that promote local shopping and support the community.
2)Calgary
It is a most popular Canadian city in the western province of Alberta, located near the Rocky Mountains. The city fares better than the two Canadian cities in the Index (which measures government corruption and peace in the city).
According to residents, Calgary is a small town with big city amenities and is relatively cheap to live in compared to other cities in Canada.
“Despite being one of Canada’s largest cities, Calgary has a certain charm, thanks to its friendly locals, community-building mentality and farmers’ markets (where fresh fruit come directly from the vegetable fields)
‘However, you’ll also find trendy restaurants, cultural festivals and great nightlife here.’ People of many nationalities and 165 languages are spoken.
The city also has an oil and gas industry, and a large business community with a large number of white-collar workers, yet living here is considered relatively affordable.
“Calgarians have wealth and they know how to spend it,” says Jessie P. Kayabo, who moved to Calgary from Edmonton three years ago. This means that the downtown and surrounding areas will be crowded during the summer months, and during hockey season, you’ll see people wearing Calgary Flames jerseys instead of suits and ties.
Every year, the Calgary Stampede festival starts on the first Friday of July and the ten-day-long event has everyone dressed in Western clothing and the festival welcomes people from all over the world.
“People go out here for fun,” says Calgary resident Shannon Hughes, who owns Capto Benefits, a business advisory company there. Along with the houses, there is a rush in the courtyards and also in the restaurants. She advises that if you make a reservation at Major Tom’s restaurant for sunset, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city from the hill.
Like other cities in Canada, the quality of living in this city is also due to its proximity to nature and open spaces. Calgary has long sidewalks for walking and tracks for cyclists. More than 1,000 kilometers long, these routes are recognized throughout North America.
Pope said, “While cycling in the city, I also saw such fascinating sights and places that are usually hidden from your eyes; because of them I have the pleasure of going out and seeing the world every day.”
Even in winter, sports like skiing, skating, tubing, snowshoeing and ice biking are played in the city. The city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, which is why the infrastructure is still there. Locals advise that winters here are long and cold, so foreigners who are used to warmer climates should bring good quality gear to withstand the cold.
3)Toronto
It is the most populous Canadian city . Here you also get the atmosphere of a big city and there are 1500 parks that keep residents connected to the outside world.
Toronto had the best peace and stability score on the index because of the sense of safety that makes people feel better whether they’re walking, taking public transportation or cycling.
Life here feels easier than in other big cities thanks to the infrastructure specially designed keeping human needs in mind. Residents generally seem to appreciate the pathway that has been built underground for residents. This makes them especially comfortable in winter.” From my office to the airport (train), restaurants, shopping, and even going to the doctor, everything is within my reach, and I spend my winters for it,” says Huang An Lee, a resident here who is also a blogger. A coat is also not required.
Resident Kira Marskel agrees, saying the Toronto Transit Commission has its problems but that all transit options are interconnected and a new bus or train at a stop every four minutes makes it much easier. She comes from an area where traveling by car is the only option. “There are also bikes for rent all over the city, which is the best eco-friendly option I’ve had the pleasure of,” she adds.
This Canadian city is extremely diverse and 51% of its population is foreign.
“It’s the only Western city where a non-white minority is the majority,” says Marcus Reeder, co-founder and CEO of software company Hostway. Here you can meet people from many cultures and languages, and Canada encourages people from different cultures to come here, not forbid it.
Due to this diversity, the community has different festivals, and foods available and also at different prices.
There is a lot of entrepreneurship here in Toronto and big businesses like Uber, Google, Facebook etc. have offices here but new start-ups are also flourishing. Over the past few years, the city has become the third largest technology hub in North America, behind only New York and Silicon Valley. When the city’s diverse community is combined with its technology market, it’s a great exposure for people.
