People riding bikes on the False Creek seawall are framed by fall foliage as leaves cover the ground, in Vancouver, Oct. 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Considering a big move this year? You may want to think about somewhere else in Canada or western Europe.
The annual ranking of the world's most livable cities has just been released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and 2022's Global Liveability Index shows some marked differences from the previous year.
The EIU, which is a sister organization to The Economist, ranked 173 cities around the world on a variety of factors, including health care, crime rates, political stability, infrastructure and access to green space.
BIG WINNERS
Overall, Europe dominated the list, with six spots in the top 11 (there was a tie for 10th place). Copenhagen, which CNN Travel pronounced Europe's capital of cool in December 2021, nabbed second place on the Global Liveability Index.
Switzerland was the only country in Europe to have two entries in the top 10, with Geneva in sixth position and Zurich landing in a tie for third.
However, the overall country winner was Canada. The Great White North had three of its cities represented -- Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto.
"Cities that were towards the top of our rankings before the pandemic have rebounded on the back of their stability, good infrastructure and services, as well as enjoyable leisure activities," the index's authors wrote.
BIG DROPPERS
Last year's winner, New Zealand's Auckland, fell out of the top 10 in 2022 to land at a surprising 34th place.
Neighbouring Australia had the most noticeable drop in the rankings this year. Despite having topped the list in the past, Melbourne fell to 10th place in 2022.
In 2021, Australia dominated the EIU index, with Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth all joining Melbourne in the top 10. This year, they rank 27th, 30th and 32nd respectively.
Wellington, New Zealand's capital, was in fourth place in 2021 but also dropped out of the top 10 this year.
Though Europe had a very good showing in 2022, there are two noticeable entries missing -- London and Paris. Increased cost of living expenses played a role in both metropolises, as did the UK's decision to leave the European Union.
Ongoing global conflict was the number-one factor determining which countries ranked at the bottom of the list. Damascus, Lagos and Tripoli were rated the three least livable cities in the world.
Meanwhile, Kyiv was not analyzed this year due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
LIVABILITY VERSUS COST OF LIVING
Earlier this month, global mobility company ECA International released its list of the world's most expensive cities to live in, with a focus on expats.
Hong Kong had the dubious honour of coming in first place, with New York City, Geneva, London and Tokyo rounding out the top five.
The only city to appear on both the ECA and EIU indexes was Geneva.
The most expensive cities ranking was determined solely by economic factors -- average rent, the price of gas and the like -- as opposed to the EIU list, which looks at a city's cultural attractions like museums and concerts as well as infrastructure like mass transit.
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
U.S. President Joe Biden intends to nominate an anti-abortion Republican lawyer to a federal judgeship, two Kentucky Democrats informed of the decision say.
Russian forces are pounding the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday.
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A 26-year-old man is facing drunk driving charges after a pedestrian was struck and killed, and several others were injured in a downtown collision Friday night.
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Ottawa police say residents and visitors will continue to see an enhanced police presence in downtown Ottawa today, as the cleanup begins from Canada's 155th birthday party.
Ontario is not yet allowing most adults under the age of 60 to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, prompting one doctor to prepare legal action to get the province to widen eligibility.
Ontario is not yet allowing most adults under the age of 60 to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, prompting one doctor to prepare legal action to get the province to widen eligibility.
One person is deceased and another was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries following a collision between a pickup truck and a motorcycle in Leamington on Canada Day.
Ontario is not yet allowing most adults under the age of 60 to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, prompting one doctor to prepare legal action to get the province to widen eligibility.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service is warning the public after two elderly women fell victim to something known as the “grandparent scam" and lost thousands of dollars.
The number of Quebec households without a roof over their heads after July 1 moving day is currently 600. That number "could continue to rise in the coming days," warned Véronique Laflamme, spokesperson for the Quebec housing advocacy group - FRAPRU, at a news conference in Montreal on Saturday.
A prominent housing advocacy group fears Quebec could see an increase in households left without a permanent place to live as leases expire across the province on July 1.
With only three public beaches with access to swimming on the Island of Montreal, many are calling on the city to do better to give people a place to cool off in the summer.
A 50-year-old New Brunswick woman is facing an impaired driving charge following a head-on collision with a fully marked RCMP vehicle in the village of Tracadie.
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A UBC researcher will soon embark on the trip of a lifetime, circling the globe over the course of several months to further her understanding of a creature that has captivated her for years: jellyfish.
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on Canadians to recommit to the country’s values, including respect, hope and kindness, in his official Canada Day message.
Living with HIV may have an immediate effect on how your body ages, according to new research which showed that cellular aging was sped up within two to three years of infection.
Medication abortions became the preferred method for ending pregnancy in the U.S. even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. These involve taking two prescription medicines days apart -- at home or in a clinic.
A California man has posted a widely-shared video in an attempt to educate people about the monkeypox virus outbreak, to encourage people to get vaccinated if they're eligible and to make it very clear: 'You do not want this.'
Germany and Nigeria on Friday signed an agreement paving the way for the return of hundreds of artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes that were taken from Africa more than 120 years ago -- an accord that Nigerian officials hope will prompt other countries to follow suit.
A pair of orcas drove great white sharks away from a stretch of South African coast after killing five sharks over just a few months in 2017, according to a new study.
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Lindsay Lohan has announced she is married. The actress, 36, who celebrated her birthday Saturday, posted a photo with Bader Shammas, a financier, calling him her husband.
Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman's long search came to an end Friday when he was reunited in Tokyo with a cherished guitar 45 years after it was stolen from a Toronto hotel.
Airlines worked Saturday to deliver luggage to passengers around the world after a technical breakdown left at least 1,500 bags stuck at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, the latest of several tangles hitting travellers this summer.
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.
Fearing Russia might cut off natural gas supplies, the head of Germany's regulatory agency for energy called on residents Saturday to save energy and to prepare for winter, when use increases.
An Ontario high school teacher plans to continue with an alternative method of grading her students after an experiment last semester in which students proposed a grade and had to justify it with examples of their work.
After becoming a casualty of a major downsizing at work, Robert Mah converted his minivan into a solar-powered mobile office and drove from Ontario to Victoria, B.C.
Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen overtook Wout van Aert right on the line to win the second stage of the Tour de France while Van Aert took the yellow jersey on Saturday.
American basketball star Brittney Griner went on trial Friday, 4 1/2 months after her arrest on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for a Russian team, in a case that has unfolded amid tense relations between Moscow and Washington.
A Vancouver Island real estate agent has lost his bid to recover a deposit he made on a new Ford Mustang that he intended to offer as a prize in a year-long contest in 2020.
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People riding bikes on the False Creek seawall are framed by fall foliage as leaves cover the ground, in Vancouver, Oct. 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
