Ottawa Emerges as the Best City in North America for Quality of Life
Canada’s Ottawa Emerges as North America’s Top City for Quality of Life in 2026 Rankings
A new global assessment of urban living standards has placed Ottawa at the forefront of quality of life across North America for 2026, reinforcing Canada’s growing reputation as one of the world’s most livable countries.
The latest rankings evaluate cities across multiple dimensions of daily life, including affordability, safety, healthcare access, environmental quality, and commute efficiency. Ottawa not only secured the highest position among Canadian cities but also outperformed every other city in the United States and Mexico, earning a global placement within the top 30 cities worldwide.
Canada’s Strong Presence in Global Livability Rankings
Ontario led the country with the highest number of ranked cities, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia also contributed at least one city each, reflecting a diverse national distribution. Several mid-sized cities joined major metropolitan areas in the rankings, suggesting that livability in Canada is not limited to large urban hubs alone.
Provincial Breakdown of Ranked Canadian Cities
Ontario featured the most cities overall, with Ottawa leading nationally, followed by London, Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton, Hamilton, and others. British Columbia demonstrated strong performance as well, with cities such as Nanaimo, Victoria, Vancouver, and Kelowna ranking highly. Alberta contributed Calgary and Edmonton, while Quebec City and Montreal represented Quebec. Regina, Winnipeg, and Halifax rounded out the list from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, respectively.
Notably, Brampton, Hamilton, and Nanaimo were newcomers to the rankings this year, expanding Canada’s footprint compared to the previous edition.
| Province | Canadian city |
|---|---|
| Ontario | Ottawa |
| London | |
| Mississauga | |
| Toronto | |
| Brampton | |
| Hamilton | |
| British Columbia | Nanaimo |
| Victoria | |
| Vancouver | |
| Kelowna | |
| Alberta | Calgary |
| Edmonton | |
| Quebec | Quebec City |
| Montreal | |
| Saskatchewan | Regina |
| Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| Nova Scotia | Halifax |
How Canadian Cities Ranked Within the Country
| National rank | Canadian city |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2 | Nanaimo, British Columbia |
| 3 | Victoria, British Columbia |
| 4 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 5 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 6 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 7 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 8 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 9 | Kelowna, British Columbia |
| 10 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 11 | London, Ontario |
| 12 | Mississauga, Ontario |
| 13 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 14 | Brampton, Ontario |
| 15 | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| 16 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 17 | Hamilton, Ontario |
Year-Over-Year Shifts in City Performance
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Kingston, Ontario
- Montréal, Quebec
- Moncton, New Brunswick
- Saint John, New Brunswick
- Fredericton, New Brunswick
These shifts indicate that quality of life rankings remain fluid and highly responsive to changes in housing costs, infrastructure strain, and urban planning outcomes.
Canada’s Standing on the Global Stage
Globally, Canadian cities continue to perform competitively, though European cities dominated the highest ranks in 2026. Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden occupied most of the top positions worldwide. Six Canadian cities placed within the global top 100 this year, a slight decrease from the previous year. Despite this, Canada still surpassed the United States overall in North American rankings, reversing a trend seen in earlier years when a U.S. city held the regional lead.
Several Canadian cities shared identical overall scores with international counterparts, underscoring how closely matched global livability standards have become. While total scores were equal, individual category results—such as safety, healthcare, or pollution—varied from city to city.
Why Ottawa Stands Out
Its strong public infrastructure, abundant green spaces, and lower congestion levels compared to cities like Toronto and Vancouver further contributed to its top ranking.
How Quality of Life Is Measured
The rankings are based on a composite Quality of Life Index that consolidates several weighted indicators into a single score. These include purchasing power, cost of living, pollution levels, housing affordability, personal safety, healthcare quality, climate comfort, and traffic conditions.
Data is gathered through a combination of user-reported information and verified figures sourced from public institutions, service providers, and official databases. Professionally collected data carries greater weight to ensure consistency and accuracy, and the index is updated twice each year.
Options for Employers in Restricted Regions
1. Switch to the High-Wage Stream
By increasing the offered salary to meet or exceed provincial wage thresholds, employers can submit LMIA applications under the high-wage TFWP stream.
2. Wait for the Next Review
Unemployment rates are reassessed every three months, meaning some regions may become eligible again in the second quarter of 2026.
Work Permits for Provincial Nominees to Be Processed in Just 14 Days
Governor General’s Role Remains Advisory
Key Questions for Canadian PR
What the Rankings Mean for Residents and Newcomers
As Canada continues to attract international migrants and skilled workers, quality of life metrics like these are increasingly influencing settlement decisions, making Ottawa and other high-ranking cities even more attractive in the years ahead.
