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When choosing the best cities to live in Canada, you’ll find there’s no one “perfect” city for everyone.

Some people prioritize safety, others affordability, climate comfort, job opportunities or student‑friendly environments. In this article, we select seven key factors to reflect different priorities:

Best Cities According to Safety Standards

We considered the medium-to large-sized cities with more than 75,000 people, which stand out for their low Crime Severity Index (CSI), safe communities and strong public safety measures. here is the Top 10 cities:

 

City or RegionProvincePopulationCSI
Halton Region (Oakville, Burlington, Milton)ON59663731.2
North Vancouver DistrictBC8593534.4
SaanichBC11868737.2
Cape Breton (Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford)NS9428442.7
Durham Region (Oshawa/Whitby/Ajax)ON69699247.1
York RegionON123950053.9
CoquitlamBC14862555.2
DeltaBC10845555.3
Communauté métropolitaine de QuébecQC83931155.3
OttawaON101744955.8

Best cities by Weather & Climate Conditions

Weather comfort is highly subjective, but some Canadian cities stand out for milder winters, more sunshine or pleasant year‑round conditions. These are the top 10:

 

CityWinter Temp Range (°C)Summer Temp Range (°C)Annual Snowfall (cm)
Victoria, BC1 to 712 to 225–15
Vancouver, BC1 to 813 to 2330–45
Kelowna, BC-8 to 013 to 3035–55
St. Catharines, ON-7 to 117 to 29140–170
Windsor, ON-6 to 018 to 30100–140
Nanaimo, BC-3 to 716 to 245–20
Abbotsford, BC-6 to 520 to 2430–50
Chilliwack, BC-3 to 1021 to 2630–50
London, ON-7 to 019 to 29130–160
Halifax, NS-9 to 318 to 22150–160

Source: Weather Year Round Canada 2025

 

Best cities with the highest income

Choosing a city where household incomes are high gives more options for lifestyle, saving and spending. Here are top picks:

  • Calgary (Alberta): Among the highest median household incomes in Canadian metro areas as of recent data, supported by energy, tech and professional services sectors.

  • Ottawa‑Gatineau Region (Ontario/Quebec): Government plus tech/emerging industries support strong income levels, making it a top income city.

  • Edmonton (Alberta): Also high in median income rankings, driven by energy, construction and public sector jobs.

  • Guelph (Ontario): A smaller metro but showing higher median incomes in recent data, offering strong earnings for residents.

  • Victoria (British Columbia): While not the very highest, its median income ranks well among Canadian cities and the economy supports comfortable living.

Source: median‑household income listings, most recent Census/Stats Canada data.

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About the author

Author moving2Canada

Indira Duarte

Indira specializes in creating clear, accessible, and culturally sensitive content for immigrant audiences. As an immigrant herself, she brings a personal understanding of the challenges newcomers face, crafting practical guides, informative articles, and inclusive resources that empower individuals at every stage of their immigration journey.
Read more about Indira Duarte
Citation "Best Cities to Live in Canada in 2026." Moving2Canada. . Copy for Citation