Do people in Quebec love where they live? The numbers say yes.
Not all Canadian cities offer the same quality of life, and fresh data from Statistics Canada sheds light on where residents are feeling the most content.
The quality of life ranking is based on Canadian Social Survey data collected between 2021 and 2024 from cities across all 10 provinces, painting a clear picture of overall well-being in the country’s biggest urban centres.
As it turns out, Quebec is home to the happiest big cities in Canada, with Quebec City, Laval, and Montreal claiming the top three spots for life satisfaction among the country’s 15 largest cities.
Quebec City
Quebec City stands at the pinnacle of the quality of life rankings among Canada’s major urban centers. An impressive 62.3% of its residents report high life satisfaction, the highest percentage recorded.
The city also leads in sense of purpose (66.9%) and hopeful outlook (72.1%). However, despite these positive indicators, community belonging is relatively lower at 41.7%, suggesting potential areas for enhancing local engagement.
Laval
Adjacent to Montreal, Laval secures the second spot with strong performances across multiple dimensions. Life satisfaction is reported by 57.8% of residents, while a sense of purpose is felt by 66.0%. The city excels in social support, with 76.7% of individuals having someone to rely on. Interestingly, Laval boasts the lowest loneliness score at 60.3%, yet its community belonging stands at just 44.3%.
Montreal
As Canada’s second-largest city, Montreal ranks third in quality of life. Half of its population (50.1%) expresses high life satisfaction, complemented by a strong sense of purpose (57.0%) and a hopeful outlook (63.0%). Despite its metropolitan scale, Montreal maintains a commendable sense of community, with 45.8% of residents feeling a sense of belonging.
Quebec’s small towns also got some love in the rankings, with Sainte-Julie emerging as one of Canada’s top spots for quality of life.
At the other end of the scale, Toronto ranked last among major cities, with residents reporting the lowest levels of life satisfaction and the highest rates of loneliness among the pack.
Here’s how Canada’s 15 biggest cities ranked:
- 1. Quebec City, QC
- 2. Laval, QC
- 3. Montreal, QC
- 4. Winnipeg, MB
- 5. Calgary, AB
- 6. Ottawa, ON
- 7. Halifax, NS
- 8. Brampton, ON
- 9. Hamilton, ON
- 10. Edmonton, AB
- 11. Mississauga, ON
- 12. London, ON
- 13. Surrey, BC
- 14. Vancouver, BC
- 15. Toronto, ON
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