According to a recent ranking of the best Canadian cities to study in for 2021, Victoria is on par with Kamloops and far below a number of lesser-known university centres.
The report by comparison platform Hello Safe ranked Victoria 27th of 49 cities, based on four criteria: quality of life, academic excellence and cost of studying, quality of student life, and attractiveness. Each category was worth up to 5 points, giving each city a total mark out of 20. Victoria was given a 10.6, or 53 per cent.
Quality of life was based on the cost of rent, number of inhabitants, access to nature, climate and pollution. Attractiveness was determined by the number of big cities in a 500-kilometre radius, accessibility by road, train and plane, and unemployment rate in January 2021. Quality of student life came from the number and proportion of students in the city, the number of bars and restaurants nearby and the cultural offer. Finally, academic excellence and cost of studying was based off the number of universities in the city, the cost to attend and the university’s academic ranking from McLean’s.
RELATED: Victoria ranks as 16th least affordable city in the world
The only category Victoria made the top 10 in was attractiveness, where it nabbed second place after Sherbrooke, Que. Sherbrooke also took overall first place with a 15.1/20 score. It was followed by Montreal, Que. (15/20), Kingston, Ont. (14.3/20) and Quebec City, Que. (13.7/20).
In total, B.C. claimed eight of the 49 top cities, including (from highest to lowest) Vancouver, Surrey, Nanaimo, Burnaby, Abbotsford, Kamloops, Victoria and Prince George. Ontario took the most cities with 15, followed by Quebec and B.C. with eight, Nova Scotia with five, New Brunswick and Alberta with three, Manitoba and Saskatchewan with two, and Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Newfoundland and Labrador with one each.
RELATED: Greater Victoria students want voting seat on transit commission
RELATED: Greater Victoria listed #5 among best small cities to live, work as a filmmaker
Find the full list at hellosafe.ca.
Do you have a story tip? Email: jane.skrypnek@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
