Looking for a terrific place outside of the United States to retire, why not Canada? It’s just along the border. The best place in Canada to retire according to two studies is Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia (i.e., Canada’s West Coast). The first study, although an informal one, was conducted by Warren Bland and reported by Zena Olijnyk in Canadian Online Business. Bland is a professor emeritus at California State University. He was also born and raised in Canada. He used twelve key indicators, which included climate, cost of living, transportation, crime rate, and considering all factors, Victoria emerged as the undisputed champion. Second place went to London, Ontario. Meanwhile, three contenders shared the third place equally, namely, Halifax in Nova Scotia, and Stratford and Kingston, both of which are in the province of Ontario.
Victoria: Best Place in Canada to Retire
The best place in Canada to retire, according to Phil Froates and Rob Gerlsbeck of MoneySense magazine, is also Victoria. With two credible entities hooting for the British Columbian capital, the claim looks valid, indeed. At the same time, this raises a question for Ottawa, the Canadian capital, and its position in the existing dispensation. Apparently, it can rank as the second or third best place in Canada to retire. As comparisons are made, the winning features of Victoria come to the fore. The city has the mildest temperature of all Canadian cities. Close to the Pacific Ocean, it also offers spectacular views of Orca killer whales prancing around the waters.
Students from Europe on their first trip to Canada are often amazed at the sights and sounds of such urban center, many of whom consider the city as the best representative of the country in their eyes. They also remark at how clean the avowed best place in Canada to retire is, although unknown to them, the sewage of this otherwise magnificent metropolis goes directly into the ocean. Because of this alone, the best place in Canada to retire should suffer considerable point deductions in the light of its impact on the environment and in particular, sustainability factors.
Victoria Dethroned: Ottawa as the Best Place in Canada to Retire
Like a Miss Universe winner stripped of her title, the Canadian capital should be crowned the best place in Canada to retire by default or in view of its current place in the overall ranking. After all, when a beauty pageant winner gets dethroned, the next in line always takes over the helm. London, Ontario might challenge the ruling because of its Number 2 position as the best place in Canada to retire based on the Bland informal study; however, it still loses out to the capital because of its non-statuesque landscape.
To illustrate, like Victoria, the Canadian city of London is a great place to live and raise a family. All an observer has to do is frequent the malls in the downtown core. Wholesome facilities geared towards raising a family stare anyone in the face, the same quality that gives Victoria, the former best place in Canada to retire, one of its claims to fame. Despite its faults, it still is a hands-down favorite of young Canadians when it comes to urban living as every facility such as transportation, recreation, entertainment, and to a certain extent, health services are within reach. As for London, it cannot be the best place in Canada to retire because just like in any beauty contest, looks prevail.
All factors considered, Ottawa, the Canadian capital should win as the best place in Canada to retire by Victoria’s default. In fact, this is what happened after 2009, when MoneySense dropped Victoria in favor of Ottawa. It is like Vanessa Williams posing for Penthouse, but the facts need to be faced. The environment is a big issue, a wild card that tips the balance in Ottawa’s favor. Clearly, the city should be crowned the best place in Canada to retire because apart from its wide variety of heritage sites and recreational splendors just one of which is the Rideau Canal, the so-called Bright City knows how to play by the rules, particularly those of the environment. Finally, when it comes to federally administered health facilities and services for retirees, it comes second to none. After all, it is the Canadian capital and as such, directly benefits from the tendency of a democratic government towards apoplexy at the center and paralysis at the extremes.