Canada’s best places to live

CALGARY – A city in Alberta has been named Canada’s best place to live by Money Sense magazine.

St. Albert, located northwest of Edmonton on the Sturgeon River, topped the magazine’s annual list for the very first time.

It nabbed the esteemed spot thanks to several factors, such as boasting some of the highest incomes in the country, its unemployment rate — which sits at just above four per cent — and crime rates which are steadily falling.

In addition, officials say while winters in St. Albert can be skin-splittingly cold, it’s at least sunny all year round.

MoneySense’s Best Places to Live ranking lists every Canadian community with a population of 10,000 or more.

The magazine looks at factors that contribute to the quality of life in 201 cities and communities, including employment, housing prices, crime, weather and household income.

MoneySense says the surge of the west is becoming prominent in their annual rankings – with nearly half of the top 20 cities situated west of Winnipeg.

“With its strong economy and abundance of high-paying jobs, many Canadians are starting to discover there is more to Alberta than the oilsands,” says a news release.

In fact, Alberta has 20 communities that make the list.

Calgary placed second, followed by Strathcona County in third and Edmonton in eighth place.

Lethbridge didn’t make the top ten, but sits proudly at #34.

Canada’s Best Places to Live 2014— Top 10

St. Albert, Alta.
Calgary, Alta
Strathcona County, Alta.
Ottawa, Ont.
Burlington, Ont.
Boucherville, Que.
Oakville, Ont.
Edmonton, Alta.
Regina, Sask.
Quebec City, Que.

CLICK HERE to see the magazine’s full ranking.