There’s a lot that needs to be considered when looking at what makes a city the best in the world. Is it the food scene? The culture? Or perhaps even the weather? Of course, what makes a city great would depend on the person you’re asking. Well, Oxford Economics has compiled a ranking of the top cities in the world, and it considered some very important factors like economics, quality of life and environment, to put it all together. Several Canadian cities made the list, and of course, Toronto tops them all.
The advisory group has released this year’s Global Cities Index. They have unveiled a comprehensive ranking of the top 50 cities across the globe.
However, the entire list mentions 1,000 of the most populous cities and ranks them based on five different categories.
Methodology
According to Oxford Economics, the five categories are Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, and Governance.
The economics category measures the economic size, structure, and growth of each city. The Human Capital category looks at the educational and business environments of each city, and the Quality of Life category looks at the benefits of living in each city and residents’ wellbeing, financial and health outcomes, and access to amenities. The Environment category measures the natural environment of each city on climate change-related issues, and, lastly, the Governance category looks at the political stability of a city and the degree to which residents’ rights are protected.
Canadian cities
Now, considering all these factors, it’s time to answer the real question: who came out on top?
New York took first place on the global list, followed by London, England, in second and Paris, France, in third.
As for the first Canadian mention on the list? You’ll have to scroll down to number 20 because that’s where Toronto managed to rank.
“Toronto is the highest-scoring Canadian city in the rankings, as it is the country’s premier centre for business, finance, culture, and art,” shares the group.
“Positioned in the top 20 for both the Economics and Human Capital categories, the city’s relevance is not only keenly felt in Canada, but also around the world.”
According to Oxford Economics, the city boasts one of the most historically stable economies in North America. However, it has “not sacrificed its robust GDP and employment growth to achieve this feat.” Per the report, it remains one of the fastest-growing cities in the region.
As for other Canadian cities, the next one mentioned is Vancouver in 37th place, Montreal is in 43rd, and Calgary is in 61st.
And yet, there are still more:
- Ottawa in 88th
- Quebec 116th
- Edmonton 131st
- Halifax in 143rd
- Kitchener in 163rd
- Winnipeg in 183rd
- Hamilton in 248th
While it might be a little disappointing for us Canadians to see our cities rank so poorly compared to the rest, it just means there’s still lots of work to do.
But look on the bright side, at least Toronto managed to score in the top 20.
Do you agree with the list? Let us know!
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Karen Doradea
Senior Staff Writer, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Crave, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.
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