The City of Calgary has jumped up to fifth in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index and is now the top-ranked city in North America.

Calgary, which was ranked seventh in 2023, bumped up two spots in the annual rankings, which were released Wednesday. It scored 96.8 out of a possible 100, with culture and environment the only score (90) dragging the overall mark down.

Calgary is tied with Geneva, Switzerland in the fifth spot.

One of the areas that the EIU report highlighted, particularly in Canada and Australia, was the ongoing cost-of-living issues.

“The situation is particularly worrying in Australia and Canada, where the availability of rental properties is at an all-time low and purchase prices have continued to

rise despite interest-rate increases, further fuelling anti-immigration sentiment,” their summary reads.

Calgary Economic Development (CED) said the ranking as the most liveable city in North America was a testament to the high quality of life and the opportunity that exists in the city.

“We can see it in the record number of people moving to Calgary who come here to build a life and career,” said Geraldine Anderson, vice president, marketing and communications with CED.  

 “We’re pleased to see Calgary rise in the ranks this year and to see the world take note of the exciting things happening in our city. That said, the work doesn’t stop. We will continue to work with community organizations, businesses and Calgarians to ensure we build on the momentum, keep investing in ourselves and ensure Calgarians can see a future for themselves and the next generation.” 

The EIU rankings are weighted results in five categories: Stability, Healthcare, Culture and Environment, Education and Infrastructure. Each of those areas takes into account a variety of sub-sections. 

The full summary is attached.