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May 09, 2023 - 10:42 AM
Tourism officials love to cite studies that show Kelowna as one of the best cities to live in Canada.
Kelowna was the fastest growing major metropolitan area in the 2016-21 census period and touted as the most entrepreneurial city in Canada. It was ranked as second-best small city in a 2022 survey and the second most liveable city in a 2021 study.
But there are negatives as well, including having the highest crime rate in the country last year.
READ MORE: Tourists and growth get blame for Kelowna's high crime rate: top cop
A new happiness study by Point2, an international real estate search portal, ranks Kelowna at 81st on the happiness scale and last out of 20 cities in B.C.
Kamloops, while happier than Kelowna, still came in at only number 60 on the happiness scale for Canada and finished 13th out of the 20 B.C. cities.
“Happiness is as elusive a term as it is subjective,” the report says. “Data shows that, just like in real life, there is no absolute happiness, as none of the largest cities in Canada ranked high in each and every happiness metric that would get them a ‘maximum happiness’ index of 100.”
The survey looked at the 100 largest cities in Canada and analyzed 30 metrics grouped into four categories: economy and real estate, health and well being, community and environment, and location and demographics
That covered everything from unemployment rates, walk scores, percentage of residents who were divorced, rainfall, air quality, number of amusement parks per capita, mental health and after tax income.
“Despite data showing Kelowna is the least happy city within the province, the city ranks high in terms of Community and environment,” the report says. “Notably, more than 73% of Kelowna residents report a strong sense of belonging.”
Kelowna scored 43.54 out of 100 on the happiness scale.
In the community and environment category it was ranked number 13 in the country. It was ranked 75-80 in the other three classifications.
Kamloops finished with 48.21 points, scoring best (14th) in the community and environment category. But it was 96th on the location and demographics scale.
Caledon, Ont., at 67.41, ranked number one, finishing eleventh or twelfth in each category.
“Of course, those who've been to rural Caledon know how stunning the experience can be,” the report says. “Expansive, green landscapes, perfumed orchards, wellness retreats, and a pinch of conserved 19th-century architecture make Caledon a postcard come to life.”
More than half the country’s largest cities are in Ontario and they took the top five rankings in the survey.
The District of North Vancouver topped the BC rankings and number eight.
Port Coquitlam (18), Langley (21), Delta (24), Saanich (40), Maple Ridge (41), Coquitlam (42), Abbotsford (46), Surrey (52), Prince George (56), City of North Vancouver (58), Chilliwack (59), Kamloops (60), Richmond (64), Burnaby (66), Vancouver (67), New Westminster (73), Nanaimo (79) and Victoria (80) all ranked higher than Kelowna.
On the health and wellbeing scale, Quebec took the top six spots with Granby ranking number one.
St. John’s, Cape Breton and Regina were tops in the community and environment category.
Terrebonne, Blainville, and Repentigny, all in Quebec, ranked highest in the economy and real estate division with low poverty and unemployment rates along with high numbers of owner households and after tax median incomes.
In terms of location and demographics, Milton and Oakville, Ont. took top spots followed by the District of North Vancouver due to things like low rates of divorce and crime.
See the Point2 report here.
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