It’s no surprise to anyone that lives in Rossland, but the secret is getting out after RATESDOTCA ranked the Golden City one of the top five Most Livable Places in the country.
Based on several criteria, the online rate-comparison website put Rossland at number five out of more than 166 cities across Canada in a March 9 report.
Topping the list is Langford on Vancouver Island; second place is Kelowna; third Trois Rivieres, QC; fourth Bathurst, NB; and fifth Rossland.
“While it lacks the clement weather and urban culture of Kelowna, Rossland is a pristine, natural haven that’s far easier on the wallet,” read the website’s review. “It’s an ideal place for those looking to surround themselves with nature – lakes, tall trees, and mountains give Rossland its defining qualities, making it one-of-a-kind option for those looking to relocate.”
RATESDOTCA based its ranking survey on the premise, “If you could move anywhere in Canada, where would it be?”
The Livability Report factors in traditional metrics like affordability and growth but also considers lifestyle-oriented criteria such as scenery, nightlife, outdoor activities and accessibility.
“In fact, the survey revealed that one of the top deciding factors when looking for where to move is scenery – proximity to mountains, major water bodies, forest etc.”
With COVID-19 still looming, many people are reconsidering their present living location. About one-quarter of those surveyed by Leger say they moved or are planning to move in the last year because of the pandemic.
Twenty-one per cent of those moved from a major city hub, such as Metro Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, to a smaller community, with 51 per cent wanting to “live in an area with more nature.”
Rossland is one of the smallest cities on the list, with a population of just over 4,100, and ticks a lot of those boxes. It is also more affordable than living in most major centres with an average home price at $443,889. The study says that the minimum income required to live in the city is $73,477.
Despite its diminutive size, the city offers many unique restaurants, pubs, and hotels, heritage sites, a museum, robust outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking and mountain biking, in addition to major employers like Teck and Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital and access to high-tech resources such as Thoughtexchange and MIDAS.
Notably, five of the top 10 most livable places are found in B.C. including Cowichan Bay, number 7, and Penticton in ninth. In the Kootenays, Fernie was ranked 14th, Nelson 22nd, and Cranbrook 43rd.
