These are the 100 Happiest Cities in Canada

If you’re looking for happiness, Caledon, Ontario, might be a great place to start.

Credit: Town of Caledon

Analysts of the real estate company, Point2, has determined the happiest cities in Canada by studying 30 happiness-related metrics, including median after-tax income, poverty rate, perceived health, and a sense of belonging, as well as practical factors such as commute time, rainfall, and air quality.

Caledon, ON, emerged as the happiest overall city in Canada, with a happiness index of 67 out of 100.

The top five happiest cities on the list — Milton (2), Halton Hills (3), Clarington (4), and Burlington (5) — are all in Ontario. Surprisingly, big cities like Ottawa (26) and Toronto (72) did not make it to the top.

Within the list of cities, the unhappiest cities are also in Ontario – London (100), North Bay (99), Windsor (98), Sault Ste. Marie (97), Sarnia (95), Welland (93), Belleville (92), Barrie (91).

Montreal ranks 86th in Canada’s top 100 largest cities and is the least happy city in its region. However, other cities in Quebec, such as Lévis (6) and Saguenay, find their happiness in low housing costs.

While Point2’s study might not point to the Prairie region having the happiest cities in the country, specific metrics make all the difference. Strathcona County (23), St. Albert (31), and Airdrie (33) are the happiest large cities in the Prairies.

Lethbridge (76) boasts one of the shortest commute times on the list, and Saskatoon (55) is the second most stress-free large city in the country.

Regina (44) and Saskatoon (55) have the highest volunteer rate among Canada’s largest 100 cities. Calgary is ranked at 51, Winnipeg at 71, Red Deer at 82 and Edmonton at 88.

The happiest large cities in Atlantic Canada are St. John’s (37), Halifax (48), and Cape Breton (70). Saint John is one of the unhappiest cities in Canada, ranking 96th.

In British Columbia, the District of North Vancouver (8) topped the list as the happiest city, followed by Port Coquitlam (18) and Langley (21). Interestingly, almost 82% of homes in Langley are owned, while in Prince George (56), a good 84% of residents are happy to spend less than 30% of their income on housing. And while Vancouver (67) and Victoria (80)may not have made it to the top of the list, Vancouver still has reason to strut its stuff as the most walkable city among Canada’s largest 100.

Happiest Cities in Canada

Rank	City
1	Caledon, ON
2	Milton, ON
3	Halton Hills, ON
4	Clarington, ON
5	Burlington, ON
6	Lévis, QC
7	Oakville, ON
8	District of North Vancouver, BC
9	Saguenay, QC
10	Aurora, ON
11	Repentigny, QC
12	Blainville, QC
13	Terrebonne, QC
14	Newmarket, ON
15	Vaughan, ON
16	Granby, QC
17	Ajax, ON
18	Port Coquitlam, BC
19	Whitby, ON
20	Laval, QC
21	Langley, BC
22	Brampton, ON
23	Strathcona County, AB
24	Delta, BC
25	Mirabel, QC
26	Ottawa, ON
27	Drummondville, QC
28	Québec City, QC
29	Pickering, ON
30	Mississauga, ON
31	St. Albert, AB
32	Brossard, QC
33	Airdrie, AB
34	Guelph, ON
35	Trois-Rivières, QC
36	Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
37	St. John’s, NL
38	Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
39	Markham, ON
40	Saanich, BC
41	Maple Ridge, BC
42	Coquitlam, BC
43	Richmond Hill, ON
44	Regina, SK
45	Longueuil, QC
46	Abbotsford, BC
47	Sherbrooke, QC
48	Halifax, NS
49	Oshawa, ON
50	Norfolk County, ON
51	Calgary, AB
52	Surrey, BC
53	Gatineau, QC
54	Cambridge, ON
55	Saskatoon, SK
56	Prince George, BC
57	Greater Sudbury, ON
58	City of North Vancouver, BC
59	Chilliwack, BC
60	Kamloops, BC
61	Hamilton, ON
62	Waterloo, ON
63	Chatham-Kent, ON
64	Richmond, BC
65	Kitchener, ON
66	Burnaby, BC
67	Vancouver, BC
68	Wood Buffalo, AB
69	Saint-Jérôme, QC
70	Cape Breton, NS
71	Winnipeg, MB
72	Toronto, ON
73	New Westminster, BC
74	Fredericton, NB
75	Kingston, ON
76	Lethbridge, AB
77	Peterborough, ON
78	Nanaimo, BC
79	Thunder Bay, ON
80	Victoria, BC
81	Kelowna, BC
82	Red Deer, AB
83	Niagara Falls, ON
84	Kawartha Lakes, ON
85	Moncton, NB
86	Montréal, QC
87	St. Catharines, ON
88	Edmonton, AB
89	Brantford, ON
90	Grande Prairie, AB
91	Barrie, ON
92	Belleville, ON
93	Welland, ON
94	Medicine Hat, AB
95	Sarnia, ON
96	Saint John, NB
97	Sault Ste. Marie, ON
98	Windsor, ON
99	North Bay, ON
100	London, ON