Where’s the Best Place to Live in Canada?

Discovering Victoria in British Columbia, considered one of the best places to live in Canada

Anyone considering a relocation to Canada will be only too acutely aware of how vast a nation it is offering such a diverse array of locations in which to live. And so the question on most people’s minds will be where’s the best place to live in Canada. Naturally this is a tricky question to answer definitively because everyone has different requirements from a hometown location…but there is one city which stands out.

Victoria in British Columbia on the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island ranks incredibly well in terms of its economic, real estate, climate, attraction and amenity ratings and this makes it one of the best places to live, work or retire in Canada.

In a recent survey by Canadian Business Online, the city of Victoria in British Columbia consistently ranked in the top ten of all locations in the nation in terms of elements deemed essential to people looking for a new location to live in…

For a start – and of massive importance to those concerned about the harsh climate in Canada – Victoria has one of the best climates in the entire country. It enjoys what’s known as a sub-Mediterranean climate and regularly enjoys temperatures in the twenty degree centigrade range in the summer, hardly ever dipping below freezing or suffering a snow covering in the winter. In terms of official weather statistics, if you’re going to be living in Canada in Victoria you can expect 2,183 hours of sunshine a year, at least half the rainfall of New York, at least eight frost free months a year, low humidity, cooling offshore breezes in the summer and the perfect climate to enjoy a very outdoor centric lifestyle.

The climate together with the exceptionally strong national and international transport links that Victoria enjoys means it is very popular with expatriates. And it’s fair to say that the population of the city is very proud to have chosen Victoria as their home! This is evident in the pride the community takes in arranging events and activities year round in Victoria. The city is very sociable – again, a plus point with those relocating who will want and need to get out and about, meeting new friends.

The city is as popular with retirees as it is with those of working age. There is an excellent balance in age demographic in this part of British Columbia. Because of the popularity and attraction of the city a number of leading businesses have chosen the city to base themselves in and this is a draw for expatriate professionals.

In terms of those with families, the educational standards and facilities in Victoria are fantastic, there are public and private schools and universities and colleges to choose from, and around 72% of the population of the city has at least some tertiary level education behind them - which is way above the national norm.

Finally, in terms of amenities and facilities in Victoria – it’s a leading artistic, cultural and historic centre, it’s home to many annual festivals, it has neighbourhood parks and community parks, museums, golf clubs, yacht clubs, marinas, fitness centres, ice rinks, tennis courts, stadiums, arenas, a car race track and a horse racing track – proving you’ll never be bored living in Victoria.

If you are thinking about living in Canada and you’re wondering where best to locate yourself, take a closer look at Victoria and see whether it’s the sort of location that you could happily call home.