The list of best cities, limited to those with a population of more than one million, included Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa among the top 100, according to the World’s Best Cities report by Resonance Consultancy, a marketing consulting company based in B.C. Those behind the list said the ranking was determined by analyzing a wide range of factors that have historically shown positive correlations with attracting employment, investment and tourism. Diversity, education and the large number of corporate headquarters were the reasons why Resonance ranked Toronto as the best city in Canada and 24th in the world. “The fact is, you can visit the world in a day here,” Wayne Smith, professor and interim director at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, told CTV News Toronto. “There aren’t many other places in the world that come close to the diversity of the city. If you want Afghan food, you can find it. If you want some Sudanese food, you’ll find that too.” Montreal, Canada’s second largest city, with its income equality, culture, “flagship McGill University” and expertise that attracts foreign investment, came in at 56th place in the ranking. Calgary came in at 65, with points for its younger population, access to education, income equality and quality of life. Metro Vancouver was 69th on the list. Income equality, a “world-ranked” university, safety and the region’s unique topography were the reasons Vancouver made the top 100. Canada’s capital, Ottawa, was the only other Canadian city on the list, scoring high marks for education, low cost of living and availability of jobs. “We scored very high on some key elements that set us apart from other cities in the world,” Catherine Callary, vice president, destination development at Ottawa Tourism, told CTV News Ottawa. “Our most valuable asset is our people.” According to those behind the top 100, 24 factors were considered to determine which cities made the cut and in what order. Based on scores determined by these factors, no Canadian cities secured a spot in the top 10 and no others made the top 100, but the million population criteria means most other cities will not qualify. The list named Kyiv the honorary best city in the world for 2023, with the report describing the Ukrainian capital as a “beacon of courage and resilience” in the face of daily tragedy. London managed to earn the top official spot due to its popularity with tourists and investors, prevalence of luxury real estate, high-profile residents and economic growth. After London are the cities of Paris, New York, Tokyo, Dubai, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid, Singapore and Amsterdam, which complete this year’s top 10. Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta. With files from Michael Woods of CTV News and Alex Arsenych of CTV News Toronto
