Top 10 Cities for Raising Children in Canada

It’s not secret that Canada is one of the best countries in the world. Great environment, diverse culture, appreciation for sports, landscape, people and some great cities.

When it comes to great cities to raise children, Canada has many.

CanadianFamily.ca ran the numbers and came up with a list of the top ten Canadian cities for families.

In this article, we’ll countdown the top ten cities , hear what parents had to say and also add useful information pertaining to health, education, housing affordability, crime rate, environment, art, and culture.

The Top 10 Ten Countdown

10. Calgary

High ratings for education and economy make, Calgary, very attractive. Parents like the clean air and many physical activities, including cycling, hiking, golf and snowboarding.

The Huffington Post reported that the city has been ranked one of the top cities in the world. The factors making it so great include education, safety, healthcare and an amazing infrastructure.

9. Gatineau

In addition to the kid-friendly restaurants and museums, the city has high funding for healthcare and housing. Parents were attracted to the international feel while remaining a small city; and the inexpensive real estate and affordable health care.

Many families are moving away from other cities in Canada, and reconsidering Gatineau as a more practical option, reported cbc.ca.

8. St. John’s, Newfoundland

A city with a rich cultural history, clean air, the most child and youth services per 100,000 of all the surveyed cities and an impressive downtown area filled with shops and entertainment.

StJohns.ca highlighted the range of artists and musicians who help shape the vibe of the city.

7. Markham

Parents said that they were attracted to the number of activities for children, high amount of green space, strong education, lots of diversity, low crime rate and in addition, it’s close to the #6 city on this list, Toronto.

6. Toronto

Parents mentioned they appreciated the food, entertainment options, culture, safety and the spaciousness of the city.

Known for being one the safest big cities in the world. It had the lowest number of crimes per 100,000 people of any city surveyed.

ExpatArrivals.com highlighted that the city has an impressive public and private school system. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor activities for children including museums and theatre.

Parents may also be attracted to the artistic community. There are hundreds of art galleries and the city regularly hosts film and music festivals.

Ocadu.ca spoke on the city’s diversity and multicultural depth, a city where you can find people who speak French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Hindi, and Urdu.

Parents may also be impressed by the public transportation system which includes subways, street cars, and buses.

5. Richmond Hill, Ontario

Another city in GTA (Greater Toronto Area), parents said that in addition to the rich history and historical sights, they immensely enjoyed the outdoor activities for the children, and appreciated the many diverse languages which would play a part in helping their kids learn to appreciate different cultures.

4. Vaughan, Ontario

Parents spoke about their love for the city near Toronto, noting a low crime rate, convenience, plenty of places to take the children including Wonderland Park. CeciliaDefreitas.com pointed out that the city was rich in culture.

3. Vancouver

Vancouvermom.ca, featured a parent who liked the fact that the city was diverse and it exposed her child to so many different cultures.

LearnLiveBC.ca mentioned that residents spoke English, French, Chinese, Korean, Punjabi and several aboriginal languages.

The exciting downtown area is also great for children, a multitude of activities, including a public library system that has activities and programs specifically for kids. You’re also within walking distance to the beach.

Speaking of the downtown area, parents told Global News that although the city was expensive, they appreciated and were attracted to the convenience of having everything nearby.

2. Montreal

Jscournoyer.com highlighted the excellent public school system and inexpensive housing.

According to a Montreal Gazette article Montreal has the lowest rents in all major cities in Canada, which makes it a practical option for musicians and artists.

Living-Canada.com reports that Montreal is the second largest city in Canada, and important in arts and commerce.

Parents may also be attracted to the linguistic diversity of the French-speaking city.

There are no shortage of activities for you and your family, including, the Granby Zoo, the botanical garden, and the beach.

Montreal is also home to McGill University, one of the top 100 schools in the world.

And Coming in at #1…. Surprise!

1. Quebec City

Quebec city is known for its rich history and architecture. There are plenty of outdoor activities including camping and mountain biking for parents to take advantage of.

Babypost.com highlights that monthly daycare is as cheap as $210.

Daycare isn’t the only thing that is inexpensive, TheFinancialBlogger.com also mentioned that monthly power and real estate were very inexpensive.

The city is located near the U.S. border, and according to Quebecfirst.com, it has the lowest crime rate in North America and named safest metropolitan area in Canada to raise children.

Conclusion

Canada as a number of great cities for raising children. Each city listed offers its own advantages and benefits. Did your city make the list? Should it?

note: to qualify for the survey cities had to have a population of 100,000 or more.

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