I Am Canadian
𝓘 𝓐𝓶 𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓪𝓷
It is time for all of us to stand up, stand tall and declare to the world – “I am Canadian” and proud to live in the second best country on this planet.
In a world so full of hatred, divisiveness, racism, pestilence, corruption, and every unimaginable atrocity, including murder, terrorism, genocide, biochemical warfare, child exploitation, and more – Canada came in at second place as the best in the world in 2020, according to a survey by U.S. News and World Report. Beating out the Great White North was Switzerland, which has consistently ranked number one.
We need to celebrate this milestone, as we lead in quality of life, entrepreneurship and believe it or not, the ease of doing business, despite all the government bureaucracy and red tape, not to mention high taxes. But be wary: Democracy worldwide is under attack, nationalism is on rise, and the respondents noted conditions worldwide are worsening, with the gap between the rich and the poor continuing to grow.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Canada needs a healthy, wealthy Main Street and the narrowing of the income gap in order to maintain our standard of living, and we will need brilliant minds to lead us out of the economic fallout of this pandemic.
More on this survey: Japan ranked third place, the U.S. seventh place, Russia, 23rd, and India 25th.
Another interesting survey comes from Credit Card Genius – which lists the top 10 places to live in Canada. This survey is a help for young folks, who feel shut out of Toronto’s and Vancouver’s red hot real estate markets, and are seeking to escape highly populated hubs.
Ranked Number One and best overall is Quebec City, one of Canada’s most beautiful historic locations, where average home prices are $254,700, average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $883, and a single person can live on $2,009 a month. If you choose Quebec City, you may want to brush up on speaking French.
Next is Moncton, New Brunswick, described as the best place to find work and the cheapest place to live. There, home prices average $200,961, a one-bedroom rental apartment costs $814, and the cost of living for a single person is $2,016.
The list continues:
Third Place: Saint John, New Brunswick, coined the best place to buy a home. Average home price, $200,961, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $814, and $2,016 cost of living for a single person.
Fourth Place: St. John’s, Newfoundland, the best place for outdoorsy types. Average home price $239,500, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $854, and $2,264 cost of living for a single person
Fifth Place: Hamilton, Ontario, a blossoming hub with a reputation as one of Ontario’s up and comers. Average home price, $504,101, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $1,367, $2,280 cost of living for a single person.
Sixth Place: London, Ontario, best city for digital creatives. Average home price, $484,884, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $1,230, and $2,202 cost of living for a single person.
Seventh Place: Ottawa, Ontario, best place for adventurous foodies. Average home price, $575,600, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $1,600, and $2,784 cost of living for a single person.
Eighth Place: Edmonton, Alberta, best city for renters. Average home price, $319,900, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $910, and $2,356 cost of living for a single person.
Ninth Place: Charlottetown, P.E.I., best place to raise kids. Average home price, $277,000, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $1,350, and $2,093 cost of living for a single person.
Tenth Place: Calgary, Alberta, best city for people who love cities. Average home price, $410,000, average rent for one-bedroom apartment, $1,186, and $2,406 cost of living for a single person.
Of course, there is more than cost of housing and cost of living to consider. Go to https://creditgenius.ca/blog/best-places-to-live-in-canada, for all the details, including weather trends, unemployment rates, median income, median age, etc.
Bottom line is this: I love Canada, and I am proud to say “I am Canadian.”