LIFESTYLE

Are these Canada's most child-friendly cities? List ranks 51

Hayatullah Amanat Web Journalist - CTV News Saskatoon

Published Tuesday, December 13, 2022 5:47PM EST Last Updated Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:44AM EST

A woman wearing a face mask to curb the spread of COVID-19 rides a bicycle through a crowd of people gathered to photograph fall foliage, on a street in Vancouver, on Sunday, November 1, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

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Leaving your home country and settling in a new one is challenging for anyone, particularly when travelling with a family.

There are many factors to be considered before moving, one of which is how child-friendly your next destination may be.

If you want to move to Canada, a recent unofficial ranking of 51 most child-friendly cities might help you to find out which location has the factors you need for choosing a place to live.

According to the review site Clever Canadian, Quebec City came in at Number 1 as the most family-friendly city in Canada.

This is thanks to its “exceptional” health care, affordable housing and medical system. Low crime rate and subsidized daycare centers are two other factors that brought the city to the top of the list.

Those behind the raking determined the order based on 10 factors, including population, number of families with kids, unemployment rate, safety index, average household income, average household monthly costs, median monthly daycare cost, number of daycares and number of parks.

Following Quebec City, Ottawa came in second, with many kid-friendly neighbourhoods, “amazing” elementary and secondary schools and safe and convenient public transport.

Coming in at Number 3 is Calgary. Safety, affordability, and a lot of parks and daycares are the reasons making the city one of the most family-friendly in the country.

Number 4 on the list of great places to raise children is Vancouver, with its interactive museums, parks, safety and so many outdoor and indoor activities.

Edmonton ranked as fifth most family-friendly city in Canada. Being rich in history, and having lots of museums, “beautiful” parks and “exciting” attractions were the reasons for Edmonton was included in the top five.

The sixth most family-friendly city is Richmond, B.C., with its welcoming community and kid-friendly attractions. The city also has bowling alleys, waterparks and IMAX theaters, those behind the list said.

Based on the criteria, Toronto scored seventh place on the list, thanks to its diversity. As the largest city in Canada, it offers convenient and affordable public transport and good travel destinations, Clever Canadian wrote.

Montreal came in at Number 8 because of its affordable housing, daycare costs and convenient public transport, and Saskatoon ranked ninth as the ideal city to raise a family in. Diversity, affordability and a “great” food scene are the reasons.

Completing the top 10, Sherbrooke, Que., is the 10th most family-friendly city in Canada. The city is a good balance between urban life and nature and has high-quality services, according to the review site.

These are the remaining most family-friendly cities in Canada, according to the ranking: