London, Ont. has ranked third in a study done by Preply of Canada’s best university towns. The study was done out of 94 cities, with Regina and Winnipeg being the only places to top London.
“This means London is a great place to seek out post-secondary education,” said Mayor Ed Holder.
“Personally speaking, I think we’re the best city in all of Canada to do so. The institutions themselves, along with faculty and other staff, are first class — but that only begins to scratch the surface. We’re known as the Forest City for good reason with nearly 500 parks and open spaces, along with 330 kilometres of walking and biking trails.”
The vast outdoor space in London was factored into the study, with the main factors being social environment, wallet friendliness, and economic opportunity. The scoring was out of 100, with 100 being the best. The top three rankings are below.
- Regina
- Total score: 72.9
- Social environment: 68.7
- Wallet friendliness: 66.8
- Economic opportunity: 83.3
- Winnipeg
- Total score: 68.9
- Social environment: 83.2
- Wallet friendliness: 54.2
- Economic opportunity: 69.5
- London, Ont.
- Total score: 67.2
- Social environment: 82.8
- Wallet friendliness: 56.0
- Economic opportunity: 62.8
“Western is proud to be located in London, and as a campus community, we are deeply committed to supporting the city’s success, health, and prosperity,” said Western University in a statement.
“London’s vibrant arts and culture scene, its parks and trails, and its location in the heart of Southwestern Ontario, makes it the ideal place to learn, work, and live.”
Both Fanshawe College and Western University are committed to upholding this title and to improving on the education they offer.
“Our programs are always evolving,” said Devin Robinson, Fanshawe’s domestic student recruitment manager.
“We’re also continually looking at campus and renovating. We have a big hole in the middle of campus with regards to construction on Innovation Village. That’s going to offer a lot of new unique opportunities for our students when it’s fully up and running.”
Robinson also said it is very easy to live on both Fanshawe and Western campuses, which contributes to the social environment in London. Now, London can take this ranking and continue to improve.
“London can continue to grow culturally, socially, economically, and intellectually,” Holder said.
“I’ve always said, as much as students benefit from their experiences at our world-class institutions, Londoners benefit just as much by the steady influx of young people who choose our city for their post-secondary endeavours. Many who come to school here wind up staying after they graduate, but even those who don’t, we’re grateful for the time they spent in London, and hope they return later in life.”
Preply’s report on university cities is available on its website.