Calgary ranked within top five most livable cities in the world

[geotag277]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

1) Obviously, this is all totally subjective.
2) It's 'booster', not 'boaster', though I understand the confusion.
3) This should be the real take home message: all three Canadian cities in the ranking (in addition to other Canadian cities that were arbitrarily not considered) enjoy a remarkably high quality of life. If Vancouver scored 2 points higher because of its temperate climate, so be it. If Toronto could have performed better if they found a way to manage congestion, think about how to improve the city.

Calgarians love to see ourselves included with big fancy cities like Toronto and Vancouver, because we see ourselves as underdogs who have come a long way in the past decade or so. Of note, Calgary performed relatively poorly on culture&environment, but rather than complain about how we aren't featured in Monocle enough, we've decided to take measures to improve our city with new parks and museums. We are looking for ways to improve how average people in our city live, adapting policy that encourages sustainable land use and transportation, so that hopefully we can stay in a top-10 spot.

Lastly, and I have to say this, as someone who has lived in different places around Canada, I've found my neighbourhood in Calgary to offer some of the best parks, nightlife, and economic freedom, all for a price that doesn't break the bank - So, when you say that there is no way Calgary could possibly be considered livable, it comes across pretty ignorantly.

I also find Vancouver to be a natural fit for top 10 liveable cities in the world. I've lived in quite a few different places, and for sheer "liveability" I really enjoyed my time in Vancouver. I really didn't get along with the rainy humid overcast weather, but other then that it really does score top marks in pretty much any area you can think of for being a great place to live. To top it all off if you don't care about buying real estate, the rental prices are actually extremely reasonable there.

[sim]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

These annual quality of living reports are a joke.

The only one I put any faith in is the monocle report which placed Vancouver 15th globally and Portland 23rd.

Those were the only cities in north america in the top 25. Cities in North America rank poorly because america isn't really known for responsible urban planning and development.

I'd tend to agree with this. I think the Monocle rankings come closer to the inherent subjectivity that "quality" engenders.

I believe regarding the EIU report as a Standard of Living as opposed to Quality of Life benchmark, lends it more credibility. What this report misses is best encapsulated in Fusili's (the forum member) signature.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

That was more so directed at Vancouver and not Calgary. I don't know enough about how Calgarians treat their city but Vancouverites take this surveys like they are from the gospel.

No they don't. They, being assholes, take the part about how super awesome their city is as gospel and slam the part that also ranks Toronto and Calgary (and Ottawa and Montreal) highly.

Vancouver Asshole: We're number three in the world!
Calgarian: Cool, we're number five in the same study.
Vancouver Asshole: Calgary sucks!

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

Look, I'm sorry to break it to the Vancouver and Calgary boasters but I don't think either of those two cities belong in the top 10 best cities in the world for quality of life.

Top 20 maybe but thats still pushing it.

The only city in Canada I think should rank in the top 10 is Toronto.

Then do your own fucking study.

[DarthMalgus]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

OK do you treat every opinion like its an attack?

I didn't say Calgary was unlivable. I said its not top 10 around the world livable.

Also maybe you missed the part where I also said Vancouver isn't top 10 either.

But how do you define liveable? Personally of the 3 canadian cities on the list, I would argue that Vancouver and Calgary seem more like a natural fit for "liveability" than Toronto. Toronto is obviously much bigger than C and V but it also has horrible traffic congestion, expensive housing, a tough economy, higher taxes and shitty weather. Calgary and Vancouver have lots going on considering they are much smaller than TO, and are on the doorstep of some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. Vancouver has the ocean. Calgary has high wages and tons of jobs. Toronto has a lot more going on, but a lot more problems also.

Toronto is a big city with plenty of big city problems. Perhaps it's no coincidence that most of the top ten "liveable" cities (with the exceptions of TO, Sydney and Melbourne) are mid size cities?

[CorporateWhore]

There's big difference between a city being cool and exciting enough for a magazine like Monocle (which has it's audience who demand emphasis on certain things), and one that's actually "livable" and affordable for the majority of the population in a day-to-day pragmatic life. I've lived in one of the coolest places on earth, where despite there being a ton of amazing things to do, the standard of living was actually quite low in a lot of ways. Unless you had an ass-load of money, you had to scrape by.

Calgary isn't sexy... it's kind of dusty and dull on the surface compared to a lot of cities...but when it comes to the pragmatic things in life, I don't doubt its one of the most livable. People here tend to have good jobs, have good access to school and health care, pay relatively low taxes, enjoy a low crime-rate and relative harmony, have enough disposable income to do things and travel, and live in a peaceful stable political climate (where the biggest issues are the Premier's grey area expenses). None of this stuff is sexy...but honestly, just having that is a pipe dream to the majority of the world.

There are many wonderful places in Europe as well, and I do think the Scandinavian cities should be higher on this list, but I'm not surprised Canadian and Australian cities are always at the top of these lists. These are some wonderful, if sometimes a little dull, countries to live in.

[geotag277]

As outlined in the factors that went into the study in post #13, affordability of anything (including housing, consumer price index, etc.) did not even factor into this particular study at all. Personally I agree, a big part of what makes Calgary extremely "liveable" is the high average wages and the extra money to spend to have the economic freedom to live the life you want. That alone is pretty priceless IMO.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

Then do your own fucking study.

lol very true.

[Spring2008]

Very true too, though Calgary has def upped it's sexy factor ten fold over the past decade. This next 5-10 years will be very interesting with the amount of people and investment flowing in, and the drastic changes that our city planning departments have been pushing for.

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

There's big difference between a city being cool and exciting enough for a magazine like Monocle (which has it's audience who demand emphasis on certain things), and one that's actually "livable" and affordable for the majority of the population in a day-to-day pragmatic life. I've lived in one of the coolest places on earth, where despite there being a ton of amazing things to do, the standard of living was actually quite low in a lot of ways. Unless you had an ass-load of money, you had to scrape by.

Calgary isn't sexy... it's kind of dusty and dull on the surface compared to a lot of cities...but when it comes to the pragmatic things in life, I don't doubt its one of the most livable. People here tend to have good jobs, have good access to school and health care, pay relatively low taxes, enjoy a low crime-rate and relative harmony, have enough disposable income to do things and travel, and live in a peaceful stable political climate (where the biggest issues are the Premier's grey area expenses). None of this stuff is sexy...but honestly, just having that is a pipe dream to the majority of the world.

There are many wonderful places in Europe as well, and I do think the Scandinavian cities should be higher on this list, but I'm not surprised Canadian and Australian cities are always at the top of these lists. These are some wonderful, if sometimes a little dull, countries to live in.

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Very true too, though Calgary has def upped it's sexy factor ten fold over the past decade.

Agreed. Design, and a basic appreciation for things to look good, has definitely become a much higher priority over the last decade. We'll never have the scenic beauty of Vancouver, or the design sophistication of leading cities around the world, but we have improved in leaps and bounds in terms of aesthetics. Still lots of room for improvement of course.

[VIce]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

There's big difference between a city being cool and exciting enough for a magazine like Monocle (which has it's audience who demand emphasis on certain things), and one that's actually "livable" and affordable for the majority of the population in a day-to-day pragmatic life. I've lived in one of the coolest places on earth, where despite there being a ton of amazing things to do, the standard of living was actually quite low in a lot of ways. Unless you had an ass-load of money, you had to scrape by.

Calgary isn't sexy... it's kind of dusty and dull on the surface compared to a lot of cities...but when it comes to the pragmatic things in life, I don't doubt its one of the most livable. People here tend to have good jobs, have good access to school and health care, pay relatively low taxes, enjoy a low crime-rate and relative harmony, have enough disposable income to do things and travel, and live in a peaceful stable political climate (where the biggest issues are the Premier's grey area expenses). None of this stuff is sexy...but honestly, just having that is a pipe dream to the majority of the world.

There are many wonderful places in Europe as well, and I do think the Scandinavian cities should be higher on this list, but I'm not surprised Canadian and Australian cities are always at the top of these lists. These are some wonderful, if sometimes a little dull, countries to live in.

This is a sentiment that I feel is shared by a recent Salon article on the recent statistic that Canada's middle class is the wealthiest in the world. The quote that really stuck with me was this: "Southern Ontario is the least exotic place on Earth."

I think it actually speaks a lot to the political and social culture of Canada (and for that matter a lot of Northern Europe). Entering Canada from, for example, the US you don't really notice a huge difference at least in my experience. Its basically what you would expect, just a bunch of moderately wealthy middle class people doing middle class things. Its when you travel in the other direction that you notice the differences, where pockets of immense wealth or poverty concentrate themselves in places. And I think that has a lot to do with a conscious effort to pull people towards the middle in Canada.

[Bcasey25raptor]

I'm going to point out climate has a huge impact on livability and climate alone should kick out every Canadian city from the top 10.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

I'm going to point out climate has a huge impact on livability and climate alone should kick out every Canadian city from the top 10.

Really? I like not dying of sweltering heat in the summer. I like having snow to go skiing on in the winter. I like 4 seasons. But maybe I'm just a crazy Canadian....

[geotag277]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

I'm going to point out climate has a huge impact on livability and climate alone should kick out every Canadian city from the top 10.

That's cool man.

BTW weather was a factor in the original study linked:

From post 13:

Humidity/temperature rating Adapted from average weather conditions
Discomfort of climate to travellers EIU rating

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

I'm going to point out climate has a huge impact on livability and climate alone should kick out every Canadian city from the top 10.

Sure, it's not our best feature but:

1. Not everyone wants to live on a beach their whole life. Our weather is far from perfect, but I actually prefer having 4 seasons.

2. Do you honestly think the weather in Scandinavia, who you say should be higher, is any better?

3. When's the last time you heard of a major natural disaster in Canada? Like an earthquake, hurricane, tsunami etc...that took the lives of dozens, hundreds, if not thousands, of people? There is something to be said for (relative) climate stability.

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

2. Do you honestly think the weather in Scandinavia, who you say should be higher, is any better?

Looking out my window now onto the Scandinavian outdoors, it's about 13 degrees C and it's almost always grey and it starts raining every hour and from September until May I won't see the sun, and it's dark. So even though the winter temps seems relatively tropical compared to Calgary, without a doubt I would trade Calgary weather for Danish weather.

Also, Oslo is boring even if you are rich, which you have to be just to buy groceries, in Copenhagen you'll have a bathroom in which you have to squat over the toilet in order to take a shower because the whole thing is the size of a utility closet, in Stockholm people are on waitlists for apartments for ~10 years in the centre, or have them passed on by family member. Did I mention how dark it is and how much the weather sucks, and beer costs ~$12-20 a pint and I'll have to fly to North America to east regional Chinese food? People (especially Canadians) who fetishize living in Scandinavia have obviously never tried it. I mean, it's great in most ways, but like anywhere a lot of things fucking suck. Also, at least in Denmark, if your last name isn't Jensen, Nielsen, Jacobsen etc, prepare to never be treated as an equal. The Danish word for immigrant is the same as the word for invader. Scandinavia could be closer to the perfection the internet thinks it has if it was open like Canada, but these countries are little tribes.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

There's big difference between a city being cool and exciting enough for a magazine like Monocle (which has it's audience who demand emphasis on certain things), and one that's actually "livable" and affordable for the majority of the population in a day-to-day pragmatic life. I've lived in one of the coolest places on earth, where despite there being a ton of amazing things to do, the standard of living was actually quite low in a lot of ways. Unless you had an ass-load of money, you had to scrape by.

Calgary isn't sexy... it's kind of dusty and dull on the surface compared to a lot of cities...but when it comes to the pragmatic things in life, I don't doubt its one of the most livable. People here tend to have good jobs, have good access to school and health care, pay relatively low taxes, enjoy a low crime-rate and relative harmony, have enough disposable income to do things and travel, and live in a peaceful stable political climate (where the biggest issues are the Premier's grey area expenses). None of this stuff is sexy...but honestly, just having that is a pipe dream to the majority of the world.

There are many wonderful places in Europe as well, and I do think the Scandinavian cities should be higher on this list, but I'm not surprised Canadian and Australian cities are always at the top of these lists. These are some wonderful, if sometimes a little dull, countries to live in.

Exactly - we often take for granted we have the essentials of liveability right. This is the hardest thing in societies. Attaining the intangible big-city buzz and excitement will come with time (and size) if we make the right decisions. In this regard, we're on the right track. That's much easier than overhauling public education, healthcare and gaining peace, security and a prosperous economy!

[Surrealplaces]

Couldn't agree more. I've often told people when they are comparing cities around the world that some cities are great for visiting and some are great for living in. I look at my every day life here in Calgary and it's awesome, I have almost everything I need and want.

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

There's big difference between a city being cool and exciting enough for a magazine like Monocle (which has it's audience who demand emphasis on certain things), and one that's actually "livable" and affordable for the majority of the population in a day-to-day pragmatic life. I've lived in one of the coolest places on earth, where despite there being a ton of amazing things to do, the standard of living was actually quite low in a lot of ways. Unless you had an ass-load of money, you had to scrape by.

Calgary isn't sexy... it's kind of dusty and dull on the surface compared to a lot of cities...but when it comes to the pragmatic things in life, I don't doubt its one of the most livable. People here tend to have good jobs, have good access to school and health care, pay relatively low taxes, enjoy a low crime-rate and relative harmony, have enough disposable income to do things and travel, and live in a peaceful stable political climate (where the biggest issues are the Premier's grey area expenses). None of this stuff is sexy...but honestly, just having that is a pipe dream to the majority of the world.

There are many wonderful places in Europe as well, and I do think the Scandinavian cities should be higher on this list, but I'm not surprised Canadian and Australian cities are always at the top of these lists. These are some wonderful, if sometimes a little dull, countries to live in.

[O-tacular]

How are these reports such Troll magnets?! People who literally never even post in the Calgary forum come out of the woodwork to attack this one report. Wow.