Toronto ranked most livable city in the world by Metropolis Magazine

TORONTO – Urban centre growth coupled with inner-suburban revitalization has helped place Toronto on top of the list as the most livable city in the world as declared by architecture magazine Metropolis.

The formidable title comes after The Economist gave high marks to Canada’s most populous city in its index of rankings released earlier this year.

The ranking by Metropolis Magazine puts Toronto ahead of Tokyo and Helsinki.

The publication cites Toronto’s continued urban residential high-rise construction as one of the main reason for its ascension.

READ MORE: Toronto’s Daniels Spectrum wins architecture award

“Condo and office towers continue to pop up at a fast and furious rate as people—especially seniors and young professionals—flood into a downtown where they can enjoy Canada’s most urban environment,” the magazine wrote.

The revitalization of mixed-income neighbourhoods such as Regent Park is also getting high praise with its mix of residential units, cultural amenities and “a stunning aquatic center.”

Toronto’s “Tower Renewal” is also getting good marks for reconfiguring the “languishing 1,000-plus residential slabs that comprise much of Toronto’s inner-suburban landscape.”

READ MORE: Interactive map: What’s your favourite farmers’ market?

Investments in transit is also a bright spot with the addition of the Union-Pearson Express, which provides a direct link to the city’s downtown core from Pearson airport, and the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit project.

Toronto is also cited as a city with an estimated population boom of more than three million people in the next 15 years.

In addition to looking at the city’s overall quality of life, the magazine consulted a number of experts to identify cities that are excelling in key areas such as smart infrastructure, walkability, and preservation.