Calgary ranked within top five most livable cities in the world

[Spring2008]

Didn't know where to put this - very interesting:

Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary among top five most livable cities in new ranking
LONDON — Reuters
Published Tuesday, Aug. 19 2014, 6:59 AM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, Aug. 19 2014, 9:05 AM EDT


Melbourne tops the ranking as the world’s most pleasant city to live in for the fourth year running, but an Economist Intelligence Unit poll also finds that turmoil in Ukraine and the Middle East have pushed other cities down the list.

Vienna, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary captured 2nd, 3rd and 4th and 5th places in the list of 140 cities released on Tuesday. Bottom was Damascus, capital of war-torn Syria, while just above it in ascending order were Dhaka in Bangladesh, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea and Lagos, Nigeria.

Damascus again fares worst, recording a 28 per cent decline in five years but others on the list include the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, both declining by 3.3 per cent, Sofia down 3.5 per cent and Athens dropping by 3.7 per cent.

Kiev, capital of Ukraine where pro-Russian rebels are battling Ukrainian forces in the east of the country, dropped 17.8 per cent, the survey found and is ranked 124th of 140.

“The ranking...shows that since 2009 average liveability across the world has fallen by 0.7 per cent led by a 1.3 per cent fall in the score for stability and safety,” the EIU said in a statement.

“While this may seem marginal, it highlights that over 50 of the cities surveyed have seen declines in liveability over the last five years.

“Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have underlined continuing fallout from a decade of destabilising events ranging from the war in Iraq to the Palestinian Intifada and the Arab Spring,” it added.

The EIU’s survey assesses the liveability of cities based on a number of key factors, including stability and the quality of health care, culture, the environment, education and infrastructure.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle20106371/

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Didn't know where to put this - very interesting:



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle20106371/

I'd recommend the Canada section...

[PVG-YYC]

I just got back from Vancouver, only place I would live in that city is Yaletown, but I probably will never have the money to afford there lol

[DarthMalgus]

Interestingly, if you look at various online discussions, National Post, Globe and Mail, The Star, etc., lots of people have mostly bad things to say about all 3 cities (if anything, Calgary getting off easier than the other two cities). On The Guardian's comments section, Melbourne is getting absolutely slammed. It's great that our awersome city is being recognized appropriately, but sometimes being the best is a curse as much as a blessing

[Calgarian]

I wonder if Edmonton will ever make one of these lists...

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by PVG-YYC

I just got back from Vancouver, only place I would live in that city is Yaletown, but I probably will never have the money to afford there lol

I think Vancouver has a lot of interesting, dense neighborhoods in the city proper, along with the best scenery in Canada. The thing that sets it back for a lot of people though is the extreme cost of living to wages ratio, and the dark/dreary rain for a good part of the year. Just a matter of preferences though.

[DarthMalgus]

Vancouver is nice enough, but personally I prefer Seattle - i find it seems to have more character, along with more of a big city vibe.

[RyLucky]

If anyone wants to see the report, click below: http://www.eiu.com/Handlers/Whitepap...iveability2014

Obviously, a ton of their criteria are subjective/ordinal, and I'm sure each city could swing a few points in either direction if measured differently. One thing, however, is that this is a reminder of how valuable peace is. No recent history of war or upheaval, a modest and sympathetic police force, and celebrated diversity go a long way to making Canadian cities amazing.

Calgary, you're always number 1 in my books! <3<3<3

[geotag277]

Originally Posted by DarthMalgus

Vancouver is nice enough, but personally I prefer Seattle - i find it seems to have more character, along with more of a big city vibe.

Crime is much worse in Seattle though, which likely keep it off these lists. There are neighbourhoods in Seattle with daily gun violence, gang activity, and stabbings - the kind of thing that would make national news here would be a one liner on Seattle nightly news (if that).

[seaJ]

Originally Posted by geotag277

Crime is much worse in Seattle though, which likely keep it off these lists. There are neighbourhoods in Seattle with daily gun violence, gang activity, and stabbings - the kind of thing that would make national news here would be a one liner on Seattle nightly news (if that).

No, not true. I live in what some would consider Seattle's worst neighborhood, Rainier Beach. While there is more crime here than the rest of Seattle it is mostly property crime i.e.. theft/home invasion and less violent crime.. although that does exist. Daily gun violence though? No.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by seaJ

No, not true. I live in what some would consider Seattle's worst neighborhood, Rainier Beach. While there is more crime here than the rest of Seattle it is mostly property crime i.e.. theft/home invasion and less violent crime.. although that does exist. Daily gun violence though? No.

Perhaps he meant relatively daily or semi daily, as in... 3 - 4 times per week. Either way, I don't believe Seattle is the top livable city in the US (even though it's personally my favourite US city). I think it is Portland.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

If anyone wants to see the report, click below: http://www.eiu.com/Handlers/Whitepap...iveability2014

Obviously, a ton of their criteria are subjective/ordinal, and I'm sure each city could swing a few points in either direction if measured differently. One thing, however, is that this is a reminder of how valuable peace is. No recent history of war or upheaval, a modest and sympathetic police force, and celebrated diversity go a long way to making Canadian cities amazing.

Calgary, you're always number 1 in my books! <3<3<3

I found it a little ball-busting how Calgary's worst category was Culture and Environment, after that debate on the Canada section recently. Hopefully by the 2019 one we will have moved up a few points by then, especially in culture, as we will have the National Music Centre, Central Library, and likely a new Art Gallery of Calgary all open by that time.

[RyLucky]

If you look at how EIU defines a good city, much depends on things that are out of a cities control, such as health care (20%) and education (10%). Scoring is subjective anyway, but I'm sure Seattle is right near the top of American cities. Maybe this will help clarify understand:

Stability 25%
Prevalence of petty crime EIU rating
Prevalence of violent crime EIU rating
Threat of terror EIU rating
Threat of military conflict EIU rating
Threat of civil unrest/conflict EIU rating

Healthcare 20%
Availability of private healthcare EIU rating
Quality of private healthcare EIU rating
Availability of public healthcare EIU rating
Quality of public healthcare EIU rating
Availability of over-the-counter drugs EIU rating
General healthcare indicators Adapted from World Bank

Culture & Environment 25%
Humidity/temperature rating Adapted from average weather conditions
Discomfort of climate to travellers EIU rating
Level of corruption Adapted from Transparency International
Social or religious restrictions EIU rating
Level of censorship EIU rating
Sporting availability EIU field rating of 3 sport indicators
Cultural availability EIU field rating of 4 cultural indicators
Food and drink EIU field rating of 4 cultural indicators
Consumer goods and services EIU rating of product availability
Indicator Source
Availability of private education EIU rating
Quality of private education EIU rating
Public education indicators Adapted from World Bank

Education 10%
Availability of private healthcare EIU rating
Quality of private healthcare EIU rating
Availability of public healthcare EIU rating
Quality of public healthcare EIU rating
Availability of over-the-counter drugs EIU rating
General healthcare indicators Adapted from World Bank
Category 3: Culture & Environment (weight: 25% of total)
Category 4: Education (weight: 10% of total)
Category 2: Healthcare (weight: 20% of total)

Infrastructure 20%
Quality of road network EIU rating
Quality of public transport EIU rating
Quality of international links EIU rating
Availability of good quality housing EIU rating
Quality of energy provision EIU rating
Quality of water provision EIU rating
Quality of telecommunications EIU rating

[RWin]

Originally Posted by DarthMalgus

Vancouver is nice enough, but personally I prefer Seattle - i find it seems to have more character, along with more of a big city vibe.

I'd have to say I prefer Seattle too but not because it has a big city vibe. Maybe I haven't been there often enough but Seatlle actually feels more like Victoria than Vancouver to me.

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I found it a little ball-busting how Calgary's worst category was Culture and Environment, after that debate on the Canada section recently. Hopefully by the 2019 one we will have moved up a few points by then, especially in culture, as we will have the National Music Centre, Central Library, and likely a new Art Gallery of Calgary all open by that time.

Yeah haha me too. The truth is, parts of Calgary have access to an incredibly high quality of culture and environment, with rivers, parks, festivals, inclusion, diversity, etc; and other parts look like polluted post-apocolyptic wasteland sprawl of highways, strip malls, parking lots, warehouses, and office parks a lot of the time. Every city has some of this. Long, brutal winters didn't help us here either.

The good news is that the impression of livability and culture is aided greatly by a few key institutions. As you've mentioned, Calgary is rapidly gaining cultural infrastructure! Don't forget the new DJD studio, improvements at MRU and UofC, renovations at Fort Calgary, expansion of River Walk, dozens of new festivals that keep cropping up, the bridge to Inglewood that I believe opens any time now, St Patrick Island landscaping & bridge, Bowness river park landscaping, Stanley Park redevelopment, 3 new rec centres, restoration of historical and park spaces in Currie Barracks, and last but not least... apparently we are getting a giant waterslide for 1 day?

[Chadillaccc]

Exactly! I forgot about the MRU Music Conservatory and Decidedly Jazz Dance Studio in my post for sure.

I wonder if that modern addition to Fort Calgary is actually going to happen. It would certainly make it look like more of an attractive... attraction... to the everyday tourist.


The Elbow River Traverse is already open. I am posting an update about it today.

[geotag277]

Originally Posted by seaJ

No, not true. I live in what some would consider Seattle's worst neighborhood, Rainier Beach. While there is more crime here than the rest of Seattle it is mostly property crime i.e.. theft/home invasion and less violent crime.. although that does exist. Daily gun violence though? No.

Belltown has gotten better lately, but there is no crime equivalent in Calgary, it is still very bad. MLK drive next to down town is the place with daily problems. I remember vividly when in Seattle a reporter reporting on a stray bullet hitting a toddler along MLK drive. It wasn't even the top story of the day.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by DarthMalgus

Vancouver is nice enough, but personally I prefer Seattle - i find it seems to have more character, along with more of a big city vibe.

Vancouver is more urban, but I agree Seattle has lots of character. Also about 30% less rain than Van, much more business opportunities, cheaper shopping, and much lower real estate prices.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I wonder if Edmonton will ever make one of these lists...

Is Edmonton included in the study? I notice some of these studies (ie..Merser Group), only do Cal, Van, Tor and Mtl.

Either way, good on Calgary.

Chad, you should post this in the Canada section

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by geotag277

Belltown has gotten better lately, but there is no crime equivalent in Calgary, it is still very bad. MLK drive next to down town is the place with daily problems. I remember vividly when in Seattle a reporter reporting on a stray bullet hitting a toddler along MLK drive. It wasn't even the top story of the day.

Violent crimes in Seattle seem very time tame relative to other US cities, but still a bit high relative to most other countries in the developed world. Property crimes are high though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_..._by_crime_rate