We’re 26^th! We’re 26^th!

In most polls or surveys, it isn’t the norm to find pride in finishing 26^th.

But when it comes to your community being rated by – anyone or organization – as 26^th best out of 139 is pretty good.

Think of the start of a marathon, with 139 racers registered. Before the gun sounds, each racer, if they’re serious runners, thinks they’re the one to beat. But once the race is underway, the field thins out and some contenders quickly become pretenders.

In a good race, which is what a marathon of 139 small Canadian cities would be, those finishing near the top always feel great about how they finish.

Crossing the line at 26^th in MoneySense Magazine’s recently released annual rankings of Canada’s best cities, Cranbrook appears to be a well-trained and race-ready community. Congratulations Cranbrook, the best small city in B.C. outside the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island!

The magazine rated Canada’s cities in three categories: large (over 400,000 population); mid-sized (100,000 to 400,000) and small (below 100,000).

The largest field was the one Cranbrook excelled in – small – with 139 communities judged on a variety societal indicators: Bike to work %; days with rain; days above 0C; population growth 2011-2012; jobless %; average house price; average household income; crime severity index; property tax; doctors per 100k; employed in arts and recreation; and new car.

Cranbrook is the sixth top-rated community from B.C. and the highest rated city that isn’t based in the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island.

Alberta holds down the top three spots in Canada’s best small city, with St. Albert, Strathcona County and Lacombe followed in the top five by Newmarket and Halton Hills, Ont.

The top rated small city in B.C. is eighth place District of North Vancouver. Nearby Canmore, Alta. concludes the top 10.

B.C. municipalities finishing ahead of Cranbrook in the top 25 are: West Vancouver (19^th), Victoria (20^th), Maple Ridge (21^st), North Vancouver City (24^th).

B.C. communities finished behind Cranbrook: Fort St. John (56^th), Penticton (60^th), Dawson Creek (63^rd), Vernon (66^th), Powell River (68^th), Salmon Arm (70^th), Chilliwack (79^th), Prince George (89^th), Langley City (92^nd), Courtney (96^th), Duncan (97^th), Terrace (98^th), Squamish (100^th), Williams Lake (106^th), Parksville (111^th), Campbell River (121^st), Quesnel (124^th), Port Alberni (128^th) and Prince Rupert (132^nd).

The top ‘large city’ in Canada is nearby Calgary, with Ottawa, Edmonton, London and Winnipeg rounding out the top five. Vancouver finished 10^th and Surrey was 14^th. Finishing last in the 15-city category was Montreal.

Another nearby city performed well in the ‘mid size’ city category. Lethbridge came fourth behind Burlington, Ont., and Saanich, with Saskatoon fifth.

Other B.C. communities making the grade in the 46 cities with populations between 100,000 and 400,000 were Delta (13^th), Coquitlam (18^th), Kamloops (21^st), District of Langley (27^th), Kelowna (28^th), Richmond (31), Nanaimo (33^rd), Burnaby (35^th) and Abbotsford (44^th).

To review MoneySense’s methodology go to:

http://www.moneysense.ca/2013/03/20/canadas-best-places-to-live-2013-methodology/

For the full lists go to:

http://www.moneysense.ca/2013/03/20/canadas-best-places-to-live-2013/

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

---

Article Share

---