Canada's smartest cities 2010: overall rankings

This year’s bragging rights go to . . .

by macleans.ca on Thursday, May 20, 2010 5:00am - 131 Comments

Is your city one of Canada’s smartest, a place that has what it takes to help you get ahead? Or is it falling behind? Check out how Canada’s major cities stack up, and whether they’re improving (Regina, for instance, has shot up from 17th to fifth in three years) or slipping down the list. While some of the results were to be expected (Victoria is a regular contender for the top spot), others may come as a surprise (Halifax beat Toronto). Those near the top of the Canadian Council on Learning’s annual list do, however, have one thing in common: opportunities for lifelong learning.

Smart Cities 2010: Get Your Score

CORRECTION: The results that appeared in this chart earlier did not reflect the true ranking and scores of Canadian cities. The table has been updated with the correct data. We apologize for the error.
(Up Down indicates the 2006-2010 trend)

Community Name Overall Score
Learning to know Learning to Do Learning to live Learning to Live
Victoria 95 Up 6.2 7.6 7.0 7.6
Saskatoon 90 Up 4.5 6.9 7.1 7.4
Calgary 88 Down 6.0 7.2 5.7 6.8
Ottawa 87 Down 6.2 7.6 5.0 6.5
Regina 84 Up 4.0 6.1 5.8 6.9
Halifax 83 Up 4.1 6.8 4.9 6.5
Guelph, Ont. 83 Up 5.2 7.3 5.6 5.9
Edmonton 83 Down 5.8 7.4 5.8 5.6
Kitchener, Ont. 82 Up 5.6 6.8 5.4 5.9
Toronto 81 Up 6.1 6.9 5.6 5.4
Hamilton 81 Up 5.2 6.7 5.5 5.6
London, Ont. 81 Up 5.5 7.2 5.7 5.4
Winnipeg 81 Up 4.4 7.0 6.1 5.5
St. John’s 80 Up 4.7 6.3 5.0 5.9
Oshawa, Ont. 80 Up 5.3 6.4 5.9 5.5
Mississauga 80 Up 6.0 6.9 5.3 5.4
Brampton, Ont. 80 Up 6.0 6.7 5.3 5.4
St. Catharines, Ont. 80 Up 5.0 6.7 5.4 5.7
Gatineau, Que. 79 Down 4.8 7.0 4.7 5.4
Windsor, Ont. 79 Up 5.6 6.9 5.6 5
Barrie, Ont. 79 Up 5.3 6.3 5.4 5.6
Kelowna, B.C. 79 Up 5.1 5.4 5.7 5.9
Fredericton 78 Up 3.3 6.6 5.3 5.5
Kingston, Ont. 78 Up 4.9 7.3 4.8 4.8
Thunder Bay, Ont. 77 Up 5.0 6.2 5.1 5.2
Vancouver 77 Down 6.1 6.5 4.7 5.1
Charlottetown 75 Up 3.2 6.7 4.3 5.1
Abbotsford, B.C. 75 Down 5.3 5.9 4.8 5
Québec City 74 Up 5.0 6.5 4.8 4.6
Saint John, N.B. 72 Up 3.1 6.8 4.5 4.3
Sudbury, Ont. 72 Up 4.8 5.8 3.8 4.9
Moncton, N.B. 71 Down 2.9 5.8 5.2 4.4
Laval, Que. 71 Up 5.2 6.0 4.6 4.1
Longueuil, Que. 71 Up 5.3 6.1 4.6 4.1
Montréal 70 Up 5.3 6.0 4.5 4
Sherbrooke, Que. 67 Up 4.8 4.6 4.1 4.2
Trois-Rivières, Que. 65 Down 4.6 4.4 3.5 4.2
Saguenay, Que. 63 Down 4.3 4.7 2.8 3.8

Source: Canadian Council on Learning’s 2010 Composite Learning Index

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  • Janet

    I was born and raised in Saskatoon, later, lived 8 years in Montreal with children and now am in the GTA/Mississauga/Brampton area. People are smart because they are taught well. Saskatoon's school system is quite good which is demonstrated by the lack of many private schools…they are not needed.
    Montreal (and most of QC) are quite behind and, as a result, have many private schools. Most kids only complete Grade 11 because that is when high school finishes in QC. The few that are going on to University must attend CEGEP for University Prep classes. QC Universities are subsidised for QC residents. Can they pay their academics as well as other Canadian Universities? I assume not, so the good profs go elsewhere. Smart people leave QC!
    Now I live in the GTA and am pleased there is no more Grade 13 but this issue of having some students retake Grade 12 for a Victory Lap to gain more varied credits has got to stop. Tax money should be spend on Grades K – 12, not 12+. I am surprised to see that Oakville is not in the list. With all this in mind, that is why the West has won (this survey)!

    • wester15

      Bravo Janet. You make some astute and valid observations but I have a but. Health care. You say smart people leave QC and I think doctors, generally, are pretty smart AND well educated. Doctors get their education in Canada and leave. Not all but a lot.

  • No Habs No

    Montrèal is right near the bottom of the list!! No surprise really, how smart can a Hab fan be?? Olè Olè Olè Olè, na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey GOOD BYE!!

  • rand

    I worked in Oakville, know a lot of folks who live in Oakville. While there are smart people in Oakville, there are not many. Rich? yes smart no. A lot of old money along the waterfront thats it.

  • dgfhkfhjlfghjfla

    clearly, the 2006-2010 downward trend for ottawa is the result of the change of government.

  • lackofregard

    The only "stupid" people on this thread are those who can't see past their prejudice (I'm talking to you, Quebec haters). Spend more time reading and less time picking on people you don't know, and perhaps your city will score rather well, like mine.

    Merci :)

  • roger le morron

    Not one city from Quebec we will ave to separate

  • r sampling

    how could toronto the armpit of canada make the list

  • Luis

    Macleans' anti-Montreal bias has reached laughable levels.

    Every poll, every article, every text, it's all Quebec-bashing.

  • Quebec 2.0

    Still a lot of improvements needs to be done to Québec's public school system, drop out rate are just unaceptable
    The education reform that started 7 years ago to copy the scandinavian model is just a plain disaster.

    Hopefully we can get rid of the liberals soon and start working to improve that.

  • Will

    I'm surprised New Brunswick even made it on this list, what's even more surprising is that Moncton is on this, did you ever go to that place? Stupid people you say……I'm making reference here to Acadians.

  • bob

    Typical poll….and this matters to whom?

  • inmyview

    There have been many negative comments on different stories(CBC) calling the west (particularily Alberta) Redneck, uneducated, backwards Hillbillies. The EKOS poll results that come out on the CBC web love to state that the western support for the Conservatives is older, uneducated men. While the Liberal's supporters tend to be "University educated". So I am chuckling to myself at your findings, noting that the majority of smart cities are in western Canada. Out of the top 10, 6 are western Canada, 1 is eastern Canada. I think there are some who need to re-think their name calling!!!!

  • donna

    out of all the reply's not one person mentioned that they where contacted to be surveyed or knew anyone that was. Oh please do another survey and waste some more hard earned money.

  • albertarich

    alberta is full of rich educated trades people who generally have a higher household income than university educated people who are up to their eyeballs in student loans,so whos dumber?

  • Rhonda

    Here, here….I'm with you!

  • french moron

    Qwebec is smarte I love molson and labatt

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