TORONTO — Online gambling site Lucky Days has revealed the best place to live in Canada with its new study. Each province and territory was rated based on average life expectancy, hourly wage, population growth in the last five years, 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI), unemployment rate, the rate of crime incidents per 100,000 people and annual investment in residential construction per 100,000 residents. The regions were then given a luckiness score out of 70 and ranked.
Despite being one of the least populated areas in Canada, the Yukon topped the study as the luckiest place to live in the entire country. The territory soared to the top of the list thanks to having the lowest unemployment rate of 3.6 per cent in 2023. Meanwhile, the rate of investment in residential construction is over $50 million more in the Yukon than in any other region in Canada. Between November 2022 and November 2023, approximately $621,640,631 was invested in residential construction per 100,000 people. The Yukon also ranked high for population growth in the last five years, coming second with 11.39 per cent.
Falling just short of top spot and ranking above every other province, Ontario secured its position as the second luckiest region in Canada. Despite not ranking top in any of the seven metrics, Ontario ranked high with a life expectancy of 82.41 from birth, only second to British Columbia. The province also took fifth spot for average hourly wage ($26.25) and had the sixth-highest population growth within the last five years with 9.64 per cent. Ontario also happens to be one of the safest places to live in Canada, averaging just 4,425 incidents of crime per 100,000 residents, lower than every other region except Quebec.
British Columbia is Canada’s third luckiest place to live, according to the study. The province ranked top for life expectancy, with the average in the state at 82.54, over 10 years more than the region with the lowest life expectancy, Nunavut. It seems that British Columbia is also the second-best place to purchase goods in Canada, boasting a Consumer Price Index of 151.2. The only region where inflation is lower is Nunavut. An average hourly wage of $27 and annual investment of more than $545 million in residential construction per 100,000 residents mean British Columbia secured third spot on the ranking.
P.E.I. ranked fourth among Canada’s luckiest regions to live. The eastern province has enjoyed the highest population growth in the last five years. As of Q4 2018, the population sat at 153,906, but it has grown by 14.26 per cent to 175,583 by the end of 2023. The region also boasts the fourth-highest life expectancy and third-lowest rate of crime in the country. Despite this, P.E.I. is home to the lowest average hourly wage at $22.35 and the third highest unemployment rate in Canada at 8.1 per cent.
Quebec was named the fifth luckiest region in Canada, with high life expectancy and low crime rates. In fact, Quebec was recognized as the safest place to live in the country, with the lowest rate of crime incidents. In the latest data for 2022, 4,267 incidents of crime were reported per 100,000 people. The region also ranked high thanks to a life expectancy of 82.22, the third highest in the country. Workers in Quebec earn an average hourly wage of $25, while the latest unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent.
Nova Scotia secured sixth spot on the study, ranking above more populated regions like Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The province ranked high for population growth in the last five years (10.21 per cent) and annual investment in residential construction per 100,000 residents with more than $473 million. Nova Scotia is also among the safest places to live in Canada, averaging 6,447 incidents of crime per 100,000 people, the fourth lowest in the country. People in Nova Scotia have a life expectancy of 80.43 from birth, while the average hourly wage for locals is $23.55.
Alberta, New Brunswick, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories filled out the 10 luckiest regions in Canada, with Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Nunavut ranking as the unluckiest spots in the country.
Nunavut placed last in the study as the unluckiest region in Canada. Despite boasting the second-highest average hourly wage at $31.55 and lowest Consumer Price Index for 2023, the territory ranked last due to investment in residential construction and low life expectancy. People living in the region have a life expectancy of 71.66 from birth, the lowest in the country by almost six years. The Nunavut unemployment rate is the highest in the country (11.3 per cent), while the rate of crime is second only to the Northwest Territories.
“With the Canadian population surpassing 40 million, more and more residents are on the lookout for the perfect spot to live,” says Rich Lee, Chief Marketing Officer at Lucky Days. “Whether you’re re-locating or immigrating, finding a home that provides you with the best quality of life is essential. Places such as the Yukon boast so many benefits to locals, and with its exciting growth in residential developments, it’s becoming an increasingly popular location to live. Highly populated areas like Ontario also continue to be a great place to live, with low crime rates and high life expectancy giving the average resident an excellent quality of life. It’ll be interesting to see if regions like the Yukon and Ontario continue to grow at exciting rates or if any other Canadian provinces or territories dominate property and population growth in the coming years.”
