Maritime cities top annual list of best places to live in Canada

Maritime cities place high in national ranking People across Canada are coming to realize what Maritimers already know – this is a great place to live. Alyson Samson reports.

HALIFAX — The rest of the country is figuring out why so many are proud to live in the Maritimes.

An annual ranking of Canada’s best cities to live and work remotely in, by Maclean’s Magazine, shows many Maritime places in top numbers.

Halifax took the top spot on the list, followed by Fredericton at number two, Moncton at seven, Charlottetown at ten, and Saint John at 12 on list of 25 spots.

"The reasons they scored us really high were around connectivity,” said Mike O’Brien, the mayor of Fredericton. “We were the first city in Canada to have free public Wi-Fi."

O’Brien is correct – one of the metrics Maclean’s used in their list this year was connectivity, along with housing, taxes, crime, weather and health.

"It’s also on amenities," said O’Brien. "We take it for granted what we have here until people look at us remotely in this beautiful city."

Fredericton’s ranking was a big jump from last year, where they stood at spot number 131 out of 415 places.

Real estate was one of the heavier metrics on the list, and Fredericton met the criteria. Real estate agents say they’re seeing people move east from elsewhere in the country – selling their pricey homes to buy cheaper and sometimes bigger ones on the east coast.

"I think it gives people a lot more opportunity," said Jeremy Dearing, a real estate agent in Fredericton. "To come and enjoy not only a slower pace of life, but a lot of green space, slower commutes, shorter wait times in the grocery stores…small little luxuries that people don’t really get in bigger cities."

One Haligonian had her own take on why Halifax was number one, outside of the metrics Maclean’s used:

"It’s just an amazing place,” said resident Amber Atwell. “There’s always like a 20 minute drive, and you can find a beach, lovely trails…there’s a huge community feel, with lots of amazing businesses."

That beauty adds to the region’s appeal, one Fredericton expert says is great for business.

"Houses sell more quickly," said Krista Ross, CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. "People move here, they bring their income here, and it impacts our local economy in many, many ways. It adds to our tax base, it adds clients and consumers to businesses in our region."

The full list and its methodology are on the Maclean’s Magazine website.