Fundamental features like friends, family, or a job aside, Canadians tend to opt for one of the big, exciting cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal) when deciding on a place to live—without understanding the implications of their choice, or the full scope of their options.
As it turns out, it is actually the smaller cities and towns in Canada that offer the highest quality of life.
This year, Maclean’s Magazine compared 415 communities across Canada based on wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities, and culture.
The following list of top ten communities to live in Canada is based on the Maclean’s report.
10. Tecumseh, ON
Population: 24,000 (tecumseh.ca)
Community quirk: Tecumseh Corn Festival (Ranked a top 100 festival by the province of Ontario)
Tecumseh, named after a Shawnee war chief who was a Canadian ally during the war of 1812, is a small agricultural community located just a 20-minute drive from Windsor. According to the town’s official website, Tecumseh has enjoyed a 98% approval rating from residents for six years.
Maclean’s awarded Tecumseh the #10 spot for its high rankings in weather and healthcare, and a low crime rate.
Lakewood Park, Tecumseh (Source: Wikipedia)
9. Russell, ON
Population: 16,520 (russell.ca)
Community quirk: A massive, all-season sports dome
Located just a half-hour drive from Ottawa and a ninety-minute drive from Montreal, Russell’s key geographic location is further bastioned by a low crime-rate, flourishing economy, and growing population.
With a residential tax rate of 0.004%, ample green spaces, and a vast selection of schools, Russell is an ideal place to raise a family. MoneySense.ca agrees: the website ranked Russell as the 3rd best place in Ontario to raise a family, and the 3rd best place to live in Canada.
Russell, ON (Source: Wikipedia)
8. Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Population: 17,511 (2016, Stats Can)
Community quirk: Shaw Festival, a world-class theatre festival which runs from April to December
Described as “magical” by the New York Times, Niagara-on-the-Lake is, by any standard, a lovely place. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario and situated just a half-hour drive away from Niagara Falls, people are drawn to the town for its wineries, picturesque Georgian-style architecture, and expansive arts scene.
Maclean’s placed it eighth on its list because of its ideal weather, key demographics, and booming economy.
Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake (Source: Christine Urias via Flickr)
7. Brant, ON
Brant, Ontario (Source: Wikipedia)
Population: 37,000 (brant.ca)
Community quirk: Annual Blueberry Festival
Located right beside Brantford and a half-hour drive from Hamilton, Brant clinched the #7 spot in the Maclean’s report for its high scores in the weather, crime-rate, and wealth sectors. Brant’s diversified economy, low taxes and strong workforce, paired with a happy, community-oriented vibe (exemplified in such initiatives as “People of Brant”) make for very high quality of life.
6. Salmon Arm, BC
Population: 17,100 (salmonarm.ca)
Community quirk: Salmon Arm Fall Fair, an annual event since 1897
Located an hour east of Kamloops, Salmon Arm is a small forestry and agriculture community hunkered on the shore of beautiful Shuswap Lake, one of the most popular recreational destinations in BC. As the main regional service and trade centre for the Shuswap, it’s no wonder Salmon Arm scores high in the wealth, taxes, and demographics sectors—making it the #6 place to live in the country.
Salmon Arm, BC (Source: salmonarm.ca)
5. New Tecumseth, ON
Population: 34,242 (2016, Stats Can)
Community quirk: Annual Charity Rodeo
Situated just half-an-hour away from Barrie and minutes from Highway 400, New Tecumseth (made up of the three urban centres of Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham) is blanketed in rural peace and quiet, while at the same time maintaining a direct connection to the large markets of Toronto, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Clearly, this perfect balance that’s hard to resist: New Tecumseth’s top feature, according to Maclean’s, is its five-year projected population growth.
New Tecumseth, Ontario (Source: Reddit)
4. Oakville, ON
Population: 211,000 (oakville.ca)
Community quirk: Bronte Creek’s Annual Maple Syrup Festival
Oakville Harbour (Source: Pinterest)
Bordered by Toronto on one side and Hamilton on the other (both just a half-hour drive away), Oakville is prime real-estate. A lakeside town with a historical feel, Oakville scored high in amenities and arts & culture: over 260 music, drama and other performances are staged every year in Oakville, and its three distinct business districts (Bronte Village, Downtown Oakville, and Kerr Village) are brimming with restaurants and unique shops.
Bonus: According to Environment Canada, Oakville has some of the best weather in the country.
3. Ottawa, ON
Population: 934,243 (2016, Stats Can)
Community quirk: Winterlude Festival (which includes an international ice-sculpting competition and events all along the Rideau Canal – the longest skating rink in the world!)
Our very own Ottawa snags the bronze for most liveable city in Canada. The nation’s capital gets better every year. It has a faster growth rate than both Ontario and Canada, with an 8.8% increase since 2006 and a predicted growth rate of 16% over the next 15 years.
Ottawa scored high in health (Ontario has the lowest health-care wait times in Canada, so no surprise there), amenities (Ottawa’s restaurant scene is perpetually flourishing, and the city boasts seven world-class museums) and commute (lots of people in Ottawa walk, bike, or take public transit to work).
Ottawa is an incredible place to live for the young, middle-aged, and elderly alike.
Parliament of Canada (Source: Vogue)
2. Grimsby, ON
Population: 27, 314 (2016, Stats Can)
Community quirk: Grimsby Beach gingerbread houses
Another town with a growth rate larger than its province’s (7.9 %, as compared to the Ontario average of 4.6%), Grimsby’s top feature, according to Maclean’s, is its economy. This is due to its proximity to Toronto (an hour by car) and the U.S. border (half-an-hour by car), a collection of excellent business grants, and a well-educated, talented labour pool.
Grimsby also scored high for arts and culture, with a public art gallery (always free!), an extensive list of community clubs and organizations, and fifty community and neighbourhood parks.
Grimsby Beach gingerbread houses (Source: grimsby.ca)
1. Burlington, ON
Population: 183, 314 (2016, Stats Can)
Community quirk: Burlington Winter Beer Festival
95% of Burlington residents rate their quality of life as excellent. It’s easy to see why: more than half of the city is protected rural space, it’s flanked by Lake Ontario to the south and the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment to the north, and it has a world-class festival and arts scene.
As with most of the other top ten communities, it’s strategically located between Hamilton and Toronto. Burlington, with its low crime rates, many schools, and ample employment opportunities, is the #1 place in Canada to raise a family.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington (Source: theheartofontario.com)
And, voilà: the top 10 communities to live in Canada. All ten incorporate three crucial elements: strategic geographical location, ample green spaces, and excellent amenities. Biggest takeaway: small-town southern Ontario, clearly, is the place to be.